From the Editor

We are very happy to have just completed--and be recovering after--the CURVES Grand Corset Celebration! Although we wish we had raised a bit more money for the Women’s AIDS Network (we contributed $600), they were pleased with our efforts!

And we are already planning next year’s event, contemplating Bimbo’s 365 nightclub as our venue, and also inviting Arnold Schwartznegger or Dennis Rodman to headline our fashion show! Did we tell you we tried

I’m busy planning and packing (already) for my trip to London to the English Corset Enthusiasts’ Reception hosted by my friend and corset model Pandora Gorey, and my glitzy corset maker extraordinaire, Michael Garrod of True Grace. Then on to Cologne to catch up with Martina Ostermann, ourcorset sales and marketing representative in Germany! We

If you’d like more info and can possibly attend the London event October 19-20, or the Cologne event Sunday, October 27, please send me e-mail to .

We are pleased to have added two new corset makers to our corsetiers. Sylvia Hakanson (pictured in the 18th century style with panier , modeled at our CURVES fashion show) graduated from the Salinger Fashion Academy here in San

And Jennifer Wright will launch her corset career by providing custom corsets in a wide variety of fabrics and new styles (she made an adorable Edwardian for me worn at my corset seminar during CURVES). Both women also provided several cummerbund corsets for men to model with tuxes, or to match their own outfits.

We’ll soon post each new corset maker, plus Sheri Jurnecka under our fashion button, so stay tuned.

Meanwhile, you can order our corset catalog for $12 US or $15 international, or view photos from our CURVES fashion shows below.

So, hope your fall is pleasant, safe and happy and we’ll be back in mid-November with our next installment of this newsletter.

Restrictedly yours,

Ann Grogan Editor

Corseting for Men

Dear Kazu,

Thanks for visiting cyboutique and for sharing our interest in corsets and girdles! Indeed, our new hardcopy corset catalog has a nice selection of old-fashioned updated girdles, longline with zipper and without, and short ones with and without garter straps. They run between $34-$50 and are pretty reasonable economically. If you send $15 we can send you that catalog featuring our six corsetiers, the girdles, another

As for wearing girdles or corsets under male trousers, it can be done if you do not tight lace. That is, you cannot tie the laces down too tightly or you may find your trousers "riding up" towards your femme waist, which should be approximately 1 inch above your bellybutton (men's waists are one inch below the bellybutton). If you only moderately lace, then your femme waist is hidden by your male shirt and your trousers can still rest on your hipbone which is about one inch below your bellybutton, as aforesaid.

One good way to disguise wearing a corset under a suit is to wear a pair of strong support hose (we can purchase them at our local drugstore here, in the drug or medical supply section), or wear even two pairs and pull them up over the outside of the bottom of the corset. Then put your undershirt over the top edge of the corset.

Thanks for writing us, and be sure and read our new corset newsletter where in Volume 1 we have an article written for men. Cordially, Ann Grogan

Comments from Misty,

I currently wear my corset under my business clothes and even out on weekends. It is even possible with some adjustments, to wear your corset all the time. The only comments that I receive are how great my

Special Focus

SMASHING SUCCESS—The Grand Corset Celebration - September 7-8, San Francisco

The Second Annual Grand Corset Celebration was held on the weekend of September 7-8 at the Clarion Bedford Hotel in San Francisco. The sponsoring group, "CURVES" (Corseting Union of Romantic Vivacious ElegantS) presented two days of fun-filled events, informative salon lectures and glittering fashion shows. The celebration was a benefit for the Women’s AIDS Network with many fabulous prizes offered in benefit raffles. Business was lively at the vendor booths set up in the hotel lobby. Hats,

corsets, clothes and more were being offered for sale and view. It added an air of excitement to see shoppers bustling around the lobby with the hotel guests and foot traffic joining in from time to time. Hats on Post, ROMANTASY and CoCo’s Italian Dreams seemed to enjoy good attention from the participants.

 

In addition to the booths, a marvelous photography exhibit "a Look Down Corset Lane" was on display in the lobby. Featuring many outstanding photographs of artistic and provocative models in corsets, the show was a delight for the eyes and intellect. A reception was held on Saturday evening for the photographers followed by a wonderful cabaret and corset fashion show.

 

The fashion show can only be described as wildly exciting. Like the Sunday tea party fashion show, the models on Saturday night wore a variety of (or lack of) costumes and corset styles representing different

 

 

 

 

moods. The feeling here was playful, naughty and revealing. An audience of over 300 excited guests voiced their approval at many of the provocative and sexy models.

 

On Sunday afternoon during an English tea party, a fashion show was the highlight. The mood for this venue was slightly more subdued, but not too much, and elegant which is befitting an afternoon tea party. The models wore beautiful outfits that blended harmoniously with the accompanying corsets.

 

Both shows presented corsets of every conceivable style, color, shape and material. Satin, brocade, cotton, and leather were all represented. Many of the corsets modeled were from well known manufacturers such as B.R. Creations, C&S Constructions, Dark Garden Unique Corsetry, Decorative Arts and Accessories (Sheri Jurnecka), Sylvia Hakanson, The Lily Guild (Martha King),

Stormy Leather, True Grace, Vampire Technology, Versatile Fashions, Waist and Stays, and Jennifer Wright. There were also a few corsets and costumes made by hand and modeled by the corsetiers.

 

Models came in a dizzying variety of sizes, shapes and genders—women, men and transgenderists, that added an element of surprise to each show. Acting out one’s own particular mood was a must as these ladies and gentlemen got into their rolls and personas. Whether it was teasing the audience, spanking a partner or just floating down the runway, the models really showed their stuff.

 

This writer was lucky enough to be a participant in the Sunday afternoon show and I can tell you that the scene in the two dressing rooms was wild! Fifteen to twenty people in two hotel rooms, in various states of dress or undress, can lead to some pretty intimate, sensuous

continue

and hilarious experiences. But everyone somehow managed to get dressed, made-up and laced tightly in time for the show.

 

In addition to the fashion shows, salons on "Loving to Eat: Dining While Corseted," "Mapping and Wrapping the Body: Gender Boundaries," "The Secret Sensualism of Corsets," and "Shaping the Body, Shaping History: How Western Culture Views the Body" were offered by internationally known experts in the subject of corseting.

 

The weekend was a complete success with $600 contributed to the AIDS charity. Participants and guests are all looking forward to new year’s corset celebration to see what new and exciting surprises will be in store.

 

Cheryl Sheppard

Misty's Manners

In this article we are going to discuss proper etiquette while wearing your corset. Here are some things to remember while wearing your corset in public.

1. Be sure and bring lots of things that you can do without, because when you drop them, you’ll have to leave them unless you remembered to bring some barbecue tongs with you.

2. While at dinner, make sure to place your napkin where it can fall on the floor because if it falls, you will have to get on your hands and knees-- which is not very lady like.

3. Always carry a fan, because you will get hot in your corset.

4. Remember--some dance steps are out, like the twist and break-dance. Stick to slow dances, like a nice waltz.

Above all, enjoy your corset!

Misty.

Guest Column

Our guest columnist, Martina Ostermann from Cologne, Germany, deserted us for Las Vegas, where she is busy winning a million dollars so we can open an international corset mall in cyberspace. J Tune in next issue to hear about her experiences as a dance student of Anna Halperin, and the relationship of corseting to body image and sensual movement.

Dear Ann,

Last January my wife ordered a beautiful black and gold brocade corset which arrived late March. (As you may recall I came into the store during a business trip in Feb. in hopes of picking it up early and bringing it back to NY; I had to wait!)

High praise to you and your staff! The corset is a big hit! It is the pride of her collection and is without question our favorite for show and play. It is fun for me as well since I get to lace it up, I feel like I'm 'driving'!

It is absolutely beautiful and the workmanship is stunning. Well worth the wait. We want to get another, but I can't see how the next one could top this!

One question regarding material: how is leather for corseting? She's never been a big fan of leather clothing but we're both intrigued with the idea of a leather corset (you can't beat that great smell of leather). She's concerned with comfort as well as care of the material. Also she doesn't want to come across as dominant while wearing it.

We are both very pleased with you, your store and your staff. You are all wonderful!

D and L D.