Personal versus Professional - the diffference

[delirium71]

It seems there's a definite gulf on the corset forums regarding construction and I think the basis is of it is a clash between people who make corsets for themselves and a few friends and those who make them for paying customers

Comments

Re: Waaaaaayyyy OT

[delirium71]

Still just the foundation and the eyeshadow. I like both. I'll probably get something else next time I'm in.

I don't get the cable ties either. But maybe they're great, for your own use. I'd be insulted too if I paid for a corset and they'd used them.

[sparklewren]

I quite agree. I don't fully understand how people can be happy producing less than perfect work. It's definitely what 'itches' me and keeps me going. Even though I know I'll never be completely and utterly 100% pleased with an item I make (cos it could always be better!), at least I can happily say that the materials are the real deal.

[sparklewren]

Really?! That's quite a shock you know, people did (and still sometimes do) rave about the quality of her work. I suppose a lot of it is branding and hype though, same as how people go nuts over Vollers or What Katie Did, despite the fact that the work is very "run of the mill". I guess, in the end, L'escarpolette was trying to do too much too fast.

Can I ask you both... when did you decide your work was good enough to sell? I've had plenty of people telling me I should just do it already, but they're not seamstresses so they almost can't see the flaws that I see. But as mentioned above, if I wait until I'm 100% happy with it, I'll never properly go into business. I'm taking baby-steps :-)

[delirium71]

I think L'escarpolette's strong point was a good design sense and great choice of colour. Her corsets (although repro designs) were distinctively hers. I wonder when you paid out a lot of money if there's an element of not wanting to complain about quality to save your own embarassment. Also it takes a brave person to stick their head up and shout out about the emperor's new clothes

[withered_roses_]

I agree, if you want to be payed for something, make sure you can actualy deliver. I would feel really bad if someone bought something from me, and I would know it was made out of crappy materials.

[delirium71]

And to be honest the price difference it neglible at times. I can get coutil for only a couple of pounds a metre more than a drill substitute, and I KNOW it'll do the job. What's the point taking a gamble on what might be utter crap just to save a a tiny amount that the customer is paying for anyway!

[ishkhara]

Having been round the stalls at Whitby Gothic Weekend last weekend and seen the quality of work of some of the 'corsetmakers' there I was not impressed. There were the usual few who had beautiful corsets for sale which were very well constructed. But recently I've been seeing a trend towards people advertising their corsets as 'fully steel boned' when they clearly are not. As a seasoned corset wearer of almost 15-20 years I can spot a plastic-boned cincher a mile away, but others aren't so up on their game. It makes me slightly mad that these people are charging prices well over what people should be expected to pay for plastic boning...and getting away with it, because the average joe isn't aware of the scam. >:(

[delirium71]

It's a bit like those chicken nuggets that say 100% chicken breast. Yeah, 100% of the actual chicken is chicken breast but that doesn't mean there isn't anything else there. Highly misleading.

I was shown one a while back from Cyber in Glasgow that had plastic bones but was sold as steel. Can't remember the make but it was really badly finished too.

I got very disillusioned with most goth clothing years back. It fails me how a subculture can get so uniform in it's clothing. I used to go to Bedlam and count the number of identical split, side-laced crushed velvet skirts there were! Hellfire may as well set up a stall at the door!

[virginiadear]

Sounds as though the discussions have been either extremely interesting or extremely exasperating, or both, so now my curiosity has been piqued.
Could you direct me to the forums in question? The specific ones, I mean?
Would other commenters here be good enough to share the names/urls of the corset-making forums or communities where they read and/or participate?

Much appreciated! :-)

[delirium71]

It isn't really specific discussions so much as a long-running undercurrent on both Corsetry and Corsetmakers.

I've caught a whiff of inverse snobbery at times. And a lot of defensiveness. It usually crops up around boning and coutil. Thank goodness there's no real make-d0 alternative to a busk! LOL