Secrets to "comfy" bodice lacing..

[Maeve McMayhem]

Alright Ladies, (I say ladies because I don't think a lot of men wear bodices...)

Just out of curiousity and comforts sake (forgive me if this is in the wrong place), what are those special moves you do in the parking lot or hotel room or house to get those bodices to sit comfortably with the best adjustments to your assets and..luggage? My friend and I were talking about bodice lacing the other day and how we have these "routines" we go through to make sure we're as comfortable as can be, laced in til we're blue.

One of the things we do is bend over and wiggle a little to "adjust the extra luggage around the middle"; it's always so funny to witness us lacing in because one is gripping the car and the other is counting and lacing and giving gentle instructions to " STOP MOVING!!" haha. Just wondering what other women find themselves doing every time they lace in, to assure comfort. And who knows - might learn a thing or two!!

[raevyncait]

I'm not usually uncomfortable when I've been properly laced, and I can't really say the trick we use is comfort so much as it is the comfort of those behind me, as it eliminates back cleavage.  when we're ready to start snugging up the laces, after the initial lacing is done, I bend over and let my arms dangle down, while the rogue who laces me in tightens up the laces. Once that's done, I can still breathe but don't feel like my bodice/corset is not tight enough, and my back doesn't have it's own set of cleavage or a crack...

[Dayna]

Before tightening, I stand, lean to my left and my right running my hand down the side of my leg.  This makes sure the corset is in the right place to neither cut a groove in my opulent hips nor allow too much of my opulent side and/or floofage to leak out.  Then, properly position the floofage, bend over to eliminate back cleavage, hold onto something so I don't move, and have my servant pull.

Dayna

[mollymishap]

LOL!  This topic comes around every so often...there was a hysterical thread on the old forums, but alas--gone, gone, gone...

BUT, I did find this one from last year that might help!

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

My bodices are for the most part, back laced, but even for the front lacing ones, my husband does the lacing.  When I bought my first Pendragon bodice a few years ago, they were wonderful there.  They spent over an hour with me, trying them on, different sizes, etc.  Then they spent time with my husband and me showing both of us how to lace it.

They also suggested the Elizabethan Lift Maneuver.  With a slight difference from what was mentioned on the other thread.  Front or back laced bodice:  Lace up slightly (husband does this).  Then I bend over at the waist, not too far over so they don't fall out the top.  Take fingers of the right hand, place on outside of left puppy.  Take fingers of the left hand, place on outside of right puppy.  Pull towards the center and up.  Then husband pulls laces tighter starting at the top (since I tie at the bottom) until it's time to slip the fingers out.  I slip them out just as it would get too tight to get them out if he pulled tighter.  The girls stay in place, nothing shows, and my husband loves it!

By the way, I'm not Dolly Parton in the boobage department, but this method does make the girls "jaunty."

[mollymishap]

Actually, Lady Renee makes a good point: that the best recipe for comfort is going to be a bodice (or corset) that fits *your* body well. 

The ELM and all the other gymnastic contortions we can think of isn't going to do squat for comfort if the garb is uncomfortable to begin with.

[Welsh Wench]

The honest truth?

I lace enough to get myself out the door and to the parking lot.
Then I have a favorite lacer or two I know help me out.

It really needs a man's touch.

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

The honest truth?

I lace enough to get myself out the door and to the parking lot.
Then I have a favorite lacer or two I know help me out.

It really needs a man's touch.

Lol, WW!  Which is why I have mostly back lacing bodices.  Steve has to lace them, and he really likes doing it.    And we do wait until the parking lot, because most of our faires are 2 to 3 hours away, and I don't want to sit in the car with the bodice on (which he also likes!).   

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

It seems that when I need lacing up, our "people" are nowhere to be found.

So!!  I have the Earl lace me up. He does a great job. I am able to wear my corset and bodices all day long. I feel like a million bucks after a long day at faire. No back aches whatsoever!!!

Good lacing is essential to comfort.

[isabelladangelo]

Really it doesn't have much to do with the lacing at all.  If you lace the historical way (ladder or spiral) it helps but it really is all about a bodice that is made to fit your body.  If you don't have a bodice meant to match your proportions, you are going to slip or be uncomfortable all day.   The only times I've had any issues is when I've lost weight.  When I take my bodices in (or out!) to fit my current body type, they are fine and zero problems through out the day.

So, make sure your bodices fit you!   Your bodice should be at least an inch smaller in the waist than you currently are and at least two inches smaller in the bust.  I go for about two inches smaller in the waist and 3" ~4" smaller in the bust.   However, this really depends on you and what you are comfortable with.  This is also assuming you want the bodice to be closed.

[Maeve McMayhem]

Oh, my bodice fits beautifully! I love it and am comfortable unless I get a really bad lacer...  I just figured there were a multitude of "secrets" to how ladies get from ungarbed to beautifully laced and fluffed.

I've seen plenty of women grunting, groaning, bracing, bending, wiggling and laying down to get laced in. I assume some of these techniques are for the lacee, lacer and general public, hehe.

Thanks for all the answers!  So long as I have my regular lacer (which happens to be a fellow wench), I'm always comfortable and breathless. 

[Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury]

I am usually comfy no matter who laces me . . . typically I have a back lacing bodice so it's hard to do it myself. But if I had to chose a person (only three people have ever laced me) I'd say that Peter Beer Slayer does an excellent job. But like I said, I'm typically always comfy.

Though one day, we were wandering around Wal-Mart in our bodices (jinx and I) after a particular event and the guy who worked in electronics (whom we did actually know so it wasn't wierd) looked at me and said, "Do you want me to close the gap in the back?"

Now I was quite comfy and tightly laced, but I humored him. But to both jinx's and I's opened motuh stares, he closed the gap completely and I'd never been laced so tight in my life.