Unexpected costuming possibility

[breakinglight11]

So one thing I didn't mention about my trip to the Renaissance Fair with my parents is that I found something interesting in the parking lot on our way out. On the ground in the mulch was a forgotten bodice, or possibly a vest for a young boy, reversible with red corduroy on one side and silky gray with swirls of red velour on the other. I wondered if it fell out of someone's bag, or if they took it off at the end of the day and it dropped out of the trunk of their car. I felt bad for them, as this sort of thing isn't cheap and the owner would probably kick themselves for losing it, but I had no way of figuring out who it belonged to, so I decided to just keep it. It was very small, leading my dad to speculate that it might have been sized for a child, but once we were on our way in the car I took off my coat and tried it on over my shirt. I was disappointed to find that I couldn't even come close to closing it. No manner of my trying to pull it could bring the two sides of it to meet. Still, I didn't want to give up on it yet. When I got home I tried messing with it a bit more, deciding that maybe if I laced it I could at least get it closed enough to look okay. I decided I'd buy a shoelace for the purpose and find out. I forgot about it for a while, and didn't mention it here because I was fairly certain that it wasn't going to end up being wearable. But today, looking for elastic at the drugstore but not finding any, I remembered I wanted to try lacing it.
What I found was... kind of shocking, really. With the laces I not only could make it fit but cinch it all the way closed, without an excessive amount of pulling. Wouldn't be the first time I squeezed into child-sized clothes. I took this picture to commemorate the miracle.
 

Hello, breasts. So that's where you've been hiding.

It's not really very comfortable. It's pretty damn tight this way; deep breathing is pretty much an impossibility. And I can't say I pleased with the way it pushes my fat out into bulgy love handles down below. But it pretty much fits, and it actually does for my bust what these sorts of tops are supposed to do for one's bust. Overall I wouldn't say it looks bad. A bit over-the-top, but not bad. That specific quality makes me think it might be good to incorporate into my Wrathskeller costume plans, specifically on the red corduroy side not pictured here. I think it needs something underneath it, if only to distract from the bulging. My cropped chemise would not do in that case. But it definitely has the tavern wenchy aesthetic I'd want, and I'm sure I can find larp and other costuming opportunities to make use of this. It may encourage me to drop those last five pounds. We'll see what I can put together.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

A) there is no bulging.
B) I have two from the company that probably made that and they run over a hundred dollars for that style so you were lucky. Also I get the impulse to keep it but there might have been a lost and found at the gate. Particularly if it was for a child they'll be highly disappointed to have lost it right away.
c) They run pretty small in adult sizes and I would assume they are shaped a bit differently for children. The magic of corsetry is they way they make your waist about 4 inches smaller via the lacing. Oh a simple way of figuring it out: if it was the one I'm thinking of they put a small ribbon on the side with the color corresponding to the size. Someone might have cut it out, but if you ever see them again you can check. My old one was purple and the new (smaller) one is blue. There's one adult size smaller but I don't remember the color.

Happy corsetying, that sounds like a lovely pattern. (Btw it's Jen, I just don't feel like signing in.)

[natbudin.livejournal.com]

Hello, Phoebe! We were on your chest all along.

- your breasts

[flyingstalins.livejournal.com]

That's faustus and MacBeth behind you. (sorry, nice bodice, I just get easily distracted)

[lilyson.livejournal.com]

Tremble and quake at these commanding clowns?

[lilyson.livejournal.com]

Also, hi Phoebe!!!!!!!!

[valleyviolet.livejournal.com]

That kind of bodice is meant to be worn over clothing. At minimum you should have a skirt or long chemise on under it. Also, try breathing up through your chest (not down and out with your diaphragm). If you can't do that, you need to loosen it. ;)

[laurion]

What they said. If you don't want to go with a full dress under it, at a minimum a t-shirt type item should be under it. Not only will it be somewhat comfier, but it will also obscure any perception of bulging you might have (but which we don't.)

And yeah, that's why these things have lacing. :D