Corset's quality - what to look for when choosing a corset
Before you make your purchase, whether you decided to go for a custom made (bespoke) or standard size off the rack corset, there are some general rules what makes a corset "good corset" so you can enjoy your purchase and have many hours of wearing this beautiful item. As corsets are specific garments meant to reduce the waist area and create a flattering hourglass silhouette, they need to be well constructed so they can persist the pressure that will be created during the tight lacing and withstand many hours of wearing, especially if you want to wear your corset daily as a waist training and tightlacing corset.
Corset's durability depends on two factors - suitable materials combined with proper corset making's techniques. Good, educated and experienced corset maker can make a strong, durable corset even from sheer materials. Even if you don't plan to wear your corset daily, you will pay for it and you want to get a decent, durable item for your money that will not break at first wearing.
Here are some general rules what to take care before you purchase the corset and how to recognize good, quality items from low quality items that is best to avoid.
Corset's durability depends on two factors - suitable materials combined with proper corset making's techniques. Good, educated and experienced corset maker can make a strong, durable corset even from sheer materials. Even if you don't plan to wear your corset daily, you will pay for it and you want to get a decent, durable item for your money that will not break at first wearing.
Here are some general rules what to take care before you purchase the corset and how to recognize good, quality items from low quality items that is best to avoid.
QUALITY MADE CORSETS
1. General appearance- corset looks stiff, firm, and symmetric. 2. Lots of pictures of product from each side and details 3. Well shaped and good looking silhouette with a waist reduction. 4. Existing of a detailed description of materials used and construction details. 5. At least one layer is made of coutil or similar strong fabric and boned with a spiral and flat steel boning (but there can be some couture exceptions). 6. High quality made details and excellent sewing skills. 7. Sizing is based on at least 3 measurements and includes a bra cups for overbusts. 8. Strong laces at the back and a fully boned modesty panel especially on overbusts 9. A seller is greatly informed into a subject and responds all your questions, talking to a person who is a corsetmaker. 10. Paying price for a high quality, corset made of these materials will last up for years, even worn every single day 24/7. |
For the best fit best choice is corset made to your measurements or bespoke custom made corset with a toille. Even if you have choose a standard size corset, good looking product is usually a good sign. (You always need to be aware of possible frauds, where the pictures are stolen from famous corset brands and designers and used for selling cheap off the rack copies)
Please note that even some hand made corsets by different corset makers or designers can vary in quality. It all depends on the skills, knowledge and used techniques of the maker. Even the higher price or professional photo shooting photos aren't guaranty that a corset is a quality made, so before you make any purchase I suggest you compare several different makers of the same price range and choose the best.
Please note that even some hand made corsets by different corset makers or designers can vary in quality. It all depends on the skills, knowledge and used techniques of the maker. Even the higher price or professional photo shooting photos aren't guaranty that a corset is a quality made, so before you make any purchase I suggest you compare several different makers of the same price range and choose the best.
LOW QUALITY INDICATORS
1. Corset looks sloppy and thin. 2. Poor quality pictures, no details. 3. Poor shape (cylindrical), no waist reduction (beware of possible digital retouching). 4. No description or poor information 5. A single layer satin corset, or with a twill lining, fabric looks too shiny and wrinkled (cheap) 6. Poor quality made details and sewing skills 7. The sizing is based only on the desired waist size (might result in an extremely bad fit). 8. Poor laces, "rag" modesty panel if it exists, on overbusts the laces may leave the marks on your skin. 9. Seller is not informed into the subject or the answers do not give the full information, especially about the sizing (you are talking to a retailer). 10. Low price. Please keep in mind that the producing costs needs to cover working hours, materials and get profit, then you must be aware of materials and techniques used to make that corsets. |
11. Also can be fraud: great quality corset on the picture, but price extremely low, as they are usually cheap copy of reputable corset designers and brands.
12. However, they can also be found declared as "hand made" at Etsy and similar stores, as some shop owners decorate them, and sell them as "hand made" items, but they are still recognizable by their specific shape and appearance. 13. Those corsets are often found at e-bay and similar stores, and they are retail from a big east country's factories where produced in quantities as high as 300 000 pieces per month. 14. Even they are often declared as "steel boned" they usually contain plastic boning, although the only steel part is a busk (low quality, extremely thin and can easily be bend). 15. Expecting lifetime: None. Even after first time you have worn it, the bones will be permanently deformed. They will bend in a tummy area creating an ugly rounded bulk. It can be straighten with an iron, but that will be no use, because the next time you wear it, it will bend again and that makes your body look worse than not wearing one at all. After only few times of wearing, grommets get pulled out. |
Any of this signs are indicators that a corset is a low quality and that will not be able to serve it's main function - shape the body and give the flattering silhouette and withstand the pressure of wearing. As I have mentioned quality ranges even if the corsets are made by individual corset makers, as it depends on their skills and used techniques so this rules are applicable on any corset.
Hope this helps you to understand why so many corset price ranges are there on the marketplace, but the decision leaves only on you to choose how you want to spend your money, but keep in mind you will always get what you pay for, so spend it wisely.