Prototype: Buckle Corset Top and Lace Gore Skirt

I'm afraid this woman doesn't have a gas mask on.

She does, however, have a basket-hilted 38" sabre by Mike Light of Light Armouries.

The Buckle Corset Top isn't a real boned corset. It's made in a soft chocolate brown faux suede. It fastens in front with large brass buckles. The skirt is made from a pale green faux silk taffeta with gores made from black lace. The skirt is unlined and very floaty.

The Designer wasn't exactly pleased with how his design turned out. The sketch first appeared in the Gas Mask Woman post and later in the steampunk designs poll (though it did not do nearly as well as the buckle dress). The soft suede doesn't work as well hoped and doesn't quite sit right. He also feels that the lace doesn't work as well as mesh or gauze would work.

We're contemplating another prototype. The corset top wasn't exactly a failure, but it would be much better with soft boning and possibly lacing down the back for more flexible sizing. The Designer feels strongly that the buckles should remain functional, but they don't actually work well as a means of customizing the size as they can get messy and not align in a nice straight row. We're also thinking of different colours and larger, more chunky and ornate buckles.

To commission a similar corset top and skirt with lace gores (with or without improvements) would cost around £70-80 from the Costume Mercenary.

More photos under the cut.