Et·som·ni·a (/etˈsämnēə/), noun, 1. a sleep disorder caused by obsessive Etsy browsing. 2. The surprising arrival of weird handmade merchandise ordered when one is only half conscious. (True story.) 3. An excuse for me to be an obnoxious, snarky New Yorker once per week.

While I was looking for last week’s cut up clothing, the brainy bustier above popped up on one of my searches, and I couldn’t get it out of my head. So I decided if I couldn’t beat ’em, I’d join ’em. It’s corset and bustier week!

The word corset is defined as “a woman’s tightly fitting undergarment extending from below the chest to the hips, worn to shape the figure,” but as usual, Etsy sellers defy definition. There were items with extra support and those with no support at all. I found pieces that were meant to dramatically change the wearer’s shape and some that were  purely decorative. I found plenty of novelty items , bustiers, and corset-based items for unexpected parts of the body. Happily, I’ve always been a really big fan of bustiers and corsets and corselettes, so I found quite a bit to love!

For more Etsy fun, check out all my weekly Etsomnia™ posts!