Inches off your waist instantly! (Voller's Corsets)

Member Name: Nichelette

Product:	Voller's Corsets
Date:	05/11/08 (844 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent quality, will lose you inches in an instant

Disadvantages: Expensive

I suggested that this product be added, and I can't wait to write my review. I have literally been obsessed with corsets for many years. I bought my first 'proper' corset shortly after I turned 17, and now own a collection which runs into double figures.

Before I write my review, I'd like to make something clear. When I talk about corsets, I don't mean fashion items which you can buy in most chain stores, having a hook and eye fastening does not make a garment a corset, it's more of a bodice. And now I've got that off of my chest...

Vollers are a family run company who have been making corsets since the late Victorian period (1899 to be precise) from their factory in Portsmouth, where they employ 30 people. Each corset is handmade to a very high standard, though considering that the price of even the most basic corset is around £100, this ought to be the case.

Vollers manufacture corsets in a range of materials including (most commonly) satin, lace over satin, PVC, leather, velvet and silk. Off the rack corsets range from a tiny waist size of 18 inches (46cm), and run up to a size of around 38 inches, or 96cm.
These corsets are made using a steel busk (that's the fastening part which runs up the front of the corset), the busk is designed so that it has two fastenings closer together at the bottom to bring your stomach in that little bit more. A typical 20 inch vollers corset is constructed using 14 sprung steel bones, all of which are designed to reduce the waist of the wearer, and push their chest up and together. There is also some waist tape sewn inside of the corset to add further support to the waist. All corsets are laced up using an extremely long and very strong woven cord. Corsets usually come unlaced, but there is a piece of paper with some diagrams included which show the buyer how to lace up the corset correctly.

When choosing a 'real' corset the wearer should be able to obtain a waist reduction of around 2-4 inches, though some experienced wearers are able to lose as many as 6 inches (though this feat is easier to obtain if your waist is larger to start with). There's nothing quite like the feeling you get when you are wearing a corset, though from experience you don't want to wear one of you are likely to get allergic at the same time, as sneezing is near impossible. Whilst a real corset will limit your breathing ability slightly, you aren't going to be gagging for breath either. I'm a lifelong asthmatic and this doesn't cause me any problems. Bending over can be an interesting experience though.

Different varieties of corset include the most common - overbust, along with underbust ones, and longline ones which are longer in the body than a standard corset. As I have already mentioned, a basic overbust corset in plain satin will set you back around the £100 mark, with a more elaborate longline silk corset with lace trim costing anything up to around £270+. Leather & specialist corsets can sometimes cost even more than this.

To my knowledge, each vollers corset has loops which you are able to attach suspenders to should you choose to do so. Some corsets are sold with suspenders, and some simply aren't, though you can usually pick up a set of genuine vollers ones for around £10 on ebay.

Whilst vollers corsets are expensive and likely to be a considered purchase rather than something you'd buy on a whim, the quality you get for your money makes it all worth it. Just think about how much some people will spend on a wedding dress that will get a single days wear. Looked after properly your corset will last you a lifetime.

In the 5 years I've been wearing vollers corsets I've never had a single problem with one of mine. The stitching has all remained perfect and all corsets are constructed using multiple layers of fabric to add to the strength and waist reduction ability of the corset. These are so strong that the wearer is able to use them for waist training (that's when the wearer aims to permanently reduce the size of their waist, though I don't do this personally).

One thing to watch out for is that you don't try to undo the busk before you've loosened the lacing at the back sufficiently, as this can cause the hooks on the busk to bend out of shape. However this is not specific to vollers, and is easily avoidable if you treat the corset properly. If you need to wash your corset, it should either be hand washed in warm water, or sent to a dry cleaner. In no circumstance should you ever put one in a washing machine!

Vollers have a website which can be found here:

http://www.vollers-corsets.com

The website is simple to navigate and features all of the current line of vollers corsets. In addition to corsets the site also stocks a small range of shirts, skirts, and corset themed jewellery (this is also a bit pricey though). For those who would prefer to look at corsets than wear them, there is also a selection of corset art available.

Although I have always bought my corsets from Fairy Goth Mother before they closed their Camden store (if you get the opportunity to visit you should, the staff are really friendly and helpful, and best of all they know their corsets...), the vollers website offers next day delivery on items purchased by mid-day Monday-Thursday.

The site also has a useful FAQ section for corset novices, and if you are of particularly unusual proportions, the opportunity to get a custom made corset according to your own measurements.

There are plenty of cheaper imitations on the market, but I've found you get what you pay for. Brands such as deadlygirlz also offer high quality, but some lesser known brands are of a dire quality.

So, to conclude, (as you may be able to tell) I'm involved in a bit of a love affair with vollers. There really isn't anyone better for corsets, and some of the designs are absolutely beautiful. If you only ever buy one corset, vollers are the people you want to make it.

Summary: Beautiful corsets, well worth it if you can afford one