Requesting a New Wrist Corsage Base

Status
Not open for further replies.
bloomery

bloomery

Active Member
Feb 16, 2006
242
155
43
Butler
www.bloomery.com
State / Prov
PA
OK -- I have just spent the last several hours, on a Sunday nonetheless, gluing silk leaves to the little metal clip on wristlets to make the base. From here we will glue on our ribbons, flowers, etc.... Here is my request -- Can someone (attn Smithers Oasis) please make wrist corsage bands with a leaf base already on there? With so many florists gluing instead of wiring and taping, certainly there is a big market here. I don't need or want ribbon, tulle, lace - nothing like that. Just a single layer bed of silk green leaves(we use four rose leaves - 2 medium to large and 2 small), so that we can then build our corsages from there?

Glad I got that out -- it has been a long morning!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pandalou, master J, Connie and 9 others
I hated glueing those things on as well! & yes.. everyone please tell me if you think I am crazy - But I have stoped using leaves all together.

I purchased actual braclets from Sam Moon @ $4 each - The bracelets that I chose have little circles in a flower shape. I run the ribbon - #9 shear works best - in and out of the holes to create a cool "trendy" look - I then glue my flowers to that - My corsage order for this year went from a $30 average last year up to $50 average... The girls love the silver bracelet and the look is very hip and chic. I also purchased jeweled "hair clips" that I am gluing into the flowers (package of 12 for $8) and I am chargeing $3.50 each.. selling like hot cakes..

I haven't figured out how to post a pic here... but I will put one (cell phone one) on my page.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Carol Bice, bloomery and twiggy
I'm so nuts, that I glue the never wilt leaves to the bands of the velcro wristlettes. I asked Chuck Johnson from Smithers, years and years ago to have them create a nice band on the velcro bands. Gave him one for a prototype. No go. I have found that fabric glue works best on the bands.
I used to sew them on.........
 
  • Like
Reactions: Connie, bloomery and CHR
Funny, I have been thinking, I could take time during a slow period and get some inexpensive but decent quality faux greenery and do this ahead so the forms are there.

But yeah I'd be up for a purchase if there was something out there already made, for sure.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bloomery
We never use bracelets or bases. We make them in the same way as a traditional wired corsage with a length of satin ribbon wired into the design.

The wearer places the corsage on the wrist, takes the ribbon underneath then back on top and ties in a bow behind the return and over the stem...... one size fits all and they're really comfortable to wear
wrist corsage.jpg.
 
  • Like
Reactions: cherrie, makescents, Biscotti and 3 others
Treen, Your corsage idea is great. You did lose me at 'behind the return and over the stem'. What is the return?

Do you have a photo of one on the wrist? Do you glue any of this or is it all wired? No reason you couldn't glue to a felt base and still make the same way.

Could be a great cost savings. A nice alternative to offer the kids that don't want to spend $30 on a corsage. jenny
 
To Heather and OBX...

I've seen the ones that have the ribbon attached -- that's the problem. I don't need the ribbon on them - prom girls, mothers of the bride,etc all want custom ribbons to match their dresses or the wedding or whatever. Which I totally understand. Thus, the pre-prepped ones are actually TOO prepped. We just need the greens already pre-glued. Thanks for the suggestions, though!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: ivygreen and Connie
We don't use a wristlet either. I'll try to put a photo on soon. I just make the bow and tie it with a long piece of ribbon that is then tied around the wrist in a bow. We only use a couple leaves if any!
 
During our slow times I fix corsages for proms, I take a piece of tule that has irridescent tule with irridescent leaves, and add rinestones in the corsage. I make a form and place 5 sets of leaves and a 3 rinestone and I adjust them and tape them off as though the form was set for corsages to design. It works great for us. All we have to do is glue to corsages and make the bows.
 
I will try to make a picture of the corsage, not so sure if I can because of the Holiday. I will try, If not it will be next week, but I will post a picture.
 
JCT said:
Treen, Your corsage idea is great. You did lose me at 'behind the return and over the stem'. What is the return?

Do you have a photo of one on the wrist? Do you glue any of this or is it all wired? No reason you couldn't glue to a felt base and still make the same way.

Could be a great cost savings. A nice alternative to offer the kids that don't want to spend $30 on a corsage. jenny
Click to expand...

I'll need to take some new pics.

The whole thing is wired exactly like a traditional corsage (we just make them a little rounder). The return is the wired foliage that is "bent" away from the design to camouflage the taped stem. Because the ribbon tie is wired into the design you can secure it to the wrist tautly without risk of a mechanical failure i.e. the flowers or ribbon coming away from the design.

The ties are passed under the wrist then back on top and tied in a neat bow below the foliage return.

Doing them this way reduces "bulk" and gives you the option to construct with just a single bloom and some foliage cover if necessary.

I'll take you some step through and finished pics.

Prom wristlets, or wrist corsages as we call them here, have only become popular in the UK over the past few years and like your kids we try to offer them something within a tight budget. There are some beautiful pearl and diamonte elasticated bracelets available commercially here but it bumps the price up so that the boys (or their mothers) can't afford them. I also find constructing the designs on the bracelets makes them more difficult to fit and wear comfortably.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JCT
HeatherTuckey said:
Corsage Concepts makes them:
http://www.corsageconcepts.com/customWristlets.php

$3.65 and $5.65. I can't justify the price. Would prefer a slap wristlet with the leaves as a base.
Click to expand...

These wristlets from Cosage Concepts are really great. The pearl or crystal bracelets are quite dainty, and they out sell any others that we have although they are more pricey. We buy the ones without ribbon because all of our ribbons are custom choices.

(I have never seen the ones which are seen when you click on that link given by Heather. We use the single crystal and single pearl fashon wristlets.)

I'm seriously considering using only Fitz, Corsage Concepts, and slap wristlets next year. I'm tired of the velcro bands. The economy will probably be the determining factor in this decision.
 
Connie said:
I'm seriously considering using only Fitz, Corsage Concepts, and slap wristlets next year. I'm tired of the velcro bands. The economy will probably be the determining factor in this decision.
Click to expand...


Same here, our big prom was this past weekend. We had HUGE HUGE resistance on price this year! Several cancels because even the basic $18 wrist was too much.

So bottom line: do I want to offer a more modest corsage or lose the biz and/or gain the rep of being too expensive. (which one of the cancels baldly told us)

I know it's a labor thing. time=time

We used the bow long tails base for our wee lassies attending father/daughter dances and they loved them. Would they work for adults or would they be too floppy? Any one have any experience?
 
Connie said:
These wristlets from Corsage Concepts are really great. The pearl or crystal bracelets are quite dainty, and they out sell any others that we have although they are more pricey. We buy the ones without ribbon because all of our ribbons are custom choices.

(I have never seen the ones which are seen when you click on that link given by Heather. We use the single crystal and single pearl fashon wristlets.)

I'm seriously considering using only Fitz, Corsage Concepts, and slap wristlets next year. I'm tired of the velcro bands. The economy will probably be the determining factor in this decision.
Click to expand...

I don't buy the elastic wristlets from corsage concepts either. The crystal sell VERY well. We buy them with the bow in silver/white and iridescent white only. We tell them they come in that way and we can add another bow into it, which we do quite a bit, but usually they just choose the color scheme and we leave the bow on there and compliment the dress color to the flowers. It's much quicker when the bow is on it already. We also sell the pearl, sassy (sequins), tango and koko. They are all on display and we reorder and change up stock as needed. They sell better than the Fitz, maybe b/c they're displayed with the bow and the Ftiz are not. Not sure why.

We don't have too much request for added bling, most just like the simplicity of the single crystal wristlet, and the designers like that it's half done at the start.

Do not waste your money on the imitation crystal ones that they offer. They look plastic and fake.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom
Back