Corset Mock-Up Fitting Intructions


It is best to wear a close fitting leotard, camisole or undergarments when fitting your corset. Wear a bra (if you wear one) when fitting an underbust corset. Do not wear one when fitting an over-bust corset.

To put the corset on loosen the laces with the two “hoops” at the waist, until you can easily hook the bust in the front. Make sure that the eyes are on the right side of your body, and the buttons on the left. Lace the corset in just until you feel slight tension in the waist and wear it like this for about 15 minutes, then lace it gradually so that the rows of boning and eyelets at the center back are parallel.

The mock-up is not as strong or stiff as the final product. It is made from one layer of cotton and is only partially boned. Don’t be surprised if some of the seams seem to be taking a lot of stress. The same is true of of the eyelets, which are simply punched open, with out any reinforcement. A mock up is made to be useful for the purposes of fitting, but not much beyond that. It is likely that changes and adjustments will be necessary at this stage. This is normal, and is a necessary step in order to achieve good fit from a long distance.

Once you have the corset on it is time to check the fit. It is very helpful to have at least one full length mirror and a handheld one to check all angles. A fried would also be great help. Make sure to take photos of the front, side, ¾ , and back views. These photos should be as clear as possible. These are only for fitting purposes, you don’t even need to show your head if you don’t want to. I only need to see from your shouders to your thighs.

Use these guidelines to check for different fit elements.

General:

  • How does the waist feel?
  • Is there any funny puckering, bunching or bulging?
  • How does it fit around your chest and around the back? It should be snug but not too tight.
  • Is it comfortable around your hips?
  • Can you stand, walk and very importantly, sit with relative comfort?

Boning:

  • Make sure that none of the bones poke you uncomfortably.
  • Check that they don’t hurt your ribs, back, pelvic or hip bones.
  • Are they stiff enough? I prefer spiral bones to steel bones and use them on my corsets. I do use spring steel next to the lacing bones and under the busk. If you would prefer, I can use all spring steel. I can also change the width and length of the bones to fit your needs.

Shaping:

  • Are you happy with the shaping at the top and bottom edges?(please keep in mind that this can only be altered slightly for fit, as they are cut based on the style which you have ordered)
  • Are there any spots where the fit is too loose and could benefit from pinching a dart or pinch fabric out?
Mark any places that need changes using a contrasting colored pen or marker. Mark any darts using pins. Arrows and clear writing are also good. Please send me pictures and wait for me to respond before sending it back. I want to make sure that I know exancly what adjustments, if any will be necessary. The mock-up must be returned to me before I can proceed with the final garment.

Let me know if you notice anything else or if you need help fitting. Photos are a great help and will help me to tailor you corset, but only you can tell me how it feels.