Please read each section carefully, as is it very important to properly care for your garment. You are responsible for the care of your garment and items will not be replaced in the event of improper care.

WEARING YOUR CORSET

It is important to always wear something underneath your corset to absorb your body oils and sweat. If your corset is meant to be worn alone, something as simple as a snug tank top with the straps cut off will do quite nicely.

You will find dressing easiest if you put your corset on after you have already put on your other undergarments, stockings and shoes.

Do not allow other people to wear your corset! By the time your corset is broken in, it has molded to your exact body shape. Letting others wear your corset will warp it as it tries to conform to their shape, and can leave gaps and wrinkles behind.

BREAKING IN THE CORSET

When you recieve your corset, it must be broken in, and broken in correctly. Unlike a pair of new boots, lacing it as tight as you can and running around for a day will harm the corset. Grommets can pop out and seams can weaken, and in some cases even busks can snap.

Follow this formula to perfectly break your garment in:

Wear something light and comfortable, such as a slip or comfortable cotton shirt, and put your corset on. Make sure to stretch your torso out as you put it on, as this allows your internal organs a chance to settle comfortably.

Lace your corset so that it fits snuggly. The tracks of your corset may have strange gapping. This is normal.

Make a phone call, fold some laundry, pace back and forth, do something to pass twenty to fourty minutes. The goal is move around in the corset, and give it a chance to begin to mold to your body.

At this point, you may feel that the corset is loosening. It is okay to lace it a little tighter, now. Wear it for about an other half hour to an hour, and then loosen your laces and take your corset off.

Repeat this process two or three times before attempting to wear your corset for more than 4 hours. I would advise bringing a backup garment if your corset begins to disagree with you on longer outings.

Even at it's tightest, the corset should not be laced in a way that you find stifling or uncomfortable. If you find that you cannot breathe, or begin to experience cramping, loosen the garment and/or take it off. It is likely that it was laced too tightly.

Do not wrap the laces around your corset. This will cause undue wear and tear on your waistline. Instead, you can either trim down the cording, if it is too long, or purchase heavy ribbon. Ribbon is nice because it has less bulk, and can be easily tucked inside of the corset.

EATING & MOVEMENT

Yes, it is safe to eat and drink while you wear your corset. It is said that one should eat lightly before putting on a corset, avoiding overly heavy foods, to prevent stomach cramping.

You may find using the restroom a little on the difficult side. For this, I suggest loosening your laces before sitting down.

Remember to bend at your hips, and use your knees to lift.

CLEANING

Your garment is DRY CLEAN ONLY. This garment must never be submersed in water in any way. The stays are made of metal, and the stays at your hips are made of spiral coils that cannot be coated in protective plastics.

After you have worn your corset a few times, you may notice that it has taken on a bit of an odor. It is a good idea to air your corset out by hanging it over the back of a chair, door or cupboard. It's even better with the presence of a circular fan.

If there is a bit of a funk, this can be elevated by laying your corset flat, liner side up, and spraying evenly with a mist of Fabreeze once every month or two. You don't want to fully saturate the garment, because that can promote rust of the stays. Just a fine mist will work well. Let the garment dry fully before putting it away.

Depending on how often you wear your corset, you will likely want to get your garment dry cleaned at some point. Very few dry cleaners know what to do with corsets. My advice is to ask around to find a reputable drycleaner, preferably someone who can do it by hand. Make sure they know that there is steel inside of your garment, and that it may not become wet.

It may be tempting to use the home dry cleaning bags that you can put in your dryer. Unfortunately, the dryer can warp your stays, so I do not recommend using this method.

STORAGE

When putting your corset away, it will be tempting to roll it up and toss it in a drawer. Rolling your corset will result in warping, so just don't do it.

My favorite way to store a corset is to fold the corset in half at the laces, liner side out. Slide a hanger through the middle of the laces, so that they are moderately evenly distributed on either side. I cover my corsets with a plastic bag or a garment bag. It is also a good idea to include a sachet of lavender or cedar and flax, to absorb moisture away from your garment. Just hang it with your regular clothes in your closet.

Please contact me with any further questions about corset care and safety.