The corset seems like a callback to fashions from hundreds of years ago, but the corset wedding dress is still a popular style these days. Most corset dresses require that the dress be laced up. How do you do that, lacing the dress up properly so that it looks just right?
You might think that lacing up the dress would be simple, and while we wouldn’t say it is complicated, you want to know the right way to do it. You will likely have someone assisting you, lacing up the dress for you, so make sure they know what they are doing.
You also need to know what is proper and improper when it comes to lacing up the corset dress so that when you look at yourself in the mirror, you can give your approval or request a redo, if necessary.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Even though the lacing up process is simple, you don’t want your bridesmaid or other helper to be struggling with the corset laces on your wedding day. That is the one day you don’t need anyone trying to figure out how to do something for the first time.
Whoever will be tying the laces should have already practiced ahead of time, at least a few days before the wedding. They should already be good at lacing up the dress and have successfully done it a few times. That way, when you put on the dress for your wedding and it is time to lace it up, there won’t be any difficulties.
Have your helper practice multiple times before the big day, making sure they are comfortable with the method and can pull it off flawlessly. You can always have another friend take pictures or do a video chat with you while recording your helper so you can see for yourself that the lacing up is being done properly.
You should know better than anyone what the dress should look like when it is on you and how the laces should be when they are done up properly. Take the precautions we are giving you so that there are no surprises when it is picture time. You also don’t want your dress to come open at an embarrassing moment, which is why we advise these extra steps of caution.
Step By Step How to Lace Up a Corset Wedding Dress
- Start at the top loops, by threading the ribbons through them.
- Ensure that as you thread the ribbons through, they stay an equal length with one another.
- Work the ribbons through like a shoelace, threading the two ends in on opposite sides from one another.
- Keep working like this until three ribbon holes have been used on each side.
- On the second ribbon, pull outwards to bring the dress in and tighten it. Do that for the third ribbon as well.
- This should make the dress the proper shape at that point so the dress does not feel like it is slipping down.
- Keep tying the ribbons, ensuring that they stay straight as you work. Tie each of them until you reach the bottom.
- From the third loop, work downward until you get to the bottom. And then, pull the ribbon out at that point to make the dress as tight as it needs to be.
- After you have all the loops tightened, tie off the ribbon ends at the first knot.
- The laces should then be placed underneath the skirt, at the end of the corset. Feed the ends of the ribbon toward the dress using the hole at the lower end of the corset.
- After all of the ribbon ends have been tucked in, give them a downward pull to ensure the corset is snug and tight and that is sits properly on the body.
- The final step is to tie the ribbon ends inside the dress to make a bow, as this will keep the ends from getting caught when you move around.
That is a lot of steps, we know, but the method is fairly simple. We just wanted to detail everything so that you don’t make any mistakes and so that any questions you might have are answered. Once you or your helper have done all the steps a couple of times, it will become second nature and you won’t have to think about each step anymore. As with any process, it becomes easier the more you do it, which is why we recommend practicing a few times.
How to Lace Up with a Modesty Panel in
Some women will prefer to use a modesty panel in their corset wedding dress. If you have one in yours, it doesn’t make the process a lot more complicated, but you ought to know how to incorporate the panel into the method we gave you above.
The modesty panel is designed to hide the Venus fold, or back cleavage, which is a fold in the back that is sometimes created when wearing a corset dress. By pulling the sides of the body in tightly, a fold may appear, and a modesty panel can cover that, if you don’t want the fold to show. If you are wearing a corset over clothing, then a modesty panel isn’t necessary. However, a colored panel can add some visual pop to your outfit.
To work the modesty panel into the lacing process, just clip in the modesty panel at the start. After it is clipped in, you can follow the steps above as normal. Once the entire corset has been laced in, you can then unclip the modesty panel.
It’s super simple, and this little addendum to the process simply keeps the panel in place and prevents it from slipping down as you thread the ribbons through.
Some Tips for the Lace-Up
When you are lacing up a corset wedding dress, you want the finished product to look perfect, with aligned laces and an even look on both sides. In order to make sure that happens, pause periodically as you lace up the dress. Make sure that everything is lined up well and stays even. By stopping and checking every few seconds, you can catch problems early before they become major issues and correct them quickly. The more you go through the lacing process, the fewer mistakes you are going to make.
Also make sure that your hands are clean and dry as you do this. You don’t want to stain the dress or let any moisture soak into the material.
