Bow mesh corset - corset discontinued by Coquette - review by Jul!a

Ok, so truth be told, this really isn't a corset. It doesn't lace, which drops it into the category of bustier. Either way, it's a piece that you should enjoy for a while to come.

It came in a plastic bag, which can also function for storage if you don't want to hang it or keep it in a drawer. If you opt for a drawer, make sure to only ever fold it lengthwise, as folding it where the top and bottom meet will likely cause permanent damage to the boning. There's one tag on the inside that tells you that this item is made of 82% Nylon and 18% Spandex, exclusive of the trim. You should also hand wash and let drip dry.

I got this in a size small. To Coquette, that means I should be a size 4-6, with a B cup, a 34-36" bust, 26-28" waist, and 36-38" hips. Personally I'm about 5'2, I weigh about 105, around my bust measures 31" and underneath measures about 28 1/2". I've got about a 25" waist with 33" hips and wear a B cup. It fit me beautifully. Tight enough to look great but loose enough to be really comfortable.

For the other sizes available, Coquette has the following measurements listed:
Medium: size 8 - 10, B cup, 36-38" bust, 26 - 30" waist, 38 - 40" hips
Large: size 12 - 14, C cup, 38 - 40" bust, 30 - 32" waist, 40 - 42" hips
X Large: size 14 - 16, D cup, 42 - 44" bust, 34 - 36" waist, 44 - 46" hips
1X/2X: size 18 - 22, D cup, 46 - 50" bust, 38 - 42" waist, 46 - 52" hips

If you're right on the border of the measurements, you could probably be safe ordering a size down, but use your best judgment. If you do order a size down and it's too small but just barely, you can also get a whole bunch of band extenders that would normally go on a bra, but should hook in here just fine.

The inside is pretty plain, just being 12 sections of a soft red mesh with black strips of boning. The inside of the cups are a soft black padding. There is no underwire in the cups at all, which can be a drawback for some, but nice for others. From the front however, it's a much nicer picture of loveliness. You still have all the same panels, except not instead of just being plain red, there's little black bows. They look printed on but in actuality are flocked. (Flocking is basically where you have a raised design that's got some sort of velvet feel to it) The 9 visible pieces of boning are covered in the same velvety feeling material.

Across the top and the bottom are layers of ruffles about 3" tall. Where the cups meet in the middle is a bow about 4" across, and at the bottom on the 'hips' are one more bow each, both 4" across, for a grand total of 3 bows. They are sewn on, but should you want to remove them, that can be done easily enough with a steady hand and a seam ripper.

It's made really well. The body is very stretchy and will allow for some extra room, but the cups don't really stretch at all. The 18 sets of double row hooks that secure it down the 13" tall back are sturdy and come undone easily enough that you can do it yourself, but not so easily that you lose all your hard work with one awkward breath that shifts things. There was no fraying of anything when I got it, and it's held up to being worn out and about, as well as in the bedroom. The ruffles at the bottom can get in the way during sex if you have a shorter torso, but shouldn't be a problem for most. The garter straps work well enough for things like fishnet and other thigh-highs that aren't designed to stay up on their own.

There's plenty of room for me to wear a bra underneath, and since it doesn't have straps to hold it up, I recommend wearing wearing a bra underneath if you can, just in case it slips down. Smaller breasted ladies can get away with a pushup bra here.

I love this. Because the bows are black, they don't seem to jump out as much as they would if they were the other main color, and therefore, don't lend themselves quite as much to being an eyesore. Since it isn't actually a corset, I wasn't expecting any kind of cinching or anything like that, and I really didn't get any. It was definitely tight enough that I could feel it there, but in a good way. It was comfortable enough to wear out and about, and I did get plenty of compliments on it. I thought the ruffles along the top would bother me like they did with my other stretch lace corset, but surprisingly enough, it didn't. To get good cleavage I had to wear a pushup bra, (you'll notice one in the picture just for added effect).

Here's a picture of it for you:


All in all, I'm really happy with it, and definitely recommend it to anybody who's interested.