The re-beginning

So in early August I pulled out my old corset. It had been slightly abused in my loose-waisted years. I had allowed a friend to borrow it twice; rather a mistake. But it was alright for the most part and I donned again. And again I felt my sides ache for a week or so and the ache subsided once more. I have been wearing it 23/7 since after the first week (well mostly.) I have taken to putting Thayers Medicated Superhazel on my skin after my shower and began using cornstarch. The witch hazel is wonderful. My skin loves it. It works far better for me than lotion. It conditions and soothes the skin. The cornstarch is crazy messy. I have been thinking of buying one of those little round pouffe boxes for the cornstarch as putting it on with my fingers is less than ideal (especially when I am wearing black.) I am currently at a comfortable 27" even for driving, sitting or working. My natural waist is now a whopping 30". Yeesh.

I ordered a new corset which came in the mail a few days ago at an abitious 22". (Pictured above right from the Meschantes eBay auction.) I think in retrospect this is amazingly small. Too darn small. But we'll see. I ordered from Meschantes again (same style as before but in black & w/closed busk,) but this time I was anxious. They have had a few bad reviews and this time I ordered it on eBay. I paid a little less, but I'm still not sure how I feel about the order. It came on time, but I never got an email from anyone there. I asked them to get back to me three times. Not enough to be harassing them but enough that they should have contacted me. Also, I don't really know if the corset was custom or off the peg. I sent them the detailed measurements they asked for during my initial corset order in 2004 and indeed the corset fits better than the old one (the busk on the old one sticks out a bit too far at the bottom) but the tag on the inside is marked 22" in sharpie which leads me to believe they are simply making them en masse and are being deliberately vague about the customization on eBay. As with the first corset by Meschantes the bones are both spring and spiral steel but they do not run the entire length of the casing/corset. There is a more than 1" gap with each bone to the top edge with both corsets. I am not entirely sure if this is desireable, but I'm guessing it is not. I may be wrong, but I believe the bones are too short.

The new corset fits well and is every bit as sturdy as the first with the exception of the busk. I ordered the new corset with a closed busk which is rather more flexible than the front clasping busk. Being a closed busk and so tiny it is a monster to get on. I have to loosen the laces (which are very short compared to my old corset and made of coarse nylon rather than the cotton of the original) all the way to slip it over my head. Lacing up is really hard, especially since my husband is not interested in learning to help me. But once it's on it is very comfortable and the lack of a claspable busk is nice under my clothes. I only wear the new one for a few hours a day, preferring to reduce my waist in my old corset until it is again too loose and continue reducing my waist with the new corset.

I have gone camping twice this month. Camping and tightlacing can be done. The drive is long, so I had to loosen my corset to sleeping girth or I would have never made it. I drive a sedan and am really considering a mini-van so I can sit more upright and get in and out without sounding like the last clown to squeeze into the clownmobile. There are a lack of adequate mirrors while camping and ensuring my laces were parallel was a challenge. And on both trips I took my corset off in my sleep! Both trips were two nighters and on the second night both trips I took my corset off in the middle of the night without even meaning to. I guess the blow up bed in the tent is less than ideal comfort-wise.

Well, I s'pose that's me all caught up. I do hope someone reads this blog.
Please feel free to comment.

-Crazy Kel