My Philosophy

  
 

I could honestly write a whole novel explaining all of the work and research that goes into using and finding good materials and developing patterns. I will try to make it short enough to read in a reasonable amount of time. My goal with this company has been to fix all of the problems I’ve had with bodices and that I’ve seen other people struggle with.

Here are a few of the biggest problems that are prevalent in this industry and with homemade pieces. I will state the problem, and then you’ll see the solution that I’ve come up with for my bodices.

  1. Boning in the front of the bodice will ripple, buckle, bend, or just poke right out of the bodice.
    • I use fiberglass rods hand-dipped in rubber up the fronts of my bodices. They will not bend or break, and I’ve never had one poke through. (this is after making nearly 1,800 bodices.) Since most women want a flat stomach, this does it every time.
  2. Grommets will rip out if any strain is put on them. This was a problem with me, when I started making bodices at the age of 14. I didn’t know what I was doing, and I used craft eyelets. They gave way the second I pulled tight.
    • We use sturdy, military grade brass grommets. They are much larger than the ones bodice makers usually use, and they are very prominent and help give our bodices their signature look. Plus, we put rubber-backed strips of jacquard inside the bodice, so the grommet not only grips the fabric, but also the reinforcement strip.
  3. The bodice only comes down to the top of the waist, so it doesn’t hold in any “gut” or “love handles”. All it does is push in your chest and visually shorten your body, making you look thick and stumpy.
    • My bodices go down at least 7 inches past the normal waistline! They smooth down love handles, totally flatten your belly, and make you look very long and curvy. There is a reason that long lines are currently in fashion… they’re flattering! My bodices always have strong, high-quality spring steel boning up the sides and back. (whether you knew it or not, just because people say they have “spring steel” in their bodices, it doesn’t mean it’s the good stuff! There are two thicknesses available. The thick kind is more expensive. We use only the thick kind.)
  4. Bodices flatten your chest and push everything up so there’s this odd, jiggling shelf of flesh coming out of your neck. The patterns are flat pieces of fabric with no shaping lines for womanly curves. Yes, yes, I know, all of you period Nazis!! Flattening the chest is more “historically correct”, but do you really want to look like a tree stump?! Just because Queen Elizabeth was flat-chested does not mean we have to be! I’m sure if we brought good patterns and technology back to their time, they would gladly take them and throw us a party!
    • My bodices have beautiful curving lines built to fit the shape of a feminine bust-line. They do have a good “push-up” cleavage effect, but it has a round, buxom shape! Plus, they’re designed to be worn with bras! A good, molded cup bra will give you this great initial shape, and my bodice curves gracefully over it. Please, women, wear bras. If you hate them and think they’re uncomfortable, then you’re probably wearing the wrong size. This is something else that I could write a whole novel on.
  5. The fabric and thread is wearing out, snagging, or just not holding it’s shape.
    • I use industrial upholstery thread and home décor weight jacquards that will withstand use.

I realize that probably few patrons are going to read that whole entire thing. Thank you to those who made it. I have to let people know what I stand for. All of my patterns are original. I’ve worked sooo hard constantly revising and reshaping them. Most of them have been through 6 revisions. If there’s ever a problem, I immediately set out to fix it! I want you to look as beautiful as possible!