And finally, Made in USA

Clearly, this won't make my international customers happy, but let me explain. I DO love the idea of keeping money in your country, patriotism, and all of that, but there is a HUGE reason to stick WITHIN your own country when buying corsets.  If there is a fitting problem, which, unfortunately, can happen REALLY easily with corsets (remember that whole thing about different bodies and comfort levels...it's a thing.) it can cost an enormous amount to ship corsets back and forth. I always feel TERRIBLE when anything goes wrong with my beloved international customers! Whether it's the fact that sometimes they randomly have to pay enormous customs fees ( I had a lady that paid 80 pounds, JUST to get her corset from customs in the UK) or the fact that it's just so expensive to even get the corset anyhow, I can see a lot of benefits from buying within your own country. I'm not willing to put my company on the line and lie by marking my corsets as "gifts" and so my gals are subject to the laws and rules of their own country. I have been asked to do this hundreds of times, and I've had people rip me a new hole because I wouldn't lie for them, but friends....it's not worth it.  However, that's a whole different topic.

The main thing here is that getting the perfect fit can be hard, especially when people are really worried that things won't fit, and so they fudge their measurements, reasoning that "oh, I don't want it to be TOO tight..I like comfortable things" and so they get this enormous corset that flops around on their body. You should not have a problem with fit if you follow the directions on every different corset site to the best of your abilities! But, once you start saying in your brain, "But, my jeans size is 29, and I NEVER wear jeans that are 26...so I can't order a 26" corset" , that's where fitting issues come in. It's my experience that women think they're BIGGER than they are, in the corset world, about 95% of the time.  The only times that they think they're smaller is when they've tried on a corset from another company, where there was a 7 inch gap that they couldn't see from the back, and the corset salesgirl proudly pronounced them a "19 inch waist!" (when really, they're a 26 tight waist, but the 19 inch corset has a 7 inch gap..make sense?)

Phew! I've been all over the place here, which is generally how I talk anyhow! Hopefully you were able to follow, and this will help you pick a perfect corset for your figure! I want you to have one that will just wear forever and make you feel like a billion bucks (tax exempt!). With my own company, I can stand behind the fact that we DO answer questions to be the best of our abilities, I AM very honest and forthright, I WON'T try to sell you on something that isn't right for your body, I DO offer repairs and alterations for your changing body, and I DESPERATELY want you to feel beautiful, rich, luxurious.

Quick last story, then I'm done. I wanted a pair of cowgirl boots a couple years ago, and I asked my customers on facebook which brands they liked best. I got a resounding applause for Ariat boots, and after I bought my first pair, I can see why my customers were such fanatics! Holy LOVE! They are crafted with such artful care and precision, with clearly fine materials, but the COMFORT is the main selling point for me. I've never, in my whole life, been able to wear a pair of shoes and be on my feet for these dang long 14-16 hour days at festivals without pain and suffering in the end. My feet would hurt so bad that I literally could not walk to the bathroom from my bed in the hotel (mostly just crawled..).  These boots changed that. They offer the support, and even though I still am occasionally a little sore at the end of the day, I can still walk, function, and love doing festivals.


However, the price tag is...well...plentiful on Ariats. There was a vivid turquoise pair (shown above) that I wanted soo badly, but I found a cheaper brand, selling that color at a price that was literally less than a third of the Ariats. I argued with myself...I reasoned back and forth...I told myself that I was being a rich, snobby girl, and that SURELY, a pair of boots that STILL cost $100 would be good "enough" quality. I bought the cheaper brand.......oh, profanity.  I wore them for about 3 hours and they were as bad as wearing 6 inch heels. My feet ached, where chafing, and bleeding. That had never happened with my dear Ariats, even when they were brand new! I didn't have to even break them in! They loved my feet from the start! Guess what? I don't wear the other boots. They just sit there, a cruel reminder of when I was too cheap, and didn't remember to go with the company that I trusted! I blew a big chunk of money to get what I DIDN'T want, so NOW the ariats will be even MORE expensive because I had to learn my stupid lesson first. Blast!
It's ironic. You "PAY" for being cheap.
Reblog From Damsel In Dress
http://damseldress.blogspot.com