Taxes and Corsets

That’s been my life this week!

First the bad stuff:  taxes.  We owed quite a bit last year, so I put off the taxes as long as possible.  But I finally got started this week and was pleasantly surprised.  We’re getting enough back from Uncle Sam to pay what we owe the state with just a little left over.  I’ll take that!  I have a few things to finalize yet but the hard part is over.

Now the fun stuff:  shopping for my first corset!

I’ve been wanting one for a loooooong time.  Ever since I started losing weight — which was two years ago.  I almost bit the bullet last year before RT, but I chickened out.  I still had so much to lose and I didn’t want to invest in something that wouldn’t fit in a year.

Well here I am a year later and I could have been wearing that corset.   I still almost put it off again because I have a month before RT to pull outfits together, but I finally got up the courage and just went for it.

In fact, I’ve ordered 2!  Maybe both will work.  Maybe not.  But I’ll have two completely different looks to play with.

The first is formal and sparkly, like this one:  Burgundy Satin Couture Corset.  They didn’t have my size and I balked at spending that much, but I found one on eBay that looks exactly like it for half the price.  Hopefully I’ll get it and it fits…!

The other one I’m ridiculously excited about:  Steampunk Wench Corset.  She has ready-made corsets and while white isn’t my ideal color, I can totally play up the black details and the fun steampunk aspect.  Even better:  she can alter the corset up to 6″ down to fit me as I continue to lose weight!  So this one is definitely something I’ll get tons of wear out of going forward.

Now the hard — and FUN — part comes of shopping for materials and patterns to get the skirts made.  My Mom is a master seamstress–she made all my prom dresses and outfits growing up.  Molly and I plan to meet up at Granny’s several times in April to plan out the outfits and gather the supplies.  I’m a complete dunce at fabric and sewing.  I can do basics — like sew a straight line — but that’s about it.  I read the instructions and they’re like Greek.  So I might have to make a trip to have her tell me what she needs, and then I’ll bring stuff back and we’ll help cut out, etc.

So far I’ve found a nice big 11-yard piece of black taffeta that we can use as a base.  Then I’ve found several really unique and interesting patterns I’m hoping we can use in a bustle or overskirt to hype up the design.  I’ve got several costume patterns coming, and once I know yardage, I’ll start buying!

More to come, and of course, I’ll take some pictures.  Assuming things FIT!