Tag: hip areas

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What Katie Did Cabaret “Laurie” Corset Review

Fit, length Front is about 12.5″ inches high; the highest part (from the apex of the bust) is 15 inches high. Moderate hourglass silhouette. Good for average torso length. Not longline. Includes hip gores. Bust gives similar amount of room as Sophia corset, except the apex is pointed instead of rounded. I would recommend this for ladies only up to C cup.
Material 2 layers of sheer organza; boning channels, binding and front of the waistband is in sturdy black satin which takes most of the stress.
Construction 5 panel pattern, and another 2 hip gores per side. Boning channels made of black heavyweight satin, finished on outside and inside. Cleanly constructed. Also has 6 garter tabs.
Binding Black satin bias binding neatly machine stitched on both inside and outside.
Waist tape 1″ wide visible waist tape made of peach satin ribbon, felt on the inside but is not uncomfortable.
Modesty panel Attached 8″ wide fabric lacing protector on the back made of 2 layers of sheer pink organza; stiffened placket under busk made of peach satin.
Busk Standard flexible busk (1/2″ wide on each side) about 11″ long (6 pins), backed with a 1″ wide stiffener on each side, reinforced with peach satin and buckram.
Boning 12 steel bones not including busk. 8 spirals (1/4″ wide) in external channels (all single boning), 4 flats (1/4″ wide) sandwiching the grommets.
Grommets 24 grommets total, size #0 two-part grommets with moderate flange; set equidistantly, no splits, no wear/fraying/pulling out of grommets
Laces 1″ wide black single-face satin ribbon. No stretch, very strong. (I would replace this with double-faced satin if it were to break, though.)
Price The Cabaret Laurie (this style) is currently $375 USD. The plain black satin Laurie is $275. You can find this style at the What Katie Did website.
(Now discontinued) What Katie Did sheer Cabaret two-tone Laurie overbust, was £209

Final Thoughts:

I think this is a gorgeous and unique corset; before this I had never tried a mesh or ventilated corset. The peachy color is flattering and not gaudy or old-looking, and the shape is absolutely wonderful. However if I were to buy the Laurie corset again, I will likely go for the larger-bust version, which they recently added for their normal line of overbust corsets.

The only reason that I ended up giving this corset to a friend, is that I didn’t wear it often enough because it was so sheer. Despite the strategically-placed black boning channel right in front of the nip area, it was just not something I’d wear on its own to a family barbecue.  My friend is a bit more of an exhibitionist than I am so it all worked out in the end. ;)

You can find the Laurie corset and others on the What Katie Did website.

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What Katie Did Floral “Antoinette” Corset Review

This entry is a summary of the review video “WKD Antoinette Corset Review” which you can watch on YouTube here:

Fit, length Front is about 14″ inches high; the highest part (from the apex of the bust) is 15.5 inches high. Gentle hourglass/ modern slim silhouette. Good for average torso length. Not longline. Includes hip gores. Bust is rather roomy, I’d recommend this corset for bust sizes between B cup and E cup.
Material 3 layers; fashion layer is 100% flocked cotton, and the lining and interlining are both 100% cotton twill.
Construction 5 panel pattern, no hip gores. External boning channels made of black heavyweight brushed cotton. The liner is floating except for around the hip gores. Also has 6 garter tabs.
Binding Black cotton bias binding neatly machine stitched on both inside and outside.
Waist tape 1″ wide invisible waist tape between the interlining and lining.
Modesty panel Attached 8″ wide fabric lacing protector on the back made of white brushed cotton (no flocking) and twill; stiffened placket under busk.
Busk Standard flexible busk (1/2″ wide on each side) about 13″ long (7 pins), backed with a 1″ wide stiffener on each side.
Boning 12 steel bones not including busk. 8 spirals (1/4″ wide) in external channels (all single boning), 4 flats (1/4″ wide) sandwiching the grommets.
Grommets 24 grommets total, size #0 two-part grommets with moderate flange; set equidistantly, no splits, no wear/fraying/pulling out of grommets
Laces Strong nylon braided shoe-lace style laces; they’re thick, they grip well and they are long enough. Has some spring to the lace but very difficult to break.
Price The floral Antoinette (this style) is currently $250 USD. The plain black satin Antoinette is $280.50 on the website for What Katie Did.
(Now discontinued) Floral Antoinette overbust corset by WKD, product listing photo

Final Thoughts:

After the Storm overbust that I more recently reviewed, this Floral Antoinette corset is my 2nd favorite of all the WKD overbusts. The silhouette, the texture of the flocked fabrics, the cut of the bust etc. all comes together so nicely.

I am a huge fan of how the sweeping neckline prevents “side-b00b”, and how the hip gores prevent any uncomfortable pinching. This corset makes me feel like a star.  While this corset is not designed to be worn every day, I wore this to a wedding last month and it was modest enough during the ceremony while eye-popping enough to receive many compliments at the reception!

You can see the Antoinette overbust corset and other styles on the What Katie Did website.

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What Katie Did Satin “Tempest” Corset Review

This entry is a summary of the review video “WKD TempestCorset Review” which you can watch on YouTube here:

Fit, length Front is about 14″ inches high; the highest part (from the apex of the bust) is 15 1/4 inches high. Moderate hourglass silhouette. Good for average torso length; not a longline corset. No hip gores, but has ties at the hips to adjust the hip measurement. Bust area fits up to about a small D cup in my opinion.
Material 3 layers; fashion layer is 100% polyester satin, and the lining and interlining are both 100% white cotton twill.
Construction 5 panel pattern, no hip gores. External boning channels, a floating liner (very comfortable). Also has 6 garter tabs.
Binding Peach satin (matched) binding neatly machine stitched on both inside and outside.
Waist tape 1″ wide invisible waist tape between the interlining and lining.
Modesty panel Attached 7″ wide fabric lacing protector on the back made of satin and twill; stiffened placket under busk.
Busk Standard flexible busk (1/2″ wide on each side) about 11″ long (6 pins) and the center front has 2 pairs of grommets at the top to make another almost 3 inches above the busk. The busk is backed with a 1″ wide stiffener on each side.
Boning 14 steel bones not including busk. 10 spirals (1/4″ wide) in external channels, 4 flats (1/4″ wide) sandwiching the grommets.
Grommets 22 grommets total, size #0 two-part grommets with moderate flange; set equidistantly, no splits, no wear/fraying/pulling out of grommets
Laces Strong nylon braided shoe-lace style laces; they’re thick, they grip well and they are long enough. Has some spring to the lace but very difficult to break.
Price Currently $280.50 USD (at the time I reviewed it it was ~ $250) on the What Katie Did website.
(Now discontinued) Tempest overbust in black satin, modeled by Miss Miranda

Final Thoughts:

If you find that you have a “difficult to fit” body, then consider this style. The adjustable ties at the bust gives your chest a little more “breathing room” while the ties at the hips prevent pinching and allow for different hip springs. By making the proper adjustments at these ties, you’re able to keep the laces at the back nice and parallel and straight (i.e. it will look like || instead of / or / etc.) which is one of the features of a well-fitting corset. Adjusting the ties will also somewhat allow you to go from a lighter cinch with a more hourglass shape, to a stronger cinch with a slightly more wasp-shape. If you find the hip ties a bit too cumbersome or you don’t like the look of it, then check out the Storm overbust as it has gores instead of ties.

To see the different styles of the Tempest corset and their other corsets, please visit the What Katie Did website. I would also like to remind you to check out the ebay boutique from What Katie Did, as they often put used, end of line or “second quality” corsets for sale at huge discounts. For instance, I bought my Sailor Tempest corset from their ebay store for 60% off the original price (about $107 CDN) because it was used once for a photoshoot, even though it was still perfect quality.

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What Katie Did Raw Silk “Sophia” Corset Review

This entry is a summary of the review video “WKD Sophia Corset Review” which you can watch on YouTube here:

Fit, length Front is about 14″ inches high; the highest part (from the apex of the bust) is 15 ¾ inches high. Gentle hourglass/ modern slim silhouette. Good for average torso length. No hip gores. Not recommended for people with lower tummy pooch or a bust larger than about a C cup.
Material 3 layers; fashion layer is 100% raw silk, and the lining and interlining are both 100% cotton twill.
Construction 5 panel pattern, no hip gores. External boning channels, a floating liner (very comfortable). Also has 6 garter tabs.
Binding Green silk (matched) binding neatly machine stitched on both inside and outside.
Waist tape 1″ wide invisible waist tape between the interlining and lining.
Modesty panel Attached 7″ wide fabric lacing protector on the back made of green silk and twill; stiffened placket under busk.
Busk Standard flexible busk (1/2″ wide on each side) about 11″ long (6 pins), backed with a 1″ wide stiffener on each side.
Boning 20 steel bones not including busk. 16 spirals (1/4″ wide) in external channels, 4 flats (1/4″ wide) sandwiching the grommets.
Grommets 24 grommets total, size #0 two-part grommets with moderate flange; set equidistantly, no splits, no wear/fraying/pulling out of grommets
Laces Strong nylon braided shoe-lace style laces; they’re thick, they grip well and they are long enough. Has some spring to the lace but very difficult to break.
Price Currently $310.50 USD (at the time I reviewed it it was ~ $240) on the What Katie Did website.
(Now discontinued) Sophia overbust in black satin, in the new large bust version, modeled by Velvet Jones

Final Thoughts:

Although the fashion fabric and the construction (external channels, double-bones on each seam) are all quite beautiful, this is simply not the best corset for my body type – the silhouette is a very gentle hourglass (what I would call “modern slim” hourglass) with no hip gores, and it just does not have enough room in the bust for me.

HOWEVER! In 2012 they have come out with another version of the Sophia corset – the original version for small-busted ladies, and a newer version for more top-heavy ladies. The large-bust version is made-to-order so you don’t receive it quite as quickly, but it might be worth the wait to have a well-fitting overbust.

In this video I wear the size 22″ which I can usually close much more in a curvy underbust corset. However because of the gentle silhouette, you can see the gap is wider here on me. If you decide to order the Sophia corset then consider buying just 3-4 inches smaller than your natural waist size, even if you are usually more accustomed to lacing down 6 inches or more.

If you’re looking for a curvier, more traditional hourglass or wasp-waisted overbust in general, then there are many other styles to choose from on the What Katie Did site.

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What Katie Did “Morticia” Corset Review

This entry is a summary of the review video “WKD Morticia Corset Review” which you can watch on YouTube here:

Fit, length Front is about 13″ inches long, wasp-waist silhouette. Good for medium to long-waisted people, may be too long for those with a short torso. Has enough room in the ribcage and hip areas; very comfortable. Will cover lower-tummy pooch.
Material 3 layers; fashion layer is satin (100% polyester) and the lining and interlining are both 100% cotton twill.
Construction 5 panel pattern with an additional 2 hip gores per side. Top-stitching between panels, external boning channels, and a floating liner (very comfortable). Also has 6 garter tabs.
Binding Black satin bias tape neatly machine stitched on both inside and outside.
Waist tape 1″ wide invisible waist tape between the interlining and lining.
Modesty panel Attached 8″ wide fabric lacing protector on the back; stiffened placket under busk.
Busk Standard flexible busk (1/2″ wide on each side) about 12″ long (6 pins), backed with a 1″ wide stiffener on each side.
Boning 12 steel bones not including busk. 8 spirals (1/4″ wide) in external channels, 4 flats (1/4″ wide) sandwiching the grommets.
Grommets 24 grommets total, size #0 two-part grommets with moderate flange; set equidistantly, no splits, no wear/fraying/pulling out of grommets.
Laces Strong nylon braided shoe-lace style laces; they’re thick, they grip well. Because this is my smallest corset (18″) I found the laces were not long enough. Has some spring to the lace but very difficult to break.
Price Currently $275 USD (at the time I reviewed it it was ~ $240) on the What Katie Did website.
(Now discontinued) original Morticia underbust by WKD, in black satin. Model: Miss Miranda

Final Thoughts:

This is my favorite cut of all the WKD underbust corsets, and it’s no wonder that this style is the most popular cut to review on other sites as well. The wasp silhouette is lovely – it gives a conical ribcage and the longline cut over the hips means that it will help to hold in that little bit of pudge below the navel.  They have also more recently come out with a spoon-busk version that will hold in lower-tummy pooch better than the original.

I believe that this corset is capable of giving at least a 12″ hipspring so it can give a lovely shape even on pear-figures. Due to its curviness of their customers find that they even need to order a size down from what they usually order (usually 6″ waist reduction instead of 4″). However be realistic about this – at the time I review, I could lace down to about 22″ yet I was modelling an 18″ corset which was admittedly too small for me, as my ribcage and hips were broader than the corset. Since then I’ve purchased another Morticia corset in size 22″, a 6-inch waist reduction on me, and it fits much better.

To see the Morticia underbust and other cuts/ styles of WKD corsets, visit What Katie Did’s site.

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What Katie Did “Mae” Corset Review

This entry is a summary of the review video “WKD Mae Corset Review” which you can watch on YouTube here:

Fit, length Front is about 12″ inches long, wasp-waist silhouette. Longline corset, good for average-waisted ladies. Has hip gores in the hip areas; very comfortable. Will hold in lower tummy pooch, recommended for pear-shaped ladies.
Material 3 layers; fashion layer is satin (100% polyester) and the lining and interlining are both 100% cotton twill.
Construction 6 panel pattern with an additional 2 hip gores per side. Top-stitching between panels, external boning channels, and a floating liner (very comfortable). Also has 6 garter tabs.
Binding Black satin bias tape neatly machine stitched on both inside and outside.
Waist tape 1″ wide invisible waist tape between the interlining and lining.
Modesty panel Attached 7″ wide fabric lacing protector on the back; stiffened placket under busk.
Busk Standard flexible busk (1/2″ wide on each side) about 11″ long (3 pins), backed with a 1″ wide stiffener on each side.
Boning 14 steel bones not including busk. 10 spirals (1/4″ wide) in external channels, 4 flats (1/4″ wide) sandwiching the grommets.
Grommets 22 grommets total, size #0 two-part grommets with moderate flange; set equidistantly, no splits, no wear/fraying/pulling out of grommets
Laces Strong nylon braided shoe-lace style laces; they’re thick, they grip well and they are long enough. Has some spring to the lace but very difficult to break.
Price Currently $229.50 USD (at the time I reviewed it it was ~ $205 on the website for What Katie Did).
(Now discontinued) What Katie Did Mae Corset in cream raw silk. Model: Miss Miranda

Final Thoughts:

This corset is super comfortable – as I mentioned in the video, the dramatic shaping of the hips means that the corset barely even touches my iliac crest, which prevents any pinching or numbness I often experience with other cuts or brands. Some people may find that this corset is a bit odd because the top and bottom edges are straight across instead pointed like so many corsets are today. However this feature makes the Mae corset great for wearing underneath clothing, as it doesn’t make any awkward peaks underneath your shirt or dress.

A year and a half after I filmed this review, I also purchased their Mae Extreme corset (in silk) which has a similar shape except gives an extra 2 inches of waist reduction compared to the ribs and hips. It is a stunning piece and I recommend the Mae Extreme even more than the traditional Mae corset!

To see the Mae underbust and other styles of What Katie Did underbust corsets, do check out their website.

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What Katie Did “Gina” Corset Review

This entry is a summary of the review video “WKD Gina Corset Review” which you can watch on YouTube here:

Fit, length Front is about 9.5″ inches long; modern slim or hourglass silhouette. Good for people with short or medium torso. No hip gores. Not recommended for people with lower tummy pooch. Cinching at the waist is somewhat limited to the size of your ribcage and hips compared to other cuts by WKD. I advise ordering a size 3-4 inches smaller than your natural waist.
Material 3 layers; fashion layer is satin (100% polyester) and the lining and interlining are both 100% cotton twill.
Construction 5 panel pattern, no hip gores. Top-stitching between panels, external boning channels, and a floating liner inside. Also has 6 garter tabs.
Binding Black satin bias tape neatly machine stitched on both inside and outside.
Waist tape 1″ wide invisible waist tape between the interlining and lining.
Modesty panel Attached 7″ wide fabric lacing protector on the back; stiffened placket under busk.
Busk Standard flexible busk (1/2″ wide on each side) about 8″ long (4 pins), backed with a 1″ wide stiffener on each side.
Boning 12 steel bones not including busk. 8 spirals (1/4″ wide) in external channels, 4 flats (1/4″ wide) sandwiching the grommets.
Grommets 20 grommets total, size #0 two-part grommets with moderate flange; set equidistantly, no splits, no wear/fraying/pulling out of grommets.
Laces Strong nylon braided shoe-lace style laces; they’re thick, they grip well and they are long enough. Has some spring to the lace but very difficult to break.
Price Currently $215.50 USD (at the time I reviewed this corset on Youtube, it was ~ $190. These prices are on What Katie Did’s website).
(Now discontinued) Gina underbust in black satin by WKD. Model: Miss Miranda

Final Thoughts:

Of the WKD underbust corsets, this silhouette is the most gentle. The Gina corset is the one I admittedly wear least often, just because I prefer a more dramatic silhouette – however this corset is fantastic for giving you a smooth outline and slim silhouette underneath your clothing!

If you don’t want certain people to be startled by a teensy waist, then go for this style. If you’re looking for a larger reduction or more of a wasp-waist, then I suggest one of the other styles of underbust corsets. To see the Gina underbust and some other selections of corsets made by What Katie Did, you can visit their site here.

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What Katie Did “Baby” Corset Review

This entry is a summary of the review video “WKD Baby Corset Review” which you can watch on YouTube here:

Fit, length Front is about 7″ inches long, wasp-waist silhouette. Great for short-waisted ladies. Has enough room in the ribcage and hip areas; very comfortable. Not recommended for people with lower tummy pooch.
Material 3 layers; fashion layer is satin (100% polyester) and the lining and interlining are both 100% cotton twill.
Construction 6 panel pattern with an additional 2 hip gores per side. Top-stitching between panels, external boning channels, and a floating liner (very comfortable). Also has 6 garter tabs.
Binding Black satin bias tape neatly machine stitched on both inside and outside.
Waist tape 1″ wide invisible waist tape between the interlining and lining.
Modesty panel Attached 6″ wide fabric lacing protector on the back; stiffened placket under busk.
Busk Standard flexible busk (1/2″ wide on each side) about 6″ long (3 pins), backed with a 1″ wide stiffener on each side.
Boning 14 steel bones not including busk. 10 spirals (1/4″ wide) in external channels, 4 flats (1/4″ wide) sandwiching the grommets.
Grommets 14 grommets total, size #0 two-part grommets with moderate flange; set equidistantly, no splits, no wear/fraying/pulling out of grommets
Laces Strong nylon braided shoe-lace style laces; they’re thick, they grip well and they are long enough. Has some spring to the lace but very difficult to break.
Price Currently $215.50 USD (at the time I reviewed it it was ~ $190). These prices are from WKD’s website.
(Now discontinued) WKD Baby corset. Model: Miss Deadly Red

Final Thoughts:

This corset is tiny and adorable! The reduction that can be achieved in this corset is amazing – I believe this corset is patterned after their Morticia corset (so imagine that someone took a Morticia underbust and cut it down to a cincher). Since this corset is so short, it doesn’t even touch my hipbones and it barely covers my ribs. Some women who are less than 5 feet tall can wear this corset because it’s so short.

For a long time, the baby corset was the only corset I felt comfortable sleeping in since it doesn’t impair my breathing. I also often wore it like a wide belt over some outfits! However because of my naturally long straight torso, this corset doesn’t give me an extremely streamlined look underneath clothing – my waist tends to look a bit ‘geometric’ (with distinct angles) under fitted shirts. However for someone of an average torso length, this would likely be less of an issue.

To see the Baby cincher and other WKD styles of underbust corsets, do take a peek at the What Katie Did website.