Halloween Cometh

As Halloween approaches, I'm sure people are scrambling to put together a costume. This is the time to go to your local fabric store and craft stores to find some cute, cheap, halloweeny fabric that you will want to use for years to come!

So what if you want to make a corsetted outfit, but don't have the time to put together a whole corset? Here are some things I recommend doing:

Tip 1: Find a Pattern
I highly recommend using a commercial pattern for your first corset, and especially if you're in a hurry. McCalls has some cool patterns and so does Simplicity. Just look under the historical costumes section and you should see some good stuff. Be wary of patterns that are essentially one size fits all because a corset is not one size fits all. I would recommend starting out with an underbust corset, because then you don't have to deal with making the corset fit the chest. If you would like to use the underbust corset pattern that I've drafted send me an email with your waist size (your true waist size, not the one minus 4 inches).

Tip 2: Always Make a Mock Up
Always make a mock up, even if you don't have time, because that way you can make necessary changes without wasting precious fabric. It doesn't take much time to make it (because you really don't have to put in bones, you're just making sure that the corset is small enough). When figuring out your size always go about 4" smaller than your original waist size if you want to get the right look.

Tip 3: Use Bones in a Couple of Key Places
You don't need to make the whole thing heavily boned. You don't even need to make boning channels (unless you're using fabric with a loose weave). Just put bones in a couple of key places: 2 in front and 1 in back with the grommets. If you have time, you can put 1 bone on each seam.


Tip 4: Don't Use a Busk
Busks take time to install, and they can be a little complicated (in my humble opinion). If you want to be able to undo the front, just use more grommets (again, just make sure that you have bones next to them to keep it straight).


Tip 5: Keep the Rest of the Outfit Simple
I would try to use pieces that you already have (for example if you have a dark colored dress, and you hike it up a little in front using some strategic stitches you can be a burlesque vampire). If you want to make the entire costume then keep the rest of it simple because the corset is going to take up a good chunk of your time if you do it right.

Now you can enjoy Halloween in your cute corsetted outfit! If you have any questions or tips of your own please feel free to leave a comment. I'll try and post a picture of my halloween outfit