Wedding dresses with corsets are becoming popular again, so if you’re considering a bespoke wedding dress with a corset you’re in the right place and I thought I’d share my thoughts with you alongside some images of structured dresses I have created or am in the process of creating.
This image of my Alexia wedding dress is by Sarah Brookes Photography
Wedding dresses with corsets give a wonderful silhouette and shaping to the body. We all know the classic shaping of a fitted bodice paired with a full skirt – the width of the skirt giving even more contrast to the shaped waistline.
Wedding dress design sketch by Rachel Lamb Design
It’s important that corsets are comfortable though, and there is sometimes a misconception that they are always uncomfortable. Granted they aren’t for every body. Some brides understandably want only softness and comfort in their dress and I get that. But for others, the shaping it provides and the feeling of security are what matters and what is desirable.
Bespoke corseted wedding dress close to finishing
Fittings
It’s important to remember that generally we are all used to wearing soft and stretchy clothes, so when you first start your corseted wedding dress fittings, there may be a period of adjustment while you get used to the sensation of stiffness. That said, I don’t think corsets should be uncomfortable and you must be able to breathe properly while you’re wearing them. When I am fitting any boned garment, I am constantly asking if you can breathe okay and getting you to prove it by breathing properly for me! We also do sitting down tests to check that nothing is digging in. Sitting down and relaxing in your corseted wedding dress is actually quite reassuring – you should be able to relax against the stiffness and it not move. No creaking stays here please!
This is a bride during a calico fitting of her corseted wedding dress. Everything is fairly rough at this stage and you can see pinned alterations.
Because I make bespoke wedding dresses, when you commission a wedding dress with a corset bodice, I take many measurements and you are likely to have more fittings than for a looser or unstructured wedding dress. The boning in the corset is there to support your body but also to support the fabric and help keep it taut. The fabric is also supported by internal stiffening layers, so it is a combination of the stiff backing fabrics and the boning that give you a great shape.
For a fully hourglass, tight and curvaceous look, it is important to bear in mind that the fit will be tight and is in fact slightly too small for you. This is what gives the shaping at the waist and curve over the hips and bust.
Corseted wedding dress final fitting
If you feel that you might not cope with the feeling of tightness, this tautness of the fabric on the outside of the dress that I mentioned can also mean that it is sometimes possible to have an easier to wear wedding dress with corseting even if you struggle with the fit of a very tight garment. Depending on your shape it is sometimes possible to keep the fit a bit looser (in corset terms) and still have the outside looking taut and well fitted, without the squeeze of a traditional corset shape.
The fit is something I always discuss with brides at their initial appointments. It’s important to work with how you feel most comfortable.
Checking the lacing
Buttons or Laces
The fastening that everyone generally thinks of with wedding dresses with corsets is a lace up. I guess this is traditional, although it is also about what is in fashion. When I first started making wedding dresses around 2000, no-one wanted lace up dresses, or rather they were quite rare for me – it was buttons and zips every time.
Lace ups do have an advantage though in that they can be made looser or tighter depending on how you’re feeling. But this still means that the corset must be well fitted. Button and zip fastenings must fit well and they also give no room for adjustment on the day.
Image by David Islip Photography
If you are considering a wedding dress with a corset, I hope this has been useful. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss having a bespoke wedding dress made – corseted or otherwise. All my initial appointments are without obligation and I look forward to hearing from you and discussing your ideas.