Online Corset Shopping
 

I'm shopping around for my first steel boned corset online. I'm between two sites at the moment, and I'd like some advice. The first site is a place in the UK called Axfords that's been in the business for quite some time. You give your measurements for the corset you want and they do the job of picking the best size for you. Their corsets are great and a bit on the pricey side. The other place I'm looking at is a site called Corsets UK, their prices are better but the sizing is left up to you. Returns of course can be made if the size is wrong. Has anyone here ever purchased a corset from either Axfords or Corsets UK? Or have you heard anything about either site? Really uncertain about which site to go with.

Is there nowhere local to you that you could go and actually be properly measured for a corset? Even if you don't buy one from that store it's absolutely worth being properly measured. If you get the wrong size/fit, you can put yourself in rather a lot of pain. I really would advise getting properly measured before you consider buying anything online.

I should call up my friend and ask where she gets her corsets from... Hopefully I'll have an answer for you soon.

Sorry for the double post, but my friend and I live in the PDX area and she gets her corsets from the local stores such as Spartacus and Static.

Ordering online can be frustrating as you won't get to try on the corset until it arrives, and if it doesn't fit, shipping costs if you have to send it back for another one.

Check out your local stores... I'm sure there's a place or two in your area that you can go to.

:)

The only local place I know of that I could buy a corset at is the local Renaissance fair...which would require the added cost of buying the ticket to get in. There had been one around my area, but it closed a few years ago.

Do you want a real, built-for-serious-wear corset or just a fashion one that only costs around a hundred bucks?

I'm looking for a real corset.

You could also try looking at this site : http://www.vollers-corsets.com
They are very good corsets, I have one myself though it's a few years old. Well, since you say there's nowhere you could could get measured, you'll have to do it yourself or with the help of a friend. I'm going to assume you aren't wanting to jump into waist training at this point so my advice would be to start small and go for something sized around two or maybe three inches below your natural waist size, I really wouldn't advise going for anything smaller until you have spent some time wearing one and have got used to the feel of it. Since you are going for mail order, make sure you try it on as soon as it arrives, over a tshirt or other thin top to make sure you dont mark it in case it needs to be returned/exchanged. Wear it for a couple of hours, walk around in it, sit, even eat something light to really make sure it's right for you. Also, don't try to lace it down to the smallest point straight away, even going for something only two to three inches smaller will hurt you if you try to lace it too small at first. A pretty obvious sign of them being too small/tight is pain in the sciatic nerve of the lower back/leg and being very uncomfortable around the lower chest area. A good, nicely fitted corset shouldn't cause you any pain.

:) Thank you very much for the site suggestion and the advice MissCheyenne. Yes, I'm not interested in waist training, I have a small waist as is.

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This thread reminds me I need to attend the Renaissance Festival soon!

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This thread reminds me that I need to wear my corset more often since I actually fit into it these days.

Just to say, corsets rock! I have been wearing one for about 3 years now and my waist is 18 inches.

I was born with abnormally prominent ribs (not to mention 4 extra ones) so I have to have my corsets specially made to allow for that. One of my friends uses corsetsUK though and apparently they are great. Quite a good price and excellent returns policy, so if you're a fairly standard size they should be fine. They also do a lot of different types, from really stiff serious ones to flimsy fashion ones that don't actually do anything, so you will probably be able to find the right sort of thing.

Hope this helps!