"Hi Ann, I am totally in love with my Elizabeth Corset by Sheri. I have gotten many compliments on it, and I love the fact that it gives me a wonderful hourglass shape (I have a rather thick waist, and have always wanted to be more stem waisted), and it's just simply beautiful to look at. Kudos to (sales manager) Wanda for helping me pick out a corset which fit all of my requirements (comfortable, easy to put on, more tummy control, and wearable as a top) and for helping me pick out the material. I'm very happy with the results. Thank you, Lisa" 1/31/00

Lisa's kind comments point out the wisdom of her thoughtful search for the perfect corset, FOR HER! Each customer is different and needs to understand fully the range, fit and feel of the wide variety of styles and makers whom ROMANTASY Exquisite Corsetry is proud to represent! Recently we placed a new page on the web, clicked through from our home page and called: "Best Style". The many visitors prove that customers shopping for a corset want and value the careful, detailed information we are able and pleased to provide, so that mistakes that waste money and time are not made, or the risk substantially reduced!

Corsets are not for everyone. If you think through the basic purpose for which you are ordering the corset, plus the figure issue you wish to address, our expertise is in guiding you to the right choice for you.

In this article we address specific figure challenges and the right choice of style or corset to make. Please enjoy our corset customer's and corset maker's thoughts on this topic.

If you send us your comments on a mentioned or new figure challenge and we use them in the next newsletter, we will send you an adorable little hand painted silk corset bag for your travel makeup, bobby pins, or other small treasure, created for ROMANTASY by Melanie!

THAT THICKENING WAISTLINE -
Almost any corset will do something to pull in the waist. The issue is, will it be comfortable, and will it create the profile that I desire? It is illustrative to look at our Best Style page, since the graphics clearly show the nature of the profile created by major corset styles. Probably the least comfortable styles for the inexperienced wearer, or for those desiring many hours of wear, is the stem, ribbon and wasp waist corsets in that order. The most comfortable style is the underbust Victorian. And of course, the very best is a custom one made to measure for you! Be sure to tell your maker whether you desire a tight lacing fit (4" or more when the back sides close) or a fashion fit (less than a 4" reduction when the back sides close).

THAT BELLY THANG....click here

SHORT OR TALL?
Color becomes important in addressing issues of minimizing or enhancing height. Remember the rule that light advances, dark recedes. Simple but important principle.

To make your waist appear even smaller, choose black or a dark color for the side panels, and a lighter color for the front and back panels. If you are short, do not wear a light skirt and a dark bustier style corset on top as the clear delineation of color will "chop" your body in half. It is better to choose one color for both skirt and corset.

THOSE FEMALE HIPS...
Remember: dark recedes and light advances. Choose a dark color for your skirt and perhaps a dark color for your corset. Be careful if the bottom edge of the corset cuts directly across the widest part of your hips, as a dramatic change in color will merely draw attention to how wide they already are! A monochromatic dressing theme will be the best.

I also find that a fuller skirt, perhaps one from India that is longer and has a drawstring at the waist, disguises my fuller hips. And I always pad a bit up and out to even out the upper body and lower body, making the waist appear even tinier. Men can pad up a bit and should not be shy of using modest shoulder pads. They need to create more definition between the neck and shoulder line to emulate the female upper body. And a swishy skirt can work the same way for men as it does for women: it simulates underlying hips and makes it more difficult to see what is really there...or not there as the case may be!

BUSTING OUT OF A CORSET
Busts provide something of a challenge whether they are modest or ample. I find that I do not particularly prefer a Valentine Victorian as my smaller proportions get a bit lost....but the flat-bodied 18th century corset (especially with a little side pushpad) seems to create mounds out of molehills.... :-) Valentine Victorians do provide great support for full-figures, and D chests or larger may be well advised to request quadruple boning for perfect support! Even the Civil War style corset (to the nipple) provides ample support for a full-figured corset wearer, but the corset must be worn over a dress for modesty's sake. Please click here for additional comments about enhancing the bustline.