Corsets & Chest-Binders - Oh, my!

[A Blue-Eyed Monster]

Corsets & Chest-Binding

I recently bought a high-compression underbust corset from Orchard Corset; aside from my aching ribs the day after I wear it, I love it! I was surprised at the fairness of price and the quality of the garment at Orchard.

1: Do any of you like to wear corsets when you cosplay?
2: Do any of you wear them when you are out and about in regular clothing?
3: Have any great finds you'd like to share?

I've never tried binding my chest, but I hear it's effective for cross-play, cross-dressing, and for transgendered individuals.

1: Do any of you bind your chests?
2: Have any tips or tricks you'd like to share?
3: Any great compression shirts you've found?  

[A Blue-Eyed Monster]

Links

Corsets
Orchard Corset
Affordable Corsets and Female Compression Garments.
Fredericks of Hollywood
Lingerie and Corsets. NOT WORK-SAFE.
Absolute Corsets
Expensive High-End Corsets
Heavy Red
Gothic Corsets and Apparel
Fairy Goth Mother
British Corset Manufacturer
Wasp Creations
Expensive Custom-Made Corsets

Compression Garments
Underworks
Affordable Compression Garments.
Contour MD
Medical Grade Compression Garments - Pricey
Marena Group
Medical Grade Compression Garments
Body Shapers  

[Servabo Fidem]

1. I love to wear my corset, but I find walking round cons, and the costumes I choose make it virtually impossible. I suppose I could wear it with my Jill costume, but the fabric is so light you can see the corsets outline and it isn't appealing.
2. I have an under bust, black corset, and I haven't been wearing it as much as I should. I find it helps with back pain after work and i love what it has done for my posture I like to wear it around the house, and if we're entertaining, because it is certainly a conversation piece. And if we're going to a party where I know people I don't like will be there, I'll be a jerk and wear it. And prance around all nigh going 'I LOVE MYSELF!!' lol. But if I'm going to the grocery mart I find leaving it behind or under a hoodie is better than the strange and sometimes mean looks people give. I'm there for soup and crackers not judgmental old people, gosh...
3. Typically, all the corsets I like are very expensive. Although once at ACen, a vendor had a stain on a pink corset. She slashed the price from $120 to $50 and a friend of mine bought it the next day. It was in an inconspicuous area and dry cleaning would have fixed it right up, but neither the vendor now my friend cared.


As for chest binding, the only time I had to do that was when I had no boobies after I hurt my shoulder or collar bone or something. I was way too young to remember exactly, but I do remember the Ace Bandages being pretty constricting.
If you're like me [32 B] it should be pretty easy, but if you're approaching 42 F I don't think the girls would appreciate being smashed together and hidden /:  

[A Blue-Eyed Monster]

Servabo Fidem

1. I love to wear my corset, but I find walking round cons, and the costumes I choose make it virtually impossible. I suppose I could wear it with my Jill costume, but the fabric is so light you can see the corsets outline and it isn't appealing.
2. I have an under bust, black corset, and I haven't been wearing it as much as I should. I find it helps with back pain after work and i love what it has done for my posture I like to wear it around the house, and if we're entertaining, because it is certainly a conversation piece. And if we're going to a party where I know people I don't like will be there, I'll be a jerk and wear it. And prance around all nigh going 'I LOVE MYSELF!!' lol. But if I'm going to the grocery mart I find leaving it behind or under a hoodie is better than the strange and sometimes mean looks people give. I'm there for soup and crackers not judgmental old people, gosh...
3. Typically, all the corsets I like are very expensive. Although once at ACen, a vendor had a stain on a pink corset. She slashed the price from $120 to $50 and a friend of mine bought it the next day. It was in an inconspicuous area and dry cleaning would have fixed it right up, but neither the vendor now my friend cared.


As for chest binding, the only time I had to do that was when I had no boobies after I hurt my shoulder or collar bone or something. I was way too young to remember exactly, but I do remember the Ace Bandages being pretty constricting.
If you're like me [32 B] it should be pretty easy, but if you're approaching 42 F I don't think the girls would appreciate being smashed together and hidden /:

I noticed an improvement in my posture as well. I'm a 38 D, so my underbust corset worn with a regular bra has the undesired effect of bringing a lot of unwanted attention to my chest. 'Cause the girls are like, BAM! So I'll probably buy a full bodiced corset or compression garment the next time around, keep 'em low-key.  

[Myopsida]

I'm transgender myself so binding is kind of a big deal for me. I'm still struggling with the size but I should finally have it soon. Onto the questions:

1: Although my mom hates it, I do. It makes it easier to pass as a male without looking like a bag person. Chest binders are a lot safer than ace bandages (just as an fyi).
2: Don't wear shirts that are super tight. Wearing layers can help too. My sweatshirts are my best friend. Also, getting shirts that are a size too big are very helpful. As for pants, wear guys' pants. They're surprisingly comfortable. Darkening parts of the face with makeup can also help though it's not needed.
3: I use Underworks shirts. Their "ultimate compression shirt" is probably the best. I've heard of T-Kingdom but they were made for use by Asians (not racist, just a fact). They're a bit shorter (Asians have slightly shorter torsos than most races) so sometime a woman's breasts will hang out the bottom, a problem one of my friends had with their compression shirts. Just as a note, if you order from Underworks, orderthe size shirt you are, not what you want to be. It will still compress you. I got the small thinking that was the way to go. It's actualy meant to compress size small people, medium meant to compress medium sized people, etc, etc.

I'll stop rambling now. Hope it helps.  

[Sir Crepe]

This reminds me of something that happened to me at the last con I attended.

I was cross dressing as a Gothic Lolita and I was in moitie, I had a bra and silicone breasts on my bag and I accidentally dropped them, but i didnt notice until I was going to wear them. (I was walking flat in a dress for a while)

So I went to the lost and found and asked If they had seen them and the lady just laughed.
lol

 

[[Kirimasu__]]

I love looking androgynous, and so sometimes I try to flatten out abit. But then I've never really had double Ds, so they're relatively easy to hide.

1: Do any of you bind your chests?
Once in awhile, for cosplays. But if I'm wanting to go out looking flat chested, I just wear padded singlets. I don't really like actual binding using bandages since they get really uncomfortable and after awhile, difficult to breathe in, specially if you have to be at a convention for hours on end.

2: Have any tips or tricks you'd like to share?
I don't know about you guys, but I find that bandages tend to rub against the skin and after awhile, make ugly red blisters. What my friend used to do was put on a sports bra first, then use the bandages as a layer on top of that.

Posture and body language does plenty to help hide the bumps. If you still can't get a completely flat look after binding everything down, hunch a little, or loosen your shoulders. If you're not cosplaying, a looser shirt should help to hide. I think it's important to look convincing, even in the way you act, tone of voice, the way you walk and stand, etc. :]

Makeup! Contour under your brow lines as well as your cheek bones to get a more angled look.
 

[Wielder of Mighty Pencil!]

Yes, I bind for crossplays. I wear an old sports bra and then ace bandages. Not very comfortable, but it does the job.

Thank you, -Blow Out Your Eardrums-. I will definitely look into those compression shirts, since I've been shopping around for one.

As for corsets... I attend Renaissance Faires, so I get to wear them fairly often. I will be wearing an overbust corset to prom. I bought it at a Renn Faire dealer (Casta Diva) at the New York Rennaissance Faire. I don't think they have a website, sadly. They only sell on site.

I sometimes bind myself just for outings (because I like to cosplay on random outings; I'd rather cosplay than dress "normally), but corsets as not as regular a part of my wardrobe.  

[Hypocritical Persecution]

For Christmas this year I asked for a chest binder from I think Underworks, so I could crossplay, but also for casual wear, because I cannot for the life me get comfortable wearing a bra, or even find a bra in the correct size. My mom told me no, that they didn't work, she'd tried them when she was younger, she wasn't going to buy one for me, especially sicne they are pricey.

I still need one, because I'm a 34DD, and ace bandage binding ain't gonna cut it D:

My mom's also not very happy about me cosplaying, or my interest in anime/manga.  

[sakurayoshema]

Hypocritical Persecution

For Christmas this year I asked for a chest binder from I think Underworks, so I could crossplay, but also for casual wear, because I cannot for the life me get comfortable wearing a bra, or even find a bra in the correct size. My mom told me no, that they didn't work, she'd tried them when she was younger, she wasn't going to buy one for me, especially sicne they are pricey.

I still need one, because I'm a 34DD, and ace bandage binding ain't gonna cut it D:

My mom's also not very happy about me cosplaying, or my interest in anime/manga.

I know how you feel  

[tokkitoria]

This will be my first year binding, and with my boobs it's gunna be uncomfortable @_@ I want to spend a day bound beforehand to try and get used to it. I've heard of things specially made for binding but I haven't been able to find one anywhere that will work for me, so I just end up using bandages. My friend has done it before so I'm relying on her to help me out xP  

[A Blue-Eyed Monster]

sakurayoshema

Hypocritical Persecution

For Christmas this year I asked for a chest binder from I think Underworks, so I could crossplay, but also for casual wear, because I cannot for the life me get comfortable wearing a bra, or even find a bra in the correct size. My mom told me no, that they didn't work, she'd tried them when she was younger, she wasn't going to buy one for me, especially sicne they are pricey.

I still need one, because I'm a 34DD, and ace bandage binding ain't gonna cut it D:

My mom's also not very happy about me cosplaying, or my interest in anime/manga.

I know how you feel

My parents, when I still talked to them didn't understand my love for cosplay & anime either. They figured, it was just a bunch of "freaks" getting together to be "weirdo's" in public. It didn't help that the first anime they caught me watching was Excel Saga, the first bit with the ranting and the swirling swastika's in her eyes. (how was it my fault that the Japanese are chill about the use of that symbol?)

I made my dad watch Puny Puny Poemi though, and he loved it - he just had no backbone where my step-mother was concerned. Anyhow-

I totally get ya.  

[Ringside]

Me? In a corset? Ha! Funny.

Since all of the cosplays I've done so far are male, a compression-thing would be EPIC. As L I just slouched a lot, as Link my shirt hid 'em pretty well, but as Tsukasa...oi.

I may need some "assistance."
*goes to look up Underworks*  

[Hoshi no Miko]

I have A corset, but I don;t wear it all that much... mainly because I don't have anyone to help me put it on... well okay, I could ask my mother, but even though I am going on 23, she would never let me out the door to a convention in the thing.
I suppose being a female that mainly cosplays male characters, I SHOULD invest in a compression vest or something of the like... but, well, I am just not that dedicated I suppose. Never mind the fact that my chest is huge and it would likely take two of the darned things to make me look flat -_-. Normally when I cosplay guys though, I choose characters that have a blousy or baggy enough costume, that I can generally hide myself. It doesn't always work, but I'm sorry, I just can't be bothered binding. I know that makes me a "bad" cosplayer, but I do this for fun, and never enter competitions, so I only go for accuracy to an extent.  

[A Blue-Eyed Monster]

Hoshi no Miko

I have A corset, but I don;t wear it all that much... mainly because I don't have anyone to help me put it on... well okay, I could ask my mother, but even though I am going on 23, she would never let me out the door to a convention in the thing.
I suppose being a female that mainly cosplays male characters, I SHOULD invest in a compression vest or something of the like... but, well, I am just not that dedicated I suppose. Never mind the fact that my chest is huge and it would likely take two of the darned things to make me look flat -_-. Normally when I cosplay guys though, I choose characters that have a blousy or baggy enough costume, that I can generally hide myself. It doesn't always work, but I'm sorry, I just can't be bothered binding. I know that makes me a "bad" cosplayer, but I do this for fun, and never enter competitions, so I only go for accuracy to an extent.

No one is saying you are a bad cosplayer for not wearing a corset or chest binder, Hoshi. It's a personal preference.

I just was interested in seeing if anyone aside from myself enjoyed wearing a corset, and conversely a compression garment.

@Ringside: I included the link to underworks in the "Links" section. Although I am sure you have googled it by now. : D