Corseting

[Hannah]

So I've been reading a lot about corseting and tightlacing, and I think I want to try it out. I have good wide birthing hips (lol), and a nice waist would seriously enhance my presentation. I understand that a good one runs in the $1200 range, and I'd like to make sure it's for me before making that kind of commitment. I can find some mid-level and assuming mid-quality ones for around $300, which is a hair better but if I'm going to do this I want to do it right. Either way that's not the kind of money I want to just toss around without a fitting and so on. Has anyone had some experience with a corsetiere they would like to share? They don't have to have a website even, I don't mind travelling to someplace (in the us) that is worth it.

I don't need a dsicussion about losing weight, I've decided to do this and it has nothing to do with weight.

Thanks in advance 

[Miniar]

I'm a big fan of corsets, even to the point where I admit I own a corset based undergarment and I plan to buy a proper corset later on (I want a specific men's corset, so... )

Anyway. It is worth it to pick up a cheap underbust type corset to slowly train your waist to handle the garment. They are tough on your body and your bod needs to adjust to it before you can start thinking of tightening it to any substantial amount.
I personally do not find it attractive, in one bit, when women have clinched their waists to such a degree that they've pushed their organs up and down and permanently altered their shape to something not quite "human" looking anymore. (I'm sure you know what I'm talking about if you've googled it a fair bit.) But! if that's something you're after, then yes, my suggestion still stands. Start by training your body with something cheaper before shelling out over a thousand dollars for something fancy. After all, not everyone "can" train themselves to do it and if you experience a lot of discomfort and loose interest, you aren't more than maybe a couple hundred dollars out.

I personally look mostly at leather corsets so I might not have a link for you, but if you're interested, toss me an email and I'll shove my links at you. Most of 'em are in the US.

[Hannah]

Thank you, I am very much interested but I can't figure out how to email you  I wasn't planning on attempting the creepy segmented-body-insect style, just some moderate here and there. Two or three inches would make a world of difference and still look natural, and from what I've read it's quite doable if one wants it badly enough. I read about the need to break in a corset, the idea of breaking in the body never occurred to me, clever! Starting with something in the lower range makes sense in this light, I'd love to know where you have bought from before and got something of good quality. Maybe if you refer me you can get a coupon or something.

[Miniar]

I'll PM you some links
But I seriously doubt I'll get a coupon
_

Also.
A couple of tips.
Most corsets are made with the average female torso in mind. I don't know your measurments but I presume you have a slightly longer torso than the average girl. (Doesn't mean you can't get a good corset, just means you need to remember to keep that in mind. I couldn't get a woman's corset that fit me, while I still dressed like one, simply cause I'm far too tall myself.)
this is part of why I suggest the underbust.
I also suggest to go larger than a simple clincher, a "long" underbust if you will.
Some of the sites I linked do "to order" corsets which sometimes are very expensive, but they don't really have to be. If you flip through them there's a chance you can find something affordable there and then it "might" be worth the added effort/expense.

I also found a Custom Corset Pattern Generator, that you could use if you were feeling creative, to make your own, classic, Victorian corset.
Since the site is "only" the generator, I think I'll just link it here.
http://www.elizabethancostume.net/custompat/