One thing I'm not too keen on with most modern shapewear is the large amount of rubber. Sure it was used in vintage shapewear, and I'm sure it wore out then too, but even so, I just dont like it.
That's why you are never suppose to put your lady things in the dryer. Like a rubber band left in the sun, it will over dry and start to crack. Rubber that is going bad not only looses its elasticity, it starts to reek.
Ever had a bra too long and wonder why it smells like mildew just after you've laundered it? Yeah, thank the bad rubber. That's what was happening to my everyday bras. The elastic around the bottom, the plush elastic was starting to go bad. I mean, this happens with all foundation garments, and I don't expect the
bra to last forever, but the cups and straps were still good so why chuck it and spend $30+ for a new one when all it needed was some replacement elastic?
So I did some research and found
SewSassy, a foundation garment supply store. I'm not too keen on ordering from places that require a minimum purchase (and the kicker is they don't tell you UNTIL you are checking out), but they were the only place I could find online that had plush elastic, so I went on and got it.
I ordered a few yards of white, tan and black. When it arrived, I tested one bra and cut off the bottom elastic. I needed to check the stretch of the elastic, and I remember reading you do that via a 5" length. I stretched the old out verses the new, and found that the new stuff had 20% more stretch than the original, so I adjusted the length accordingly. Then, using my ziz zag stitch, I sewed the new band onto the bra and it worked like a charm. Might not be as pretty as the original, but I'll get more wear and no smell. Yay!
Two rows of polly thread. It didn't take as long to undo as I though.
I sewed on the new elastic just like the old elastic was sewn on. I did a ziz-zag on the raw power net then flipped it over and ziz-zaged the top.
Ta da! I'm wearing it now and it fits great!
Perhaps I'm mentioning too many lady secrets in this post. Perhaps it's stuff that we have needed to chat about for some time but we were too sheepish to mention. Either way, I hope other ladies will think about altering or mending even their unmentionables before blindly going out and buying something new.
Which brings me to girdles. I finally got one. Well, a tester.
I got an OBG (open bottom girdle). It was on clearance from
OrchardCorset. I was going to get it by waist size because that was all they listed but then I thought about it and went up a size to account for my hips. Good thing I did.
When it arrived the hips fit great. I'm girdled where I need to be down there. My ponch is nice and flat and the back of my mum has a lovely soft incline instead of the cliff butt I'm normally sporting. But because there is nearly a 12" difference from my waist to hips, this OBG does NOTHING for my waist. In fact, it makes me look like a twinkie.
I don't want to look like a twinkie.
This has been my whole struggle with foundation garments. Trying to find something with not too much rubber, but with breathability and cut for my curves.
I've tried Rago. I own their
679 long leg panty girdle with stocking garters (I didn't buy it at Secrets & Lace, too pricy there), but the waist is too short (my big bum) and the garters are not long enough.
Miss.
I'm leery of trying a
Squeem because they are mostly rubber.
I want breathability.
I have a long line backless bra that's a
Goddess that I bought for a special back open gown I made, but I tried it on some months later and it was too loose!
Miss.
I bought this torso shaper from
AmericMark but again, my ass, Ill have to cut gussets in the back in order to have it not roll up.
And even after that I don't know how pleased I'll be with the fit.
Miss.
I also ordered this from
OrchardCorset. It was a super long shot.
First thing that should have turned me off was it seals with velcro. The ribbing lace that separates the panels shatter any form this thing would hold and just...
HUGE Miss.
So you can see my frustration on the subject.
Usually when I've tried this much, and I've failed to find something pleasing this much, if it is within my ability, I'll make it.
Thats what I did with my
garter belt. I wear this whenever I need to wear
my stockings. I made it fit snug around my waist so I don't get pull down. I do wish I had made it a bit more snug around my hips because then Id have more firming there. Remembering my criteria from my
last post;
-Breathability
-Comfort
-Ease of bathroom use
-My thighs cant touch
To meet all four points, I'm rocking the
breeches. Along with a slip and a white t-shirt, that's my normal formal foundation wear. I so wish I could be more glamorous with the underpinnings, but I need it to be comfortable above all else.
But I'm tired of having this gap in my wardrobe. I'm tired of not getting the shape that I want for the shape that I am. My largest success was the chocolate garter belt, so I'm going to take the girdle I just bought and draft a pattern from that. Im going to sew my own girdle. Yup. I'm gonna do it. Hopefully with minimum elastic, and I think I'll use a funky firm fabric,
ticking! YEAH!
I love ticking anyway and I've been looking for an excuse to make something with it. There are SO many cute colors out there!
Ooh, pink!
Lemons into lemonade I say!
While I actually didn't care too much for the film, its lack luster direction, and its atrocious editing, it was the since of atmosphere and the wondrous costuming that were the real stars of the feature. It was alright. Frankly, a movie about debating should have, well, more debating in it. With a modern audience what does not know much about this type of 'sport', I would have been lush just to hear their conversations and preparations on the art of debating.
