Need motivation for those 18th Century Stays??

18th Century Stays is a blog all about just that - 18th century stays.

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Proper Corset Materials

What are the proper corset making materials? That's one of the first questions that anyone looking to make their own corset asks. And honestly, anyone looking to buy a corset should be asking the same questions. Right now over on the Live Journal "corsetmakers" community there is a debate over whether cable ties can be considered a "Proper" corset material. You can see the debate here.

What are your thoughts on this debate? Is steel boning really the only "proper" material when it comes to boning a corset? What about the fabric? Is Coutil really the only right foundation material? Or is "proper" to you simply what gets the job done?

Does the answer change whether the corset in question is for sale or for personal use?

And finally, what materials have you made your corsets with? What successes and failures did you experience with each kind of material?