Long Island Staylace Association (L.I.S.A.)
Lucy's Corsetry
(Corsets are much less forgiving than looser clothing, so an off-the-rack corset may be difficult for anything more than casual wear. The more different you are from the proportions the corset was designed for, the more likely it won't feel right.)
Orchard Corset (Washington) I've bought quite a few from them, they are well made and extremely well priced. Ship very fast. A good variety of designs for different body shapes, regularly get new fabrics. Offer to help you in figuring out the right style/size to get. Just about everything <$100, most $69-$89. They regularly have sales, including special corsets for Black Friday (usually 2 different designs in 2 fabrics).
Timeless Trends (Texas) starting <$100, large selection $100-$150
Versatile Fashions (Oregon) most >$300.
Dark Garden Corsetry (beautiful, expensive. Custom & standard fit, starting around $400.)
Vollers Corset Co. (UK) (standard fit, >$200)
Isabella Costumiere (New Orleans) - ready-to-wear, standard fit, and custom
Starkers (Toronto) - Gothic clothing and custom corsets. Very interesting styles.
The Fitting Room - custom corsets and basic supplies (supply prices are high).
AraneaBlack (a LOT of interesting things here, including a bunch of tutorials).
Craftsy has several corsetmaking classes
Patterns
I would advise making your first corset as a wearable test in plain fabric, and then make the alterations you find you need before making one in any "special" fabric (my first corset suffered a bit from some iffy fabric choices affecting durability, and from my waist being lower than the pattern is drafted for). You will learn a lot from the first one, and your second will be much better. (If materials cost is a major concern, you can disassemble your first one and reuse the boning and the busk. I would definitely add all of the boning and the busk to the test version, though. Not only will they affect the fit, installing the busk especially is a bit of a process, and practice will help).
Laughing Moon Mercantile Pattern #100 includes two basic Victorian style corsets (as well as a chemise and drawers). PDF versions are also now available. The pattern is heavily documented and very easy to follow. This is the pattern I would recommend to anyone starting out who is interested in this general style of corset (with a front opening busk). There is also a 2-hr video, currently available to download for $4.95, which I would advise if you have any fitting concerns. (Each of the corsets in the original pattern are now available separately, but the original pattern is a much better deal. If you are sure you only want one of them and not the chemise and drawers, though, it is an option). I can say, from experience, that it is very possible to successfully use this pattern with only moderate sewing experience and no other references. Honestly, even if you find another pattern you want to make, I would get this one as well just for its instructions.
How to Make a Victorian Corset (link is dead, seeing if I can track it down. Here is a link to the last archive.org backup)
How to Make 17th Century Stays
How to make an Elizabethan Corset (including a custom pattern generator).
Corset Pattern Generator (see also here, requires software install)
Free corset patterns list by AraneaBlack
Past Patterns sells an array of corset patterns and kits
Patterns of Time carries a wide range of pattern brands (including Laughing Moon Mercantile). Their corset patterns can be found here.
Amazon Drygoods sells patterns, costume pieces, notions, etc.
There is only one corset part that is not easy to come by and which I know of no substitutes for: the front-opening busk. I have seen very attractive corsets that lace both front and back, but if you want the classic Victorian Corset look, you will probably have to order one. This is why I don't make as many corsets as I would like. (Large cable ties from the hardware store can serve as reasonable boning. It will not be as strong as steel, but it also won't rust, so...)
Milieux Costume Source Pages
Corsetmaking Supplies.com has a good selection, good prices (also bramaking, millinery, etc).
Farthingales is in Canada, which adds a little bit of travel time for orders, but shipped promptly last time I dealt with them. Prices are in CAD.
Lacis sells corset parts along with various other neeedlework & textile arts related items. Prices are quite high, but they have a lot of hard-to-find items.
Amazon Drygoods has busks & boning
Sewing Patterns and Guides for Historical Clothing and Costumes is a great list of links for historical costuming (divided by era) as well as some helpful general sewing links. (Thanks to Katie and Tina for the link!)
Amazon Drygoods
Patterns of Time
Past Patterns (1789-1940's)
That is all I have right now. More to follow, and changes in organization.
amazing page design with vintage HTML by Ashley (corsets at alienora dot com)
Last modified March 2, 2021