Efforts Laurie Tavan and I have made toward my waist cincher are providing for me an education on a woman’s curves. We are not only measuring inches around, but inches between the bottom of my rib cage, top of my pelvis, and squish-ability of all in between. In two weeks, my waist easily goes up and down a whole inch and a half! Food bloat or time of the month are possible explanations. However, it pays to keep garments in the closet suitable to those fluctuations. This is where the waist cincher also comes in handy perchance a bloated day lands the same as when I need to wear a certain dress for a shoot or event. Laurie is makes considerations for body measurements I never before thought to consider when dressing myself or shopping.

Some dense weeks I have recently spent purchasing vintage clothes on eBay and a Facebook group. Measurements are given for the garments flat across. Unbelievable the variations in how measurements wear on the body, particularly my body. Some garments have incredible give which is why I am able to order what should be an inch or two too small, those garments actually best flatter my curves. I want to draw a conclusion that for dressing mid-century a gal ought to purchase a size down for true curve-hugging fit, a conclusion never in my life would have been previously made. Ma always bought our clothes on the large side, is “fit” subjective? I now realize that buying clothes online, after six months of giving it incredible zest and fervor, is as many already knew without blowing the dough, a bad idea. Measurements given cannot account for give in fabric and stitching, oftentimes the bust is grossly under measured, not giving allowance for built in cup thrust and now I have even more ill-fitting clothes. This girl is tossing in the towel, because even brand allegiance has failed time and again to deliver accurate fit results. I am moving on to in-person store shopping where I can touch the fabric and try on styles. I got messed over online boasting fantastic photos only to receive a garment falling apart or more severely downtrodden than let on. Biggest complaint by far is inability to measure or communicate fit. The world is now online and some great possibilities exist for vintage clothes enthusiasts, I simply do not have the time and energy to resale every ill-fitting garment, nor is owning so many cast-offs budget friendly. I may take chances with super adorable finds, but give me ol’ fashion brick and mortar to try on from now on.

I am not thrilled with these images of the cincher, so we will re-shoot and post later talking more specifics about my little cincher.

MUA: Self
Hair: Danyelle “The Hair Maverick” Johnson
Waist Cincher crafted by Laurie Tavan