Cinch & Charm
Margarita Underbust Corset
Margarita Underbust Corset
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Our 1897 Victorian steel boned underbust corset is perfect for reenacting or everyday waist shaping. Made with shaped panels that create a dramatic hourglass shape, rounded ribcage, and plenty of hip room. Cinches the waist up to 4 inches for an hourglass silhouette.
Corset Features
Corset Features
- 28 flat and spiral steel bones
- straight steel busk with stud and loop closure
- waist tape for reinforced support
- open back lacing for easy tightening
Our Designer
Our Designer
This corset was designed by Amber Welch of Lovely Rat's Corsetry who has decades of experience in corsetmaking. She has personally produced over 200 corsets and has designed for some of the largest corset brands in the world.
Size Guide
Size Guide
The best way to fit our corsets is by matching your bust measurement. Available in sizes 22-36, please check our size chart for help sizing yourself.
We have included both a recommended sizing guide as well as the finished measurements of the corset to allow more experienced corset buyers to choose their size preference.
If you are not sure about your size, please just ask! You can reach us through the contact form on this site, or by direct message at any of our social media accounts.
Historical Accuracy
Historical Accuracy
Corset is reproduced from the New Mexico History museum with permission. This corset was adapted from an original Victorian corset.
Return Policy
Return Policy
14-day returns accepted on items returned in original condition. Questions about fit before you buy? Contact us.
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Historical Research
This is based off a historical corset in the collection of the New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe. Here is a picture of the original:
Here's what we know:
This style of “waist cincher” was also referred to as “empire style”, and I’ve found fashion ads from around 1897-1901. An advertisement from Lincoln, Nebraska in 1901 says an empire style corset is “absolutely necessary” for the achievement of the latest fashion. An advertisement from Roanoke, Virginia in 1897 calls the Empire the “shortest corset on the market” and advertises the R & G brand specifically. It retailed for $1 in the same ad, which is about 1 day’s labor for a lady working minimum wage at the time. Other advertisements refer to the Empire corset as a “short” style with four buttons (loops for the busk).
It was manufactured by R & G corsets which were sold extensively throughout the United States. I have found ads online for these corsets in California, Maine, Colorado, and San Francisco.
Victorian Corset Construction
The original corset fits about an 18” waist, which after 4” standard Victorian corset waist reduction, is a 22” natural waist. It was likely purchased for a teenager. The corset is in excellent condition and looks unworn.
The original is made of one layer of a starched plainweave cotton. The boning channels are the same cotton, likely interfaced. The lace is original, intact, and in great condition. This could have been a "summer corset' which were often made of a single layer of cotton, even batiste. The lacing pattern is not original, it was probably relaced by the museum, but the lacing is likely original to the corset.
Like many victorian corsets, the stitching is imperfect. Let this inspire you to challenge your perfectionism.
Original Materials:
The original is a plainweave cotton with plainweave cotton boning channels trimmed with a white machine-made lace laced with a pink ribbon.