Buying handmade is awesome. As an independent, one-woman business, I not only create a handmade product but I try to support other indie handmade designers as well. Sometimes, when trying to order from other designers, I even find myself falling into the same pitfalls that can cause me frustration when coming from my own clients! Today I’m going to talk about the process of communicating with a designer who creates […]
In corsetry, custom, bespoke, and made-to-measure all mean essentially the same thing, just as ready-to-wear, off-the-rack, and made-to-order have similar or overlapping definitions, depending on the maker. Which means they should all follow a similar process, right? Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. All too often, I hear sad tales of made-to-measure corsets that don’t fit because an essential step was skipped. Here’s what you should expect when ordering a […]
I first became aware of hip fins on corsets via Sparklewren, though there are quite a few couture corsets (particularly corset bodies) that feature them. Though “hip fins” has become the commonly accepted name for them, I like to think of them as miniature panniers; they could also be considered a sort of floating gore or a stiffened semi-peplum. This detail generally parallels the iliac crest and emphasizes the dramatized […]
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. One of the questions I’m asked most frequently on TLA is, “Where can I buy a good corset?” Though I’ve been writing about lingerie for years now, it’s still a question I totally understand. Even the most inexpensive (but still good quality) steel-boned corset will cost around $75. A corset with custom measurements, high quality fabrics, or special details (like fan-lacing or a lace […]
