Corset Care

Breaking in your corset

With every new corset, you’ll need to break it in and mould it to your own body. This will require you to wear your corset frequently for short periods of time. We recommend wearing the corset for a maximum of 1-2 hours the first wearing, snugly to your body but not tight. After wearing the corset for the first hour, re-tighten the laces slightly and continue wearing it for the remainder of that first wearing. This allows for the corset fabrics to settle evenly and for the overall shape to mould to your body. This will prolong the life of the corset, make it more comfortable to wear and ensure that the fabrics and grommets will not be damaged. Repeat this process 2-3 times, a little tighter each time, before wearing your corset for an extended period of time or at full tension.

Although our authentic corsets are made of the highest quality materials and the most durable construction, failure to break in your corset can, and will, cause damage. It is essential that you break in the corset.

Wearing your corset

Always unlace your corset before putting it on or taking it off. Failure to do so will put too much strain on the busk and fabric. Untie the bow and pull at each crossover of the laces until the corset is completely loose, then you can easily fasten or unfasten the busk. We recommend that you start fastening the busk at the middle of the corset and work your way up and down.

Once the busk is fastened, you can begin to tighten the laces on your corset. Start in the middle where the pull loops are. These loops should be at the narrowest point of your waist. After the loops are pulled tight, pull at each crossover of the laces beginning at the top and working your way down, and from the bottom towards the center. You will have to repeat this 2-3 times to fully tighten the laces. Lace your corset so that it fits snugly but comfortably. NEVER OVER TIGHTEN the laces as this may cause damage to the corset, to your body, and will be uncomfortable.

Storing your corset

Air out the corset after each wearing by placing it lining side up and centering the garment on the laces over a clothes hanger evenly. The laces should take the majority of the weight of the garment. A small amount of fabric freshener may be used periodically to combat body odours. Be sure to spray only a small mist evenly over the inside lining of the corset only and let it air dry before storing it.

Be sure that your corset is completely dry before storing it. If airing it outside, be extremely careful to keep it in the shade as the fabrics may be sensitive to sunlight and may fade or become discoloured. Once you are sure the corset is dry, fold the corset in half and hang it over a clothes hanger – liner side up – with the laces across the hanger. Distribute the weight of the corset evenly on both sides. If you would like to, you can also place a garment bag over the hanger to keep it in pristine condition.

Cleaning your corset

Never machine wash your corset. Our corsets are made from premium fabrics and have metal boning. Machine washing will damage the corset. We recommend taking your corset to an experienced dry cleaner. Do not use at-home dry cleaning kits as the heat from the dryer can warp the boning and damage the fabrics. If spot cleaning is necessary, use only the smallest amount of water, very mild detergent and extremely gentle scrubbing. Be sure to completely dry the corset before storing it.