Tag: garter straps

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How to Attach Garter Straps (Suspenders) to Your Corset

I recently received an email from a client who had purchased a corset and garter straps (suspenders) from my shop. They had assumed that when they’re purchased together, they would come attached, but in reality the garter straps are detachable and interchangeable (which means you can use them in many of your corsets!) but it does mean that there is “some assembly required.”

Most brands of corsets come with garter tabs, which are small loops at the bottom edge of the corset – they’re usually sewn upwards so that when they’re not in use, they are out of the way and not visible from the outside. They are also pressed very flat so as not to irritate your skin in any way.

When you do want to attach your garter straps to the corset, you take the “hook” side (it looks just like the hooks that come with interchangeable bra straps) and slide it through the garter loops.

Make sure that you’re not attaching your garter strap inside out! There’s an inside and an outside. The outside has the metal slider which allows you to adjust the length of the strap. You will also see that the “button” part of the garter clip faces outwards, for ease of use and to prevent your skin from touching the metal wire loop.

Check out the video below to see how to attach your garter straps to your corset. It’s much easier to do this before you put on the corset as opposed to when you’re wearing the corset.

You can also adjust the length of the garter strap (if it’s your first time attaching your stockings and you’re not sure how taut you need the straps to be, it might be easier to lengthen the garter straps as far as they will go when you attach to your stockings, and then tighten to your preferred amount once everything is attached.

To adjust the length of your garter straps:

  • Flip up the metal slider to unlock it – this helps it glide easier.
  • To lengthen the strap, grab the upper portion (with the single layer of elastic) while pulling down gently on the slider, allowing the lower portion (the double-layer loop of elastic) to glide freely. This makes a smaller loop, lengthening the strap.
  • To shorten the strap, pull up on the metal slider with one hand and you may also need to pull gently on the loop of elastic below the slider as well, if there is tension on the strap from your corset being attached to your stockings. The aim is to make that loop bigger, which shortens the strap.
  • Once you’re happy with the length, remember to flip down the metal slider – this makes the “teeth” of the slider bite into the elastic, keeping it in place!

My corset has 6 garter loops, but I only have 4 garter straps!

This can happen if you ordered your corset from a different shop as your garters, or if you lost a couple of garter straps – but not to worry! You can still use your straps.

There are 3 garter tabs on each side of your corset – I would recommend attaching your straps to the first one (closest to the front busk) and the last one (closest to the back laces), leaving the side seam without a strap.

Or – if you have a bigger bum, or if your garters just don’t like to stay attached at the back of your stockings when you sit down or stoop, you can attach your straps to loop 1 (by the busk) and 2 (on the side seam) and leave the back unsupported. This does mean that your stockings might sag a little at the back, but if your skirt / slacks are long enough, this won’t be visually noticeable.

My corset has only 4 garter loops, but I have 6 garter straps!

Keep those extra two garter straps for backup in case you lose a couple. ;)

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Corsets and Toilet Issues

This entry is a summary of the information in the video “Corsets and Toilet Issues”. If you would like more detail or demonstrations, please see my video on YouTube here:

Dogs don’t have corset-and-toilet issues because they use neither corsets nor toilets. (via Khaligo on Pixabay)

Going to the bathroom. Visiting the loo. Going for a tinkle or a whiz. Dropping the kids off at the pool. Whatever you want to call it, and no matter how un-PC it is to talk about it, everybody needs to do it. Here’s a few tricks to make it easier when you’re wearing a corset:

WHAT TO WEAR TO MINIMIZE FRUSTRATION

1) Wear a skirt with a corset. Corset under your clothing with garters, then place your knickers over that, then your skirt over everything else. This way, when you need to go to the bathroom, you don’t have to unclip your garter straps to pull your underwear down.

2) Avoid wearing button/zip up pants with longline corsets. Wear high-waisted pants or yoga pants over your corset, and low-rise underwear will help if you’re wearing a longline.

3) You can usually wear a multitude of outfits with a short corset or waist cincher since it doesn’t cover the hips too much. Low-rise pants is a good choice if you don’t have tummy pooch hanging out underneath your corset. In this situation, a bit of “tucking” of your pants/underpants into the bottom of the corset is not too annoying. I wear cinchers most days.

HOW YOUR BODY’S FUNCTIONS MAY CHANGE WHILE WEARING A CORSET

You may notice that wearing a corset makes you defecate less often. This is because food is moved along by peristalsis, a pushing and squeezing action of the intestines, and that natural movement is slower when tightly cinched. This is another reason that it’s important to train your waist down slowly, so it gives you time for your intestines to get used to the change. If you find the corset causes constipation, loosen the corset, and try to cinch down more gradually over a longer amount of time.

Also adding fiber always helps. After I was corseting for awhile, I noticed that foods that stayed in my stomach for a long time didn’t make me feel good. I felt good whenever I ate fruit, soup and salad which all have a faster stomach-emptying rate (digests faster) and these foods also have higher fiber and water content. Everyone will find their own preferences in terms of how much soluble/ insoluble fiber and water they need to feel best. I personally find that foods with soluble fiber, like fruit, when taken with the proper amount of water, is more effective in making me regular compared to just insoluble fiber (bran, leafy greens etc).

You might also notice (especially if you have a longline corset that presses down on your pelvis) that you will have to pee more often. Don’t worry, your kidneys shouldn’t be affected by your corset, the main reason that you feel you have to pee is because the corset presses down on your bladder. But whatever you do, don’t decrease your water intake – you need water, it’s good for you and especially helps in bowel movements.

WHAT TO DO WHEN ACTUALLY DOING YOUR BUSINESS

Before you sit down, please make sure your laces are tucked safely away! Just stuff them under the X’s or underneath the bottom of the corset.

When sitting down on the toilet and doing your business, especially to poo, you might notice that you can’t push as hard. This is because your abdominal muscles and your diaphragm play a part in help pushing out the waste. If their movement is hindered then it can be a little more difficult to get your bowels feeling empty, especially if you didn’t have enough fiber! If this is a problem for you, just loosen up the corset when you go to the bathroom. You don’t have to take it off completely. If you’re the type who only has a bowel movement once a day, this won’t be too annoying. If you have 3-4 movements a day, the constant loosening and tightening of your corset may be a little laborious for you.

Other things you may notice: since a corset tends to flatten your intestines, you may notice that the circumference of your poop becomes a little skinnier. Maybe this is good news to those who find big poops painful. ;)

Wiping is a little different because you have perfect posture when sitting down. If you’ve got long arms, you will generally not have a problem with wiping. If you have a problem reaching, try a different position: squat down a little more, stand up a little more, or even approach it from a different angle. Just make sure, wherever you approach the mess from, to always wipe front to back. So if your hand’s in back, this is a pulling action, if your hand’s in front, it’s a pushing action. This is VERY important especially for the ladies, so you don’t get e.coli in your reproductive tract, because that can cause a very bad infection.

When worse comes to worst, you can feel free to loosen your corset prior to wiping.

Lucy’s Little Life Lesson: If a bully tries to intimidate you, imagine them pooping. Suddenly it puts you both on the same level.

 

*Please note that this article is strictly my opinion and provided for information purposes. It is not intended to replace the advice of a medical doctor. Please talk to your doctor if you’d like to start wearing a corset.*