This CNN article about Ardyss International is a good chuckle.

There is advice sprinkled about the web on the best way to travel with a corset. But, for some reason I can never find exactly what I’m looking for, which are real, descriptive anecdotes from people experienced in wearing corsets (and in traveling) about how they handle security.

Take off your shoes, your belt, and any non-standard undergarments

There’s some useful advice in the Corset College Forum from Annalai about her experiences in traveling. But, I’m guessing the experience would be somewhat different (1) for men who travel and (2) in the United States. About the latter I’m just guessing; I have a hunch, though, that U.S. attitudestowards and reactions to male corsetry are less accepting (and potentially more hostile) than attidues in certain parts of Europe.

Sir, do you have metal anywhere on your body?

So, given that I won’t be strolling through the security line in a major U.S. airport trussed up in a corset, what are my options? I could certainly put a corset in checked luggage. In general, though, I hate checking bags and avoid it at all costs (not only do I find the wait annoying, but there’s always the risk of a lost bag). My next option would be to stick it in some carry-on luggage. Here is where I’m wondering what would happen going through security. If a garment with a bunch of metal strips goes through the X-ray machine, wouldn’t that flag the screener?

A number of years ago my wife ran a corset through as a carry-on garment without problem. But, her corset is a Dark Garden ready-to-wear that doesn’t have the slab of metal underbusk that Wasp Creations includes in custom corsets (which is, by the way, one of the design features that makes it so comfortable). If I were to throw a Wasp Creations corset through airport security, with the thick metal underbusk, would it clear security? Would it cause a big delay?