LACISSTANT (SELF-LACING DEVICE)

Thank you for inquiring about or trying ROMANTASY Exquisite Corsetry’s newest creative device to assist you easily dress in and enjoy your new corset!  Our Canadian client and customer, Rita, provided the genesis for the idea and design, and together, we hope you enjoy our useful and decorative corset accessory.  It is particularly helpful if you customarily dress by yourself and in addition, experience any temporary or permanent range-of-motion difficulties while reaching around in back to tighten your corset laces, since it speeds up and facilitates the lacing process.  Lacisstant makes a great corset accessory for yourself, or for a friend.

We urge you to read and carefully follow the information and advice below before ordering or trying your  .  As with other mechanical devices, you must use this device properly in order to avoid inadvertently damaging your corset or causing personal injury.  We cannot be responsible if you fail to follow our instructions or if you use the device for unintended purposes or beyond its capability as described below.  By purchasing our product, you agree to abide by our instructions.

Lacisstant (Self-Lacing Device)
	Quantity in Basket: none Code: Lacisstant Price: $15.00 Shipping Weight: 4.00 pounds
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Here is the basic method for self-lacing a corset, once the front busk is fastened:  (1) ensure that the corset waist "pulls"; (the center loops of the laces located at the center back of your corset) are located precisely at the waistline (diagram b).  To identify the waistline if your corset has been constructed with waist tape, look for the tape itself, or the outline of the 1" tape in the lining of the corset (diagram b).  If you cannot locate this outline, simply find the narrowest part of the corset;

Diagram b	Diagram c

(2) gradually close the corset in back in several repeated steps, first, by partly closing the top edge.  Start by putting a finger, or using the first finger and thumb as pinchers, under the first crossed set of laces and pull out about 2-3"; work down from there to the waist, pulling each cross in turn;

(3) pull the loose lace ends at the corset waist „pull“; one effective way is to first cross the pulls;

(4) repeat step (2) but by working gradually from the bottom of the corset to the waist.  Never close the top or bottom edge in one step–always use three or four;

(5) again pull the loose lace ends;

(6) repeat steps (2) through (5) until the corset is closed sufficiently;

(7) tie the loose lace ends in a bow at the center back of the corset.

Our idea for the Lacisstant came from the following reported challenge. You may encounter a problem when you try to lace a corset on your own, in that more than one pair of hands may be necessary when the loose corset waist pull laces slip.  You need to take up this slack in the corset lace pulls repeatedly in steps (3) and (5), but it is sometimes difficult to hold the pulls when working down and up with the crossed laces.  It can easily happen, especially with ribbon as opposed to flat laces,  that when you let go of the pulls, the lace ends slip out, resulting in re-opening of the corset–and great frustration, especially as you get closer to completely closing the gap in back. 

The purpose of the device is to enable the lace pulls to be held firmly while the corset is drawn in further to its ultimate tightness.  The idea is to provide a hook to which you attach the lace pulls (diagram d)  which you can then secure to any convenient rod or handle from which you can easily remove it.
 

Diagram d	Diagram e

The device consists of two wooden bars separated by a double length of sturdy cord (diagram a).
Simply attach the end without the hook to a door handle, or ideally, to a towel railing (the wooden bar is used to secure the fastening) (diagram d). Be sure the bar is pushed completely up under the door handle to secure it. Then attach the corset lacings (be sure they are even) pulls to the hook on the other end (diagram e), and stretch it tightly by simply walking forward until any slack is taken up.  Each time you manage steps (3) and (5) by walking forward, or perhaps more accurately, by "jiggling" or "inching" forward, your hands remain free to continue closing the laces from top and bottom. When you close the corset sufficiently, the lace pulls can be unhooked from the rod and tied into a bow (step 7).

It is critical for you to realize that you close the corset by successively and repeatedly pulling on the lace cross-overs between the corset grommets from top to waist, then bottom to waist in several steps; you do NOT close it by applying a large amount of force only once to the central corset lace pulls.  The purpose the device is to hold the lace pulls tightly and stop them from slipping back.  It is NOT to apply a force to the lace pulls in an attempt to close the corset in one fell swoop.

Be sure to use the device while standing flat footed or in stable shoes so that you do not slip!

If you follow these instructions, we hope you will find it much easier to put on your corset by yourself .  Please place your order for yourself, or as a gift for a corset enthusiast friend, by mail, phone, fax or email to the addresses listed below, and let us know what you think.