Pop Antique Tie-Back Bombshell Integrated Corset | Model: Victoria Dagger | Photo © Alyxander Ryan

Textural Monochrome Corset Style featuring the Bombshell Tie-Back Corset Blouse

July 16, 2015

The integrated corset sample shown here is a mid-century inspired design. Its construction is so sleek that, particularly from the front, many don't realize that the sheer blouse is actually attached to the waspie corset! However, the advantage in having these pieces connected with a seam is that it minimizes both bulk and shifting beneath the corset. This is a common problem when corsets are worn on the outside. The corset portion is a ready-to-wear fit Bombshell, made of single layer herringbone coutil with external casings and waist tape.

For styling, I went with a strong monochrome look. The hat is a custom made pillbox I put together in the same fabric as the blouse portion. It's on a sheer sinamay base, turning it into a bit of a lingerie hat! Tube skirts always work well with corsets; they contour well and don't tend to shift. Adding a peplum to this style makes it even more corset-friendly, as the peplum further exaggerates the hip line. You probably won't be surprised to hear that once again the earrings, in an oversize silver bow style, are Betsey Johnson. I reviewed the diamond patterned "Not Too Tights" by Wade & Belle on The Lingerie Addict - I love how their pattern echoes the mesh top. Lastly, these faux suede t-strap shoes by Aerosoles are one of my favorite pairs of heels for daywear .

~Marianne Faulkner
The Corsetrix, Pop Antique

Pop Antique "Gibson Girl" waist training corset | Model: Victoria Dagger | Photo © John Carey | Hair by Vanessa Joy at Vim and Vigor salon

Pop Spotlight: The Gibson Girl Underbust Corset

July 11, 2015

Today I'd like to highlight one of my most popular styles. I originally designed the Gibson Girl as a personal waist training corset for myself and named it for its Edwardian lines. Soon, I received requests for it and thus released it as a Special Edition made-to-order corset. That was clearly the right choice as it immediately turned into a bestseller, and I have jokingly given it the in-house nickname of "The Corset of the Year" for 2014.

The original Gibson Girl was designed as a "light-lacing" corset for me. Each made-to-order Gibson Girl is sized based on the proportions of the original custom. Which is to say, a moderate waist reduction, and a larger hip and slightly smaller rib than my ready-to-wear size chart. I am naturally long-waisted (despite my petite height of 5'3"), so there's also a sharp hip spring that allows me to settle the corset low on my waistline for maximum reduction.

What makes the Gibson Girl unique is that its variances in height allow it to flex to accommodate more dramatic proportions. This happens both naturally as the fibers relax, but also on a day-to-day basis. The gap remains even and parallel, whether you lace it to 1" or 3", because once it's broken in, the hip points flex lightly apart to accommodate your hip spring on a tighter reduction. As you can see in the picture below, I can also alter the Gibson Girl to a standard smooth hipline if that is your preference, but it does change some of the inherent functionality of the style. Above the waist, the low front and high back allows for high mobility and back support. The slightly raised back also creates a smooth line around the bra band level. Of course, there's no single wonder corset for all people, but for me, the Gibson Girl is a supremely comfortable and supportive style that I can wear comfortably on long days, virtually every day.

black and white Gibson Girl corset Pop Antique.jpg

grey and pink Gibson Girl corset Pop Antique.jpg

black sheer Gibson Girl corset Pop Antique.jpg

black hemp herringbone altered Gibson Girl corset back Pop Antique.jpg

And, if you haven't already noticed... not only does the Gibson Girl have a highly functional shape, but its lines are gorgeous. The front seams angle elegantly in swooping curves, and the lines of the hip and back shaping form graceful arches.

I have to give a big shout-out to my photographer, John Carey, for the Gibson Girl photoshoot. I've gotten so many wonderful images from that one shoot, and it was all in all a lovely day. We shot a couple other looks that day but the Gibson Girl was our focus. Special thanks are also due to hair stylist Vanessa Joy at Vim and Vigor salon in San Francisco. I love how she seamlessly fused an appropriately Gibson-esque tuck with retro rolls, and actually made my wan, straight hair look like it has some volume. Truly amazing.

If you are looking for a comfortable, curvaceous, and incredibly stylish corset for waist training, the Gibson Girl just might be the corset for you! It is available in "special edition" alternate ready-to-wear proportions, based on uncorseted wearer's measurements of a 2" waist to underbust difference, and 12" waist to full hip difference. It comes standard with double boning on each seam. I particularly like it in single layer construction with petersham binding, but it's also available in standard multi-layer construction with a concealed waist tape. I even have a limited amount remaining of the black hemp/organic cotton herringbone fabric from which the original Gibson Girl was made. This amazing fabric is so supple and moldable - it breaks my heart that I can't get any more yardage. Submit an inquiry today to secure your place in the Pop Antique queue for this exclusive style.

Pop Antique Demoiselle corset with Hip Flounce. Model: Victoria Dagger. Photo © Alyxander Ryan

Corseted Daywear: The Grey & Yellow Shoot, featuring the Demoiselle with Hip Flounce

July 7, 2015

I love adding simple details to make a corset pop. This little ruffle is somewhere between a peplum and hip fins/mini-panniers, added to a ready-to-wear Demoiselle in slate grey organic cotton sateen. I field test a lot of my corsets with a photoshoot because it tells me how they feel and move in action. In this case, I found that the yellow ruffle was too snug once the corset was wrapped around the body, so I ended up replacing it, which also gave me the opportunity to use a different finish on the edges.

I had plans to shoot with two friends in San Francisco's Mission District. As I headed down Alabama St., I noticed this grey and yellow building on a corner - a perfect match for the corset we would be shooting!

Pop Antique Demoiselle corset with Hip Flounce. Model: Victoria Dagger. Photo © Joey Mena

I styled this shoot with a drapey grey cardigan and some of my favorite high waisted jeans from Angry Rabbit. (I have these jeans in four different colors. They are practically perfect in every way.) Tied in front, this cut of cardigan showcases a corset very well. The hat was custom made for me by Kalico Delafay millinery, the earrings by Betsey Johnson, and I picked up the cameo brooch from a little vintage shop in Edinburgh.

~Marianne Faulkner
The Corsetrix, Pop Antique

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