This entry is a summary of the review video “Orchard Corset CS-511 Overbust Review”. If you want visual close-ups, you can watch the video on YouTube here:
| Fit, length | Center front is 15″, the longest part from peak of the bust to lap is just under 16″. Gentle sweetheart neckline, and slightly longline in the hips. This is a Level 3 silhouette, which is their curviest silhouette – so the bust is 8″ bigger than the waist, and the hips are about 10-11″ bigger than the waist. |
| Material | 3 main layers – the outer fashion fabric (which may be brocade, satin etc as I have two different types in this review), flatlined to a sturdy cotton interlining, which is then treated as one layer, and also lined in twill. |
| Construction | 6-panel pattern (12 panels total). Constructed with a slightly modified sandwich technique and double boned on the seams, just like the CS-411 and CS-426 style corsets. |
| Binding | Binding at top and bottom are made from commercial black satin bias strips if the corset is made from a heavier brocade, OR made with matching colored satin if the overbust is finished in a satin fashion layer. Binding is machine stitched on both sides. There are also 6 garter tabs, 3 on each side. |
| Waist tape | One-inch-wide waist tape running through the corset, hidden between the layers. I did not check to see if there was glue used in this one (see my CS-426 review if you want to know more about that particular corset). |
| Modesty panel | There is a modesty panel on the back, made of a layer of black satin and a layer of twill if you have a brocade or tartan corset, but if you buy the blue satin CS-511, then it will be in matching blue satin. Panel is 5.5” wide (~4″ usable space) and attached to one side with a line of stitching. The old stock didn’t have a modesty placket by the busk, but the new stock does. |
| Busk | Busk is 1/2″ wide on each side and 13” long, with 6 pins (the bottom two pins are slightly closer together, as is normal). It is fairly sturdy; less bendy than some other 1/2″ busks I’ve had. |
| Boning | 22 bones total in this corset. On each side, 8 of them are spirals about 3/8 inch wide (double boned on the seams, except for between panels 5-6) and then there are two flat steel bones, both ¼” wide sandwiching the grommets. |
| Grommets | There are 24 2-part size #00 grommets (12 on each side), with a small flange, spaced equidistantly. On the underside of the old stock corsets, every grommet is split and quite scratchy. On the new stock corsets, the grommets have rolled smoothly, they don’t tarnish and don’t catch on the laces. |
| Laces | The laces are ¼” wide flat nylon shoe-lace style. I find them to be long enough and quite strong, but also rather springy. However, Orchard has some higher quality laces (in several colours) available on their website – I very much prefer their ribbon laces to the standard shoelace style laces. |
| Price | Currently $79 USD on Orchard Corset’s website. |
Final Thoughts:
It was an interesting venture to compare the old stock Orchard Corset pieces to the new stock. Of all the corset companies that I have dealt with, Orchard seems to be the most responsive to the requests of their clientele and eager to improve their designs, which is appreciated. The main changes to the corsets include the satin having matching modesty panels (not just black satin like in the brocade or Tartan pieces), better quality grommets that don’t tarnish or split as much, and the modesty placket by the knob side of the busk. I believe that their prices have dropped over time as well.
If I could choose only one color or fabric of the CS-511, I would prefer the tartan more than satin – the sturdy and coarse weave of the tartan makes the corset look less wrinkly, and it’s also more resistant to abrasion and pulls, and feels more heavy weight and sturdy. The stripes in the tartan also match up fairly well – all this makes me a bit sad that this style is now on clearance (but that means that it’s only $59 at the moment, and I’m interested to see what new styles Orchard may bring in the future).
This corset also received 4 stars out of 4 on the Bust Test, as the bustline came up high enough on my chest to hold me in during activity. The pattern around the bust is very gently cupped (meaning it comes up and over the breast, not just pushes everything upward but it contains the bust) so I felt comfortable jumping, shrugging my shoulders, raising my arms and leaning over without feeling like I’m going to pop out.
This corset and the other styles I’ve reviewed (including the CS-411 and the CS-426 underbusts) are available on the Orchard Corset website.
