Disclosure: I designed the Gemini underbust in both silhouettes, and it’s manufactured by Timeless Trends. If you’re considering purchasing a Gemini corset and you’d like to support my business and designs, please consider purchasing the Gemini here through my online shop.
Fit, length | Center front is 11 inches long, the princess seam is 9.5 inches (fairly evenly distribued above and below), the side seam is 11 inches and the center back is 13.5 inches long. Rib spring is 8″, high hip spring is 12″, and low hip spring is 16″. Comes in 2 silhouettes (low rib spring of conical rib version is 2.5″, and low rib spring of round rib version is 5″). |
Material | All designs are 3 layers: The fashion fabric is a choice of creme cotton or black cashmere, and the lining and interlining are always cotton twill. |
Construction | 6-panel pattern (12 panels total). Panels 2-3-4 give space for the roundness of the ribs in the cupped rib verion, and panels 3-4-5 make the curve over the hip. Constructed using the sandwich method. |
Waist tape | One-inch-wide waist tape, secured “invisibly” between the layers of fabric. Full width (extends from center front panel to center back). |
Binding | Matching strips of fashion fabric (creme cotton or black cashmere), machine stitched on both sides. Stitched in the ditch on the outside, and small topstitch on the inside. Also has 6 garter tabs (3 on each side). |
Modesty panel | No back modesty panel, but stiffened floating modesty panels are available for separate purchase (the Gemini would fit the long panels). In the front, there is a 1/2 inch wide modesty placket, finished in the same fashion fabric. |
Busk | 10” long, with 5 loops and pins, equidistantly spaced. Standard flexible busk, 1/2″ wide on each side (with adjacent flat steels on each side). |
Boning | For sizes 22″ and above, there are 32 bones total in this corset, 16 on each side. Double boned on the seams with ¼ inch wide spirals, and single spirals in the middle of the wider panels, panels 3-4-5 (sizes 18″ and 20″ don’t have these extra bones in the middle of the panels due to the panels being so narrow). The bones sandwiching the grommets are 3/8″ wide flat steel, and one flat steel adjacent to the busk. |
Grommets | There are 28, two-part size #0 grommets (14 on each side). They have a small / medium flange and are spaced equidistantly, and finished in pewter / gunmetal grey. |
Laces | The black cashmere version comes with black, 3/8” wide flat nylon “workhorse” shoelace. The creme cotton comes with creme, 1/2″ wide single-faced satin ribbon which matches the cotton better. |
Price | Available in sizes 18″ up to 36″ closed waist. If there is enough demand, this range may increase up to 42″ closed waist. All Gemini corsets in all silhouettes are $99 USD. Available in my corset shop here. |
Final Thoughts:
The Gemini is made to fit people with a similar torso length to fit TT’s standard length hourglass corsets, but give a bit more of a longline appearance while not affecting one’s ability to sit down comfortably.
There are pros and cons to each silhouette.
Try the round rib silhouette if any or several of the following apply to you:
- you have a broad ribcage or barrel chest
- you are a swimmer / athlete and have a muscular back and torso
- you are a singer or you play a brass instrument
- you require your full lung capacity
- you feel claustrophobic or short-of-breath when you wear a conical rib corset
- you don’t want to train your ribs
- your costal joints (where your ribs “hinge” in the back) are rigid and your ribs can’t compress
- your ribs themselves are sensitive, you might have have broken / injured your ribs from an accident in the past, and your ribs don’t take well to pressure
- you just love the look of a round rib corset!
Try the conical rib silhouette if any or several of the following apply to you:
- you have a naturally tapered or narrow ribcage, and you don’t “fill out” round rib corsets
- you want to train your ribs over time
- you are interested in waist training to achieve a naturally smaller waist over time (even when the corset comes off – a smaller ribcage gives more semipermanent results, as opposed to very temporary results)
- you have very flexible floating ribs and flexible costal joints that “hinge” easily
- you want to fit into vintage clothing that might have a more conical rib than you have naturally
- you love the look of a conical rib corset, and otherwise you have no health issues that prevent you from wearing one.
For those who have hypermobility disorders and you experience subluxation of your ribs, I would recommend speaking to your doctor, chiropractor, osteopath etc. regarding which silhouette or style of corset (if any) would work best with your condition. Some patients do better if their ribs are tightly bound (such as with a conical rib corset) so the rib doesn’t “pop out”, but some patients cannot tolerate compression on their ribs (as it might push their ribs inward too much) and this may necessitate a more round rib design. So discuss this with your trusted health professional who has a decent knowledge of your personal medical history and personal situation.
For total disclosure: I designed the Gemini underbust in both silhouettes, and it’s manufactured by Timeless Trends. If you’re considering purchasing a Gemini corset and you’d like to support my business and designs, please consider purchasing the Gemini here through my online shop!