Posts in category "about"

Tell Us Your Lingerie Addict Story!

Today is my last day helping out Cora, so I wanted to put up a post to talk about The Lingerie Addict itself. Since this week is also the 5 year anniversary of the blog, it seemed like a good time to say some nice things about what TLA has done for us over the years. Despite being a regular contributor to TLA, I still find myself learning things from the blog all the time. It’s encouraged me explore subjects I never would have otherwise, like corsets or black mesh lingerie. It’s encouraged me to think of lingerie design in terms of how it works for my body instead of why my body doesn’t work for the design.

If you have a few extra minutes today and you’re a regular reader (or even a newbie!), please leave a comment about how you started reading and what you’ve gotten from the blog. I think it will be fun to share our experiences, as well as making a nice 5 year blog-iversary present for Cora!

Holly

Holly

The Full Figured Chest provides creative and elegant copywriting for the high end lingerie industry.

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How to Care for a Corset, Part 1: What to Do While Wearing Your Corset

Photo: Sam Guss, Corset: Dark Garden, Model: Victoria Dagger

So you want to wear a corset, and make sure you take good care of it to prolong its life.  There are a few steps you can take during and immediately after wearing your corset to minimize wear and the need for costly cleanings.

One of the most basic pieces of corset care advice is to wear your corset with another layer between it and your skin.  The reason for this is that your sweat and the natural oils in your skin rub off onto the lining.  Ultimately it’s less wear on the corset to avoid both the sweat and oils, and the frequent cleanings it’ll lead to.

A camisole like this makes a good corset liner. To wear with an overbust, tuck the straps in. Trousers are optional. Photo: Antonio Abadia, Corset: Electra Designs, Model: Victoria Dagger

How practical wearing a lining is will depend heavily on your outfit: if it’s a waist cincher or underbust, you may already be wearing it as an outerwear piece and therefore ahead of the game.  (Know that the garment underneath will get creased from the compression.)  A sweetheart corset can be worn as a top by itself.  If you’re wearing your corset as a foundation piece, the weather may not permit an additional layer between it and your skin.

Originally a “chemise” would’ve been worn next to the skin under the corset; today, you can wear a simple camisole or tshirt.  Your corsetiere may even sell tube tops fitted to be worn under the corset with no straps or sleeves to interfere with your styling choices.  The fabric should be lightweight, breathable, and easy to wash: a  t-shirt jersey type fabric (cotton or a cotton-spandex blend) is a safe bet.  A rayon-type fabric (rayon, modal, bamboo rayon, etc) would also be very comfortable, though more difficult to care for.

To keep laces secure and out of the way, tuck the ends into the bottom of your corset. Photo: Joel Aron, Corset: Dark Garden, Model: Kristin.

One mistake many corset wearers make is wearing their laces tied around their waist.  This actually abrades the fabric of the corset.  If you don’t like to leave your laces danging, separate the “bunny ears” bow at the waist in two and tuck the lace ends under the bottom of your corset.  On a related note, when it’s time to take your corset off, always remember to loosen the laces before unfastening the busk.

Always remember to loosen your laces before unfastening the busk. Photo: Marianne Faulkner, Corset: Pop Antique, Model: Elisa Berlin.

If you find yourself needing to replace the lacing itself, polyester ribbon can be purchased from any fabric or craft store.  Even if your corset wasn’t originally laced with ribbon, the polyester actually makes for very strong lacing.  Measure how long the original laces were, and adjust if you felt they were too long or too short.  It’s always easier to cut them shorter, though, so it’s safer to err on the side of “too long,” otherwise it may become difficult to put your corset on.  Buy ribbon that is at least 1/4” wide; 5/8” or wider ribbon creates a more sumptuous look but also adds considerable bulk.

Drape your corset over the back of a chair to air out after wearings.

After you take your corset off, let it air out, breathe, and relax.  Drape it over a hanger or the back of a chair.  The fibers will relax back into shape, and, well, the fresh air will do it good, scent-wise.  If you’re waist training or participating in an event that calls for several consecutive days of  corset wearing, try to alternate corsets.  Like your bras or shoes, your corset will break down noticeably faster if you don’t give it any time off.  The fabric, boning, and laces are all under a considerable amount of physical stress while you’re wearing it, after all.  You can also delicately wipe down the lining of your corset with a damp cloth after you take it off, to help gently remove any oils or sweat that are on the surface.

Photo: Chris Gaede, Corset & Ensemble: Dark Garden, Model: Victoria Dagger

Stay tuned for future installments on storing and cleaning your corsets!  Let me know in the comments if you have other corset maintenance questions or ideas you’d like to see addressed in future posts.

Marianne

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About Cora

A Brief History Of The Lingerie Addict:
In April of 2008, The Lingerie Addict was born in a small apartment in Atlanta amidst an ever-growing collection of stockings and knickers. The blog originally filled a niche for me personally: I’d searched all over the internet for a lingerie site that helped women on a budget find lingerie that they would love. After coming up empty, I finally decided to create that space myself. I wanted to create a place that was loving, inclusive, and empowering to women all over.

My name is Cora Harrington (though for the last 4 years, I’ve blogged under the penname Treacle Tart), and when I started this blog I was working full time as a crisis counselor. After four years, I’m a full time Lingerie Addict, and my little blog has become a business. The Lingerie Addict is holding steady as the number one lingerie blog worldwide, and I recently received my one-millionth visitor.

In 2011, I expanded my range of services. Along with advertising opportunities, I now offer a wide range of social media consulting services for the discerning lingerie brand or boutique. I’ve spent the last year jump starting social media campaigns for lingerie businesses, helping brands tell their story, and of course blogging about all of my new (and old) lingerie loves.

The landscape of my life has changed tremendously in four years, and I’m grateful for it every day. Not many people get to wake up and throw themselves into something that they are passionate about, and I’m aware of how lucky I am. I couldn’t have done it without all of my readers, advertising partners, and everyone who had faith in me even when I didn’t. Thank you.

Welcome to The Lingerie Addict. I hope you’ll love it here as much as I do.

Yours in lingerie love,
Treacle Tart

The Lingerie Addict Philosophy:
One of the great joys of lingerie is that everyone can feel empowered by it. At The Lingerie Addict, we try and cover every slice of the industry. We cover high end and low-end brands, independent and mass market brands, along with all ages, body types, and sizes. One of the most heartbreakingly awful things I can hear is a woman say that no one makes lingerie for her. There is a perfect piece of lingerie out there for everyone, and I hope that I can help you find it through this blog.

Naturally, I also have a comment policy that helps maintain an atmosphere of inclusivity and polite discourse. I’m all for intellectual arguments, but have zero tolerance for anyone who is here to tell someone else how they should feel or look. I believe that this attitude is one of the things that set The Lingerie Addict apart, and it will always remain at the core of what I and this blog do.

Last, but certainly not least, if there is a subject that you don’t see covered on the blog but would like to hear more about, please let me know at treacle@thelingerieaddict.com. I love publishing guest posts, especially when they help illuminate new areas or issues in the lingerie industry.

If you have any other questions, you can find me on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, or Pinterest.

Public Relations Information:
If you’re a PR professional or a writer looking for some quick and easy background information on me, you’ve come to the right place! Sadly, I am neither made of treacle nor an actual tart. Please feel free to copy and use any information contained in this section, including any photos.

About The Lingerie Addict:
The Lingerie Addict started as a small stockings blog, and has gone on to become the highest ranked lingerie blog online. The blog receives 90,000 unique visitors a month on average and nearly 200,000 page views per month. In January 2012, The Lingerie Addict reached one million visitors.

Treacle Tart, a 20-something Seattle resident, founded the Lingerie Addict in April of 2008. From her apartment and her laptop she built a platform that continues to grow rapidly, and has recently expanded into social media consulting for discerning lingerie brands and boutiques.

For additional information and inquiries, please contact treacle@thelingerieaddict.com.

Top Photo Credit: Cheri Pearl Photography

Images for Press Use:

(Credit: POC Photo)

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