Back in the Saddle...er, Corset Again!

So in 7 years the longest I have been OUT of my corset is 8 days, and I never want to do it again. Oddly, this is also the same number of days that is my record for staying laced IN my corset without removing it. And yes, I did have a way to bathe while in my corset. It wasn’t a gross out contest or anything. I just wanted to test how long I could go…and the answer was indefinitely, but the skin needs maintenance, so I would not recommend this to anyone. But I do fantasize about a way to remain corsetted permanently and it being a part of me all the time. See? I’ve gone crazy this week!


Well I have managed to repair one of my old corsets to a degree that I can wear it temporarily until I get the new one repaired. I still have not heard back from the corset maker on whether she understands my repair instructions. From past experience I know that once one steel has broken in the back, others will soon follow. So rather than send the corset all the way to Germany (not to mention that this is not free to ship internationally!) to replace one steel and have to send it back in another month for the next broken one, I have asked that the corset maker replace and/or reinforce all four rear steels that surround the grommets…which are where the laces are threaded for those not familiar with the basic corset parts…which gives me an idea about another post…anyway, I want all four replaced with something stronger or reinforced with additional steels in each pocket, like I did with her first corset that she made me (we are on our third from Corsets and More).

I just want to say that the problems I am having with the corset are probably due more to the difficulty in communicating due to a language barrier than any problem with actual workmanship. I may not have made myself clear enough about what was needed with the construction of the corset and it is possible that Doris did not understand that I literally LIVE in my corset often more than 23/7 and so I would need a very industrial strength 24/7 tightlacing corset. Doris is an incredible seamstress and makes THE most comfortable corsets I have yet to wear. This includes even the late great Amy Crowder of Wasp Creations. I would recommend Doris to anyone wanting a wonderfully fitted custom corset. No need for a personal fitting, as she is a miracle worker with the patterns.

I guess I am getting off subject here…I just wanted to update that I am no longer going uncorsetted. Please God (or, as we know him around here, Mr. K), please never again…please? It is hard to describe the rudderless out of control feelings that I get while outside of my corset. The past week was also a very combative one with Mr. K. I don’t think he makes the connection between my erratic behavior and my need to be laced in. He’s just crabby that I’m not corsetted. And rightly so I suppose, as it was part of our agreement (though we also had that nifty agreement about two operational corsets at all times, which would have made this situation a lot easier to manage). My behavior this week really surprised me. I would never have imagined that it would have such a drastic effect on my state of mind and I am beginning to see some patterns that I’d like to think about a little more before writing about them.

~)x(~ KKinDK

Adversity of going sans corset! HELP!

It has been a long while since I have posted. Part of that is because having the eyes of Mr. K on my writing leads me to censor myself. My hope is that he has directed his attentions elsewhere for the time being and I can write without it causing family upheaval. I write here because I can’t express opinions to Mr. K without him becoming angry. So my feelings can get a bit bottled up. This has become an outlet for me, but was never intended as a forum for arguments.

Much to my dismay, I have now been uncorsetted for more than a week. This is the longest time I have been out of a corset in 7 years. I cannot even express the magnitude of my discomfort, both physically and mentally. On the physical side, if you don’t already know, wearing a corset for 12 or more hours per day (according to my doctor, it doesn’t even need to be tight!) will cause the muscles in your back to atrophy. This causes severe pain when normal activities are attempted after removing the corset. I hate to say anything negative about corsetting, or scare anyone off from it, but I would have to warn against any serious corsetting unless you have the ability to maintain a very expensive habit.  I have spent most of the week on my back and even had to go to the hospital for related issues.  Of course I have never been able to afford custom corsets, so I am completely at the mercy of Mr. K when it comes to this.

As I mentioned in earlier blogs, the new corset from Doris Muller at Corsets and More had very flexible rear steels on either side of the grommets which had caused me concern. Every time I tried to get my corset reasonably tight, the steels would begin to buckle and fold up on me. Due to the length, I also had some rather unflattering results the moment I tried to sit down in anything other than a straight-backed chair. This was also a problem in my first corset from her which was a few years ago. Since I lived in the USA at the time, I talked it over with Mr. K long distance and he had approved my repairing it myself. I merely added an extra steel in each pocket at the back and this repaired the problem immediately. The second corset that Doris made was specified to have stronger steels at the back and I never had that problem with that second corset from her, though it was a fabric corset, so I never loved it the way I love my leather corsets. It just never inspired me the way that leather does. So, this third corset was made in leather, but alas, despite my request for the same corset as the fabric one only in leather and a bit longer, I got a corset more in line with the first one. Now as I feared would happen, the steel is broken in one of the rear channels and I have no corset to wear while it is sent to Germany for repair. Mr. K agreed a long time ago that I should always have more than one corset in working order for emergencies such as this, but sadly as with most of our agreements, it has never come to fruition. This is something he is not willing to discuss with me, so I don’t have any real answers about why things are the way they are. He only says that this is the way I wanted it, which couldn’t be farther from the truth, but unfortunately for both of us, once he gets an idea in his head it seems written in stone and no productive changes can be made from that point on.

Everyone wish me luck on getting the repair done, and also any wishes in the direction of getting Mr. K involved again would be nice. Until next time…

~)x(~ KK

Getting By With A Little Help From Mr. K

Today I managed to get a nice even gap in the corset, but it was not on my own. After hearing me gasping and stomping my feet in frustration…and a few whines I’m sure…Mr. K relented and helped me even out the gap. He still won’t tighten me at all, but I’m grateful for the small amount of help, which actually isn’t so small because it makes a world of difference, not just aesthetically, but also in comfort. The gap may not look that much smaller, but I assure you that it FEELS smaller, hehe.


The corset feels tighter, and feels very comfortable. The lacing protector was giving me some trouble, but I flattened it under the weight of a few books and a 17 inch laptop (are those really meant to be portable?). The results are encouraging, because I’m not having any trouble with lumps or bumps, which end up being painful little knots after a few hours of wear. I feel like I could go tighter now after wearing for a few hours, but I’m afraid to try to get the gap smaller without Mr. K’s help. The steels are so flimsy that the minute I get my finger under one of the lace Xs’ it balloons out above it and then I have a hell of a time evening out again. I will pull the laces down at the bottom only to see the gap at the very top of the corset closing. Is there anyone out there that can tell me how to prevent this from happening? Any advice on getting a smooth and even gap? Because of course, the more even the gap, the more comfortable and tighter you can wear the corset. In any case, I have taken a few pictures of the more evened out gap as well as hopefully a better look at the length of this corset which really is quite long at the back, covering a good half of my bottom.
So, until next time, wish me luck on closing the gap,

~)x(~ KK

NOTE:
Since my last post I have discovered that these blog posts are being viewed by the very knowledgeable Mr. K. I say this to amend my previous comment about him possibly not being as knowledgeable as I suspected. He is; he just prefers to not discuss the subject of corsets with me and would like to lace a woman, sadly just not me. So it is up to me to discover whatever information I can on my own. I am always grateful for any information readers would like to share either in comments or private mails. And a thank you to “John” for your thoughts on shoulder straps. I hope to make that part of my next corset. I also loved your idea for crotch straps, which I had thought of as well, but I suspect that would require a fitting in person, and if I go in person, I think I’m going to want to go all the way and get an overbust…but that is a topic best left for another post.

The Good The Bad & The Ugly: Pitfalls of Lacing Your Own Corset

I haven’t been posting lately because it is Easter break, which means we have had a full house here and I don’t get much time to write, take pictures, etc. Well, I could, but I am the sort of person who likes a solitary environment to get my thoughts out in written form. It’s also a little embarrassing to take photos of my corset with children running around the house. I did take some pictures the other day of a slightly tighter corset, though when I looked at the pictures I debated whether to post them because they look really bad. However, I have decided to post them so that you can see the mishaps as well as the successes. I have made the unfortunate discovery that Doris did not but double boning in the back on either side of the grommets. This makes the corset not nearly stiff enough and it just collapses under the smallest unevenness in pressure. So, as can be seen in some of the photos, the corset bulges out in odd ways and the dreaded box butt is starting to occur. The frustration that the flimsy back steels cause is such that I gave up for a couple of days. I am starting to think that a corset of this length cannot be properly laced by one’s self…or at least not this self. The odd bulging is also causing my lacing protector to rumple in an unattractive way which keeps it askew…as can also be seen in the photos…again. Of course, I can’t give up completely because now that I have been wearing a corset daily for more than 6 years, my back muscles have atrophied to the point that it is actually painful to be out of my corset for too long. I am afraid I will need to send this back to Doris for stronger steels at the back, or I will have to open the channels myself, which I hate to do on a brand new corset, but depending on how much she charges, I may have to because something tells me that Mr. K won’t be willing to help in this department, though he does surprise me from time to time. I never know what to expect there, and have given up trying. So to all of you anonymous people that are reading this, keep your fingers crossed for me!
KK

A Little Tighter...

It is certainly interesting now that I am doing pictures every time I put on the new corset, because I can see what I’m getting wrong. You can see that the gap is a little smaller, but not a lot. I am not the corset “expert” that my husband is, but from what I understand, you are not supposed to break in a corset too fast. Back when Mr. K used to care about such things, he told me that I should only wear the corset for a short time for the first time and only lace it just a bit, and then just a little more the second time, gradually increasing the compression and the duration in the corset each time. So yesterday I only spent about 3 hours in my corset. Today I have spent about twice that and still wear it as I write. I spent a wonderful hour just laying on my bed savoring the feeling of the corset. I know this is where people probably expect me to make comments about discomfort or tightness, but to me the feeling is almost narcotic. The feeling of compression is one that I enjoy immensely and if the corset is made well, the tightening can be a really positive experience. I can understand now how women in the Victorian era might have gotten a little addicted to tight-lacing. There is definitely an urge to close the gap and to see how small I can make my waist. Today I can feel that it is tighter, and better…but in the pictures I see the protector is askew and I am not lacing evenly down the center, which I will strive to do better tomorrow…and of course I will post the results. I hope to be sleeping in my corset by the weekend. That will be lovely. The smell of the leather when it begins to warm from the heat of my body is so wonderful I am almost tempted to not wear perfume…and for me that is a big deal, as I LOVE perfume! In fact I am pining for a bottle of Profumum Fiore di Ambre right now, but of course the price is half a corset, so it gives me serious pause. Maybe I will stick with some nice Mitsouko. Until tomorrow…

The New Leather Long-Line Corset - First Lacing!

I am not completely well yet, but I cannot wait any longer to try my new corset. The smell of the leather in the box is taunting me, so I gave in… The first thing I notice about this new corset is that it is a bit longer than my last one. It is made by the same corsetiere, but the busk is a half inch longer and it comes down an additional 2 inches on the hip! To those that don’t wear corsets that might sound inconsequential, but I assure you, 2 additional inches in length means it is substantially more restricting…and harder to put on by yourself. I had to open the lacing quite wide to get it on easily enough. The busk snapped closed actually much easier than the last one, or maybe it is just that I am finally getting a little skill in this department. At first glance it looks as if this one will allow a bit more hip-spring, which I like. It evens out the largeness of my bust (a freakishly large in Denmark 38 JJ) and gives me a more “balanced” look I think. The lacing protector design is also new. I forgot to take pictures of that before I put the corset on, so the pictures I am posting don’t look “new”. I am going slowly with the tightening , so as not to damage the new corset, so the photo of the laces is barely tightened. It is just enough to give me the hourglass. Tomorrow I will go a little tighter. Mr. K still refuses to give any advice or opinion…but that’s ok, I think most of his expertise probably comes from observing me and I have gathered quite a bit of knowledge about corsetting over the last 7 years, so let him continue with his ignoring me. If there are any other corset trainers out there that feel like writing, I would love to hear from you. And of course I would love comments from anyone who stops by my page…at first I didn’t think there were any, but now I just found that handy little stats tab and it turns out there ARE people looking at my page. Now I have a little reason to keep posting I guess. Right now I am just at a gentle hug and it feels rather nice. My 13 year old child has commented that it looks better than the last, as it does not give me “box butt”. This is when the steels bend in an ugly sort of way at the back and give you a boxy look that we now call box butt. I’m off to let the corset settle and then sadly I will have to remove it for the night so as not to break it in too fast. This is the hard part for me. I so desperately want to close that gap. But I LOVE the way the new lacing protector looks at the back. I had her make it extra wide so I wouldn’t get the pain of grommets digging in my skin. She made a wide one before but it had channels that caused it to fold up like an accordion, so this seems to be an improvement. It’s all trial and error, so we will see…

KK Meets Mr. K - Part 2

We had exchanged pictures. I was initially a little disappointed. A middle aged, sallow skinned, slightly portly man with thinning dirty blond hair in an Adidas track suit. I thought he looked nothing like what I imagined and I could not picture myself with someone like him. So…NORMAL! How could someone that looked like that be interested in all of the things we talked about? Then I caught myself and couldn’t believe my attitude. Up to that point I loved talking to him and what did looks matter? I have never enjoyed the reality that people mostly judge me by the way I look, but I think that is true of humanity in general. I remembered something my mother said about her brother. She said that people who were hung up on looks missed out on so much beauty. Imagine all the wonderful people her brother would miss out on because he had such a narrow view of what his partner should look like. And of course, my "type" always seemed to leave me...well, they just didn't usually work out. The best relationship I've ever had in my life was with a man who was not my type. I won't say that memories of my first man, who I will call Dr. T, didn't infringe on my perception of Mr. K. There was much about Mr. K that reminded me of Dr. T, who died and is now on a pedestal and will forever be the bar by which all other men will be compared. Sad, but true. I totally admit it. But I should save Dr. T for another post. Mr. K was a man who seemed to be my perfect companion, with so many shared interests, a man who was not intimidated by the craziness of my life, who seemed so in tune with me that I could swear we could be long lost twins. We were polar opposites, but in a complimentary way: I loved to accentuate my femininity, he loved a very feminine woman, I loved a man who was not afraid to take control, he is an admitted control beast, I am walking chaos, he loves to put things in order…and so on and so forth. This man thought I was worth the time and trouble to bring me half way across the globe just to meet me, I would be CRAZY not to give this a chance! Right? I arrived in London amidst some strange circumstances…which is just the usual in my life…I was stuck in the plane sitting on the tarmac at Gatwick for about 3 hours and they wouldn’t say what was happening. Turns out they were evacuating the airport because 12 guys armed with liquid explosives bound for the U.S. had been caught in London. Meanwhile, my makeup was melting and the illusion of perfection after an international flight was fading fast. Finally we were let off the plane to an eerily empty international airport. I could hear my footsteps echo…so strange. Finally as I approached baggage I got my first glimpse of Mr. K in real life. When he smiled at me I was dumbstruck. His photo had not done him justice. He was tall, tan, blond and beautiful. I was terribly nervous that he would be disappointed that I didn’t look better than my photos, and I said as much. He simply said that he liked what he was looking at and that was that. He took me to a beautiful Victorian bed and breakfast that he had reserved and we decided that I could freshen up before we went out for dinner and a bit of exploring. It is such a strange feeling having talked to someone for so long and never having met them face to face. It wasn’t like meeting for the first time; it was like resuming the conversation we’d been having over the last 5 months. When I look back on it now, I can’t believe I let someone be so forward with me, and knowing Mr. K now, I can’t believe HE was so forward with me. When I went to take a shower, he just came right in the bathroom, undressed me, walked me into the shower and proceeded to wash me as if I was already his. When I remembered this aloud to him years later, he just said, “well, weren’t you?” I had never experienced anything like this before. Having a man wash my hair, my body, everything…it was like he was casting a spell with each trace of his fingers. Believe it or not, there was nothing lewd or dirty about this. He was almost reverential in the way he took care of me. No one had ever paid me this kind of attention; I was completely enchanted. After being washed and dried, he did something that pretty much sealed the deal for me: he laid his body over mine and smiled like a cat playing with a mouse. He pressed all of his weight into me and I felt the delicious feeling of being so compressed. In years past I had to devise ways to get a man to do this, as it is a weird little kink of mine…but Mr. K did it without my even asking, and that smile! He told me that I “tolerated it well” and I just kept wondering how he knew I had wanted him to do that. If anyone out there in computer-land knows if there is a name for the desire to be compressed under the weight of someone else, please do tell…I don’t remember exactly what happened next but it went something like, I wanted him very badly and he wanted me in a corset very badly. So I was denied any further physical pleasure until I was properly corsetted. He examined the various corsets I had brought with me and chose one for me to wear. We stood in front of a mirror and while he stood behind me, he wrapped the corset around my body, hooking the busk in a way that only inflamed me further. He then began the slow process of tightening the laces. I could see his face behind me in the mirror and he was clearly enjoying the moment as much as I was. For those who don’t wear corsets, or have never had a partner lace you in, I can’t even begin to describe the erotic feeling of being slowly tightened by him, and the feeling of his hands over my tight corsetted waist. And like the famous Mr. Pearl said, he tied the bow and I was his.