As promised, this is the first installment from one of my best friends Scarlet Divine on her tightlacing journey. I thought it would be valuable to share someone else’s experience, especially for those of you endeavoring to try this yourselves.
Entry the first on beginning to tightlace. ❤
My goal is to work my way back to closing my 28″ corset fully and comfortably at a gradual pace. Now, Do Not misunderstand me! When I say gradually I mean that most people take about 3-6 months to get accustomed to a 4″ reduction, while wearing their corset for a minimum of a couple hours per day. Ava at Skirting The Issue wrote a great in depth article: How To Corset – A Step By Step Guide. My goal is to start wearing the corset I have every day. In the beginning it was easy enough for me to put it on for half an hour and take it off. It’s not uncomfortable to wear though it is a teeny bit inconvenient to bend over. Mostly I found that I’m always doing things- running errands, going out, driving (which is possible while wearing a corset, just tricky) or going to the movies with friends. I haven’t quite gotten comfortable enough to wear it for everyday activities but I’m sure I’ll get there.
A couple of things I learned the hard way: I am a huge suck during my period. I bloat so much and my cramps are so bad that I just want to curl into a ball and cry. And then I’m supposed to put a corset on my already aching back? I’m sure as I become more and more used to wearing a corset I won’t think twice about having one on, however as a newbie I was definitely hyper aware of during that week and couldn’t bear to wear it for very long. The week after that I came down with a chest cold and it hurts to cough up your lungs while also compressing them. Hence the lack of corset wearing towards the end of this month.
The one thing that really surprised me: SO ITCHY. This comes from having dry skin and it’s super important to moisturize: I’ve read this fact so many times on informational corset websites but as someone who rarely even has to put moisturizer on my hands in the dead of winter it was certainly a wake up call. It was funny too because as soon as the corset came off my skin was fine and to the touch it didn’t feel dry at all. Still, my new mini goal is to start applying lotion after I get out of the shower, which is the best time because you’ve cleaned away any dirt and debris that might get clogged into pores while rubbing the lotion in and because the warm water relaxes skin (think of the way your pores expand) so it locks in moisture better.
On a side note, my other goals of eating healthier and losing some weight are going to help with the waist reduction quite a bit. I am very much aware of the fact I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been and while I’m not over what my weight category states is unhealthy I haven’t been playing a sport or taking a dance class. Working out just isn’t as fun for me as doing a group activity. However, I’ve dedicated myself to working out more often by working out with a friend, reporting my work outs to this friend when we can’t get together, and joining a dance class. More on that later.
Genetically my body is predispositioned to store fat in my stomach and thighs. Thank-you Mom and Dad. The down side of this is that any weight gain goes to my stomach first, which means I’m one of those unfortunate gals who looks like they’re pregnant anytime I put on five pounds. Enter the corset! Even if I’m only wearing it tightened at the halfway point, the 2″ reduction smooths out my torso beautifully.
Not terribly impressive perhaps but definitely something to work at and improve upon. I’m optimistic that February will be twice as good.
Stay Saucy,
Miss Scarlet
Skirting The Issue 