I don’t believe I can go three months without mentioning Louise Black’s corsets (yes, I’m talking about that Louise Black…the one on Project Runway).
After a year of writing a lingerie blog, very little surprises me anymore; in fact, some of the pretties are starting to look the same. But I have yet to see anything like Ms. Black’s corsets. I know of no other designer who manages to combine elements of goth, fantasy, horror, victoriana, and the Flapper Era into a single garment. You know Louise Black’s work when you see it, and I imagine that’s the goal of any designer.
Now, I have a new tagline for Louise’s work: “Corsets so comfortable you can sleep in them.” And I should know because that’s exactly what I did. You see, Dragon*Con isn’t just a place for me to view corsets, it’s also an opportunity for me to wear them, and my skeleton cameo corset is one piece I’ve been dying to wear for quite awhile.
As you can see from the photo, the corset is made well and fits well. While not suitable for serious tightlacing, the steel boning and sturdy canvas allows for a waist reduction of at least a couple of inches. If you’re used to snugly fitting corsets, please note that there is a bit of gapping at the ribs, but this may be typical of a buskless corset.
Speaking of busks, the fact that this corset lacks one makes it an adventure to wear. I asked Ms. Black herself for advice when putting it on, and she suggests unlacing the corset almost completely, slipping it on backwards, relacing it, and then turning it around to the proper side and tightening it. And it works!
Not only did I get several compliments at the con, I ran into a few other Louise Black fans as well. Affordable, comfortable, and utterly unique, I really don’t have any negatives to say about this corset.
Well, on second thought, I do have one negative. Louise Black has hinted that she may stop making these corsets all together in the very near future, so if you’ve been straddling the fence, I recommend picking one up ASAP!
You know, now that I think about it, this is the perfect corset for Halloween…
