Good news / bad news: The good news is that I lost a bunch of weight and my belly is GONE! The bad news is my rib cage projection. I would like to get closer to an hourglass figure. Right now, the top portion is closer to a barrel. Does anyone have tips for successfully reducing the projection of the lower ribs?
I have no trouble below the rib cage so I don't believe a corset would be indicated. Am I wrong?
Best wishes
MsVal
Steel bone corset is really what your looking for the is no better thing than that. The down side is it limits your mobility, BUT your posture will be PERFECT!
Short of self mutilation I think you're stuck. I'd say the alternative is to pull out the old illusion tricks. Having no belly (fat) is great. Visceral fat will kill you. I'd find some styles that avoid defining the waist. I'm a 42-38-40 and wear empire waists, wraps and sheaths and totally steer away from any garment that has a waistline.
Time to start working those abs! That will help to a degree (they run from pubic bone to lower ribs). You can also try Rago shapewear, their coiled boning is flexible yet very effective.
Curious, how is that going to work on the non elastic bones of a senior? I've seen some videos depicting the old corsetry of yesterday. That usually resulted in organ displacement. Us old guys with aging brittle bones would need a really long time to create a hour glass figure. No? I've seen some pictures posted on this site of those with barrel chests and narrow hips. I suspect there may be serious injury involved to the rib cage.Originally Posted by natalie_cheryl
Uh, that's a good point Stephanie. At 65 I'm pretty sure the bones are non elastic, but isn't there some cartilage in there somewhere to accommodate bending and breathing?
It ought to be obvious that I really don't know what I'm talking about ... that's why I'm asking. Thanks for the suggestions. Keep them coming.
Best wishes
MsVal
Rib cutters...
RS-9110_01.jpg
Seriously...? Stephanie's right, Ms Val - I think you have to look at choice and style of outfits versus something more... irrevocable...
There's a lot that can be done with changing outlines... a little padding in the right place, perhaps... all sorts of nasty thoughts occur about punctured diaphragms and septicemia and... well... let's try to keep a handle on that thing about beauty being more than skin deep, eh?
Speaking personally, your continued health is way, waaay more important than an hourglass figure...
Seriously Shocked Katey x
"Put some lipstick on - Perfume your neck and slip your high heels on
Rinse and curl your hair - Loosen your hips, and get a dress to wear" Stefani Germanotta
Message too short. What I tried to say is
OUCH!!!
"We don't see things as they are; we see things as we are." Anais Nin
I concur with Stephanie. Empire waist dresses do a lot for a barrel chest. I too am a senior and very much aware of brittle bones. Wearing a corset is out of the question.
I'm 70+. Nothing can help shape u like a real, waist reducing corset. Even really big girls can create a waist with one.
I still tite lace my steel boned corsets. In fact, that's the only way I wear them. You're NOT going to break your rib bones with a corset. I have protruding lower ribs. When I want a dramatic fem waist, I must wear a corset. Do my ribs get sore? Yes. But, hi heels make my feet sore, too. Looking good is going to cost u. Just as it does for real females. If u aren't willing to pay? Don't play. To me, it's worth it.
90840.jpg
U can't keep doing the same things over and over and expect to enjoy life to the max. When u try new things, even if they r out of your comfort zone, u may experience new excitement and growth that u never expected.
Challenge yourself and pursue your passions! When your life clock runs out, you'll have few or NO REGRETS!
The lower ribs are not 'true ribs' in that they do not attach directly to the sternum. Instead, they all share a common cartilage attachment which is rather bendy (try to imagine breathing if your Paleolithic rib cage was in danger of snapping so easily.)
I don't know you can make that area much smaller. Sure, a little room for movement in the cartilage, but mostly the frame is the frame. You would have to try to create the illusion by balancing out in other areas. I have very broad shoulders and a wide chest, but no real belly so I can slim that area down with a corset. I then try to balance out the hips with padding and just selecting the right outfits (still learning for sure) to make it all look balanced. Does the lower rib area flare out compared to the upper, giving kind of a diamond shape to your torso?
Hi Ms Val,
I would try to as Viki suggested to balance out your figure with hip padding and clothing choice. Sometimes we have to accept our limitations and just work with them instead of against them. Remember, women come in all shapes and sizes.
Hugs
Isha
I know the pics that your taking about, and those seem to be from wearing a corset 15-18 hours a day for the entirety of your life. I think for a few hours here or there you probably will ok medically. But ohm not a doctor
Katy you most definitely get right to the point with the rib cutter ouch
those will definitely leave a mark
hugs phylis anne
A strong restricting corset worn over a long period will let the ribs form a new shape.
Too much and you may break the rib ir at least do yourself serious injury.
Just takes a long time.... Two years will see a marked difference.
Work on your elegance,
and beauty will follow.
Thanks gals for the things to consider.
I have never actually broken any ribs (poor RachelRICD Anyone have a couple of spare ribs?) I've cracked a couple and even that is painful. At this point in life I've become a bit risk-averse. Binding does not seem to be a good option.
The rib cutters actually sound like a better option than risk the potential to break something at some arbitrary time and place. - NO, I'm not considering that either.
That leaves four options:
Clothing that hides the ribs - I was not planning to wear a bikini anyhow.
Padding that reduces their relative size - I lost my natural organic belly padding.
Exercise to develop the abdominal muscles - EXERCISE - as in SWEAT? - You're kidding, right?
Do nothing. - I never got around to sending in my Procrastinators Club membership.
I have some pondering to do...
Best wishes
MsVal
Actually Katey's rib removal tool is not too far off the mark. Rib removal has and is used. http://www.plasticsurgeryportal.com/...-reduction/291
Rather than make the rib cage smaller why not try the following:
Wear a Waist Cincher to tightly hold your belly in place.
Get a Dolly Parton style boo job.
While recovering from your Watermelon implants, eat 3 Dozen Krispy Kreme Donuts per day and let the weight go straight to your hips.
You won't have actually slimmed anything down but in relation to your new boobs and hips your waist and lower rib cage will be much smaller.
Yummier and less painful than Rib Cutters
I wear a corset myself, but it's a wicked pain in the butt!!! I try to pre-adjust it.... but it's never quite right!?!?!? I need someone to cinch it up for me to get the perfect fit!!!
"Life is Always a Bed of Roses........ Sometimes it's All Flowers, and Other Times, It's All Thorns!!!!"
Luv, Jessica XOXO
The above link has some interesting reading, regarding waist reduction and options.
Dana Ryan
Sorry Jessica but I just have to say it.
If your corset is a pain in the butt then your wearing it too low lol
as long as you go gently and gradually find you way with it, at 65 there may still may be plenty of flex in the rib cage. A long-line under bust would be the go. It helps if you have some flexibility in the shoulders to adjust the cords at the back. Failing that, a couple of layers of firm shape wear might get you closer to where you want to be.
Basically there is give in the ribcage at the joints where it comes off the spine and cartilage where it meets the rib cage in front apart from the bottom two libs that "float". Ribs are bony at the back and become cartilage at the front, this cartilage becomes bone as you get old. 65 is not so old ; )
A good way to assess how mobile your lower rib cage is is to wrap a not-too-stretchy bit of material around that area, then breath out trying to pull the lower ribs towards the midline as you do, use the material to help, then breathe in against the resistance of the material and breath out again, squeezing a little tighter. With some practice you can lose the material and just use your muscles to help mobilise those ribs (the ab workout is a bonus) You will quickly (a couple of weeks) get a sense of how much mobility you have to work with. If you find things quite mobile you might find the corset thing as delectable as i do, don't die wondering.
You might want to go extra easy if you have any cardiovascular issues.
I'll second Viki's suggestions. A little hip & butt padding plus a snug, but not overly tight, corset will go a long way toward giving you the "right" proportions & a lovely figure.
As an occasional corseter, I can tell you that you don't have to worry about breaking ribs with a corset. Just take it slow & only cinch to what's comfortable for you. Listen to your body. If you develop lasting redness, pain, sores, or blisters you're going too far, take a break to heal then go back to lacing, just not as tight. You'll be amazed at the curves you can get, even with a barrel chest & only lacing a few hours a week.
If you consider coresting but don't know where to start, I'll suggest OrchardCorset.com. They give the top, waist, bottom, & length measurements, not just a single waist size, so you can get a good idea of how it will truly fit. Their prices are also very nice & they have excellent customer service, including suggesting models & sizes to fit your particular measurements. (Disclaimer: I have no connection to them other than being a satisfied repeat customer.)
Last edited by SometimesJen; 03-02-2015 at 12:54 PM. Reason: add corset info
Posting Permissions
