Empowerment Through Corsets- A Boudoir Shoot

Pin It Tweet

A beautifully made corset can be many things to different people- an accessory to empowerment, a way to sculpt and shape, a proper silhouette for historical attire, an actor's tool to enhance their character for the stage. For Dana Thomas, her corset was a celebration of her form and self-being.

"She wore her scars as her best attire. A stunning dress made of hellfire..." -Daniel Saint

Dana came to us searching for a shapely corset for a wonderful event she was attending overseas, the Secret Cinema Moulin Rouge party in London. For this themed event, guests were expected to come in appropriate attire to match their assigned character. Something so unique deserved a truly special corset.

Accessories for a night of fun

Dana at the Moulin Rouge party hosted by the Secret Cinema  

During her fitting, Dana and our team found the perfect style corset to match her needs, our c. 1880 Alice with added straps. Dana brought in her own Chinese brocade fabric, a wonderful find from the depths of a secret stash. We complimented this by adding black satin piping along the top and bottom edges of the corset.

Dana finds the perfect match during her final fitting

The corset of choice, our c. 1880 Alice

Going beyond the needs of a fancy soirée, Dana also found use for her corset in a boudoir photo-shoot. The  purpose of this very intimate session provided more that just a stunning series of photos, it was a way for Dana to bare her soul as well. It opened up an opportunity for Dana to focus on her true self and what it meant to be comfortable in the skin and body that she was given. In her in-depth blog post, she wrote about the experience and revisited the journey that brought her to who she is today. 

"I want to celebrate the body I have today, battered and bruised, scarred by misadventures and medical procedures, and more beautiful than it’s ever been. The girl I once was, now woman incarnate. Stories engraved upon my skin telling a tale to all those who will listen."

""Let life mark you. The best among us have so many imprints left upon us it's like embroidery." Here I am stripped down, stripped away, me and my vulnerability. I've never felt more alive." 
-excerpt from Dana's blog post

boudoir Photography by Lindsay Carlisle

Hair and makeup by Ashley Z

Model Dana Thomas