Stripey Corset

A couple weeks ago I made a stripey black and white corset. Read on for detailed blathering on about that, if you're curious about corsets. I made it as an experiment, but as I was throwing together a last minute outfit to wear to the Dances of Vice event, it turned out to be useful for that.

This is not a picture of a corset, but it is vaguely similar looking. I find it to be a really interesting bodice design. For pictures of my corset, stay tuned...
My corset was an experiment, and a learning experience, I suppose. Lesson one - this is a viable pattern for me (it is a significantly modified version of a Past Patterns pattern), and fits my difficult measurements well, but in the final analysis is a little too big. I can lace it completely closed and it is still a little bit loose. I think a well-fitting corset should have a little bit of space in the back where it laces... not many inches, but the edges shouldn't completely touch. The important measure for the fit of a corset is not how wide the gap is, but how parallel it is. For example, if a corset laces closed at the bottom, but there is a gap at the top, it was not made to accommodate your bust size. If the opposite, it is not big enough for your hips. You get the idea. If you wear a corset that does not fit, it will never be comfortable the way that a perfectly fitting customized corset will. You ought to be comfortable if you wear a corset. Unless, I suppose, the intention is to be uncomfortable, in which case I probably don't want to hear any of the details anyway.

Lesson two is that trying to make the stripes vertical was not particularly effective. It causes some weird optical illusions at the bust and hips, and I think I don't like them. Perhaps with thinner stripes this would look a little better. Perhaps with a less curvy underbust pattern this would be more successful. Perhaps I will angle the stripes the next time I use this fabric, and see how that goes.