Luxe Noir

What to know about shopping at Luxe Noir

Luxe Noir is a corsetry label rather than a general fashion retailer, and nearly everything on the site is its own make. The range divides most usefully by how a piece is worn rather than by price. Underbust corsets sit below the bust and are styled over a shirt, a bodysuit or a dress, so they work as a layer over clothes you already own. Overbust corsets replace the bodice outright and are the largest group in the catalog. Past those sit corset dresses, corset skorts, bustle and long skirts, evening dresses, coordinated sets and suspender belts, with design themes the company names in its own collections - Rococo, Tudor, steampunk, and a gothic line built on brocade, duchess satin and lace overlay.

Sizing is the thing to get right, and it does not work like dress sizing. Pieces are listed by corset size, running from 20 up to 38, and each listing states the natural waist it is cut for - a size 24 is described as fitting a 27 to 28 inch natural waist. So the number on the label is not your waist measurement, and picking your usual dress size will give you the wrong garment. Measure your natural waist, which is the narrowest point above the hip and below the ribs, and read the fit note on the individual listing rather than assuming a size carries across styles. Skirts and some dresses are listed separately on conventional US, UK, AU and EU sizing, so a two-piece order can involve two different size systems.

Garments are made to order, which shapes how you should time a purchase. The company says it prints and makes in its own factory in Gurgaon, India, and ships worldwide with shipping free and import duties and taxes already included in the price - so the figure on the listing is the figure you pay, with no customs charge arriving afterwards. But made-to-order also means a lead time, so this is not a store to leave until the week before a dated event.

Two practical tips. Steel boning is what holds a corset's line, and it is also why these pieces need a little care - store them flat or hanging rather than folded, and season a new corset by wearing it lightly laced for a few sessions before pulling it fully closed. And watch the multi-buy collections rather than waiting for a sitewide sale: the company runs a three-for-two group and an end-of-line buy-one-get-one-free group, and where you were buying more than one piece anyway those are usually the better route.

— MoneySaverCodes Team