Amazing Day...Keeping it Tight

I have wanted a corset forever.

No, seriously. When I was a kid playing make believe, I wanted to be the warrior pirate running around in a peasant blouse, long skirt, badass-bitch-boots, and a cinched corset. Growing up and doing theater, wearing a corset was a must for period shows, but those belonged to the costume department, not me.

There's just something about a corset that makes a woman feel like a woman. Hourglass figure, overwhelming bosom, flattering hips...sexy as hell. If you've never worn one, you immediately find yourself carrying yourself differently once it's been properly cinched.

(Spare me the historical references, the permanent damage stories, and the smelling-salts stories. I'm not talking about Scarlett O'Hara's 18-inch cinch here.)

Today, I got my wish.

A close friend, the roomie and I took an adventure to a fabulous costume store in Seattle. Before going, I looked over the website, figuring out what, if anything, I'd be interested in. Because, let's face it, I'm a curvy girl, and the majority of Halloween costumes are made for the skinny-mini girls who can traipse about in a body stocking and bunny tails. It's hard to find costumes to fit over my...um...ample bosoms. But I digress...Clicking around the site, I stumbled on their corset section...and that was it. I knew.

On the ride up, I kept trying not to get my hopes up. Finding a corset that would fit me, plus being a flattering color, plus being steel-boned (oh, please, I don't play around with anything less than steel)...well, it seemed impossible. It turns out, I needn't have worried.

The staff at the store could not have made my experience more positive and amazing. When I told the girl, I wanted a corset, there were no telltale signs of disgust. Instead, she clapped her hands excitedly and led me to the section, and measured me. She helped lace me up, and explained to my friends how to do it properly, and even gave me tips and tricks for wearing it! She really knew her stuff and was so friendly, she put me right at ease. Once I saw myself in the mirror, even without being fully tightened, I was FLOORED. It had to come home with me, it was meant to be.

A special thank you to the staff of A Masquerade, who didn't pay or give me anything for writing this, but they were just too awesome not to mention.

And now...the photos!

Laced up, from the back.

Laced up, from the front.