madamemodiste

Yes, it helps :D Thank you!

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I love my gathered bodice white regency dress, because it goes with everything. I also tried both of those patterns you have, and I found that the gathered one stayed on my shoulders better. The neckline of the simplicity pattern is really wide and falls down my slopey shoulders. If you're worried about the gathers being too much, I would make the front bodice piece shorter and attach it to the straight front skirt from the other pattern. Just make sure you still have enough ease to get the skirt opening over your head and shoulders!

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Ah, I have slopey shoulders, too. That is certainly a consideration. So make the Simplicity bodice shorter horizontally?<-> And by the "straight front skirt", do you mean the non-gathered shaped skirt from the Simplicity pattern? I wondered about the authenticity of that shape and wondered if Simplicity took artistic license! Tell me about it.

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Now that you've given me the invitation to blab on about these patterns, I'm going to give you an earful! First, so that we're clear, I'm going to call the Elegant Ladies Closet pattern the ELC, and the Simplicity Regency Gown one the SRG.

1) What I meant by shorten the bodice was indeed, to make it shorter horizontally, but on the ELC one, not the SRG. When you look at the pattern pieces, you'll see that the part that goes over the bust is very wide horizontally. If you want less gathers, just take some of that width out.

2) The part you may find unattractive about the ELC is the gathers BELOW the bust, over the tummy. That's what can lead to the preggers look (though if you have long stays, this isn't as much of an issue). These gathers are formed because both the lower part of the bodice and the upper part of the skirt are pulled in on one drawstring. One way to avoid this is to gather (by sewing, not by drawstring) the bodice to a narrower skirt that is ungathered, and omit this drawstring entirely.

3) The other option would be to do an apron front modification of the ELC. Like I did here, using the Period Impressions pattern: http://quincy134.livejournal.com/23708.html. Then you can put a narrow skirt on the waistband. For this skirt, you don't need a pattern. Just cut a rectangle that's a bit wider than the apron waistband. When you gather the rectangle to the waistband, place the gathers only along the ends, not in the center, so they won't billow out in the tummy region.

3) As for the authenticity of the SRG, it's not that authentic. The front skirt piece sort of gores outwards, which is less common. Also the gathering of the bodice into two small areas under the bust is a little wierd. The ELC is more authentic.

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my-stitching.livejournal.com

Have you tried the La Mode Bagatelle ones? I think that they give a much prettier line than some of the others. And they also have a crossover bodice which I think is really really pretty.

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I've always wanted to see that pattern! But I've heard the smallest sizes are screwy, so I haven't been willing to shell out the dough.

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my-stitching.livejournal.com

I love it. I found it a while back but didn't use it until earlier this year. It's great! But I heard that it is now out of print. Not sure if that is true or not.

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Good to hear it worked for you! I'll keep an eye out for it.

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The smallest sizes are absolutely huge. I think I had to cut it practically in half. I wasn't on LJ when I used it, but according to my review at GBACG, they use retail sizes, so it starts at a retail size 6. I'm a retail 0. That was frustrating, to say the least. Especially for such an expensive pattern.

They didn't publish the measurements on their site. I no longer have the pattern, so can't share the measurements. I only remember being very depressed when getting it!

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That's what I've heard. I'm a size 2-4 usually, so it's probably a no go. Sadness.

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"gather (by sewing, not by drawstring) the bodice to a narrower skirt that is ungathered, and omit this drawstring entirely. "

OK! I assume it remains a basic rectangle. Any tips on figuring out the new skirt dimensions so it does not end up gathered? Just measure across the front under the bust to mid-way under the arm?

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Hey Kat--What I would recommend is to just use the front skirt piece from the SRG. But be sure to check one thing: the ELC slips on over the head, so you need to make sure you can get your shoulders through the top of the skirt. Then omit that whole lower drawstring.

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So the shaped skirt front is authentic for the flater front look? I see lots of ladies at events that appear to be in Regency gowns without gathered skirt fronts (or barely gathered), but I feared using the wrong method of achieving that look :) I already have one not-very-authentic Regency gown and didn't want to make the mistake of doing that again - lol!

I wish I "got" the apron front method, but I know it's beyond my technical skills at this point.

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Hey Kat--The shaped skirt is less common, but you can find them in a few examples. Another trick is to use straight rectangle panels, but do all the gathers from the sides (starting under your arms) to the back and none at the front. That is also authentic. If you do this you should concentrate most of the gathers in the back, but some along the sides.

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And just another tip with this style, you can also cut a little dip in the center front which helps it sit better. Just a crescent an inch or so deep works wonders!

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The shaped skirt is mostly a later skirt. It starts showing up a lot on the 1810s. Hunnisett does have a shaped skirt pattern as early as 1800 though, and hers are taken from originals. Earlier though, it's just a mild slope at the sides. They don't really get a lot of shaping until the skirts that you can actually see the back thrust in, for lack of a better term. They're very pretty, I think!

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my-stitching.livejournal.com

I personally don't like the drawstring ones. To me they look more "pregnant." If you pull the fullness of the bodice front into a fan in the middle or two smaller fans over the boob, it is VERY flattering. Or you could do it all flat as you are doing an overgown. For the skirt, I would highly recommend an angled skirt rather than just flat square panels. Then don't do any pleating gathering until you get to the side back. That is very flattering too.

For an undergarment, I would highly recommend not doing a corset. A bodiced petticoat is an easy undergarment and basically just provides a "shelf" for the girls. It puts them in the proper position for the right look and it is super comfortable.

Please let me know if you want some tips on putting something together. :) I think I have construction photos for my bodiced petticoat to show you how it goes together.

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Thanks so much! I made a bodiced petticoat a few years ago. May not be perfect, but it'll do. I also made the S&S half stays, so I have that, too.

I'll go poke around your blog!!

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valleyviolet.livejournal.com

I love the skirt on the Simplicity gown. Even though I hate the top I've grafted the skirt on to several other tops for my Regency gowns because it has such beautiful flow to it. :)

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To me, the Simplicity evening version--and the original it's based off--is very costumey. I've seen it done well--and you're certainly capable of that--but it needs work. The biggest issues for me are the neckline and sleeves. You want straight sleeves though, so that's not an issue (and probably because you have a good eye!). Once you look at a lot of Regency dresses, you just don't see that particular modern looking puff.

The neckline just feels clunky and is too high. If you choose that pattern, be aware that you'll need to cut it down!

I think it's a good starting point, but is just too much of a modern interpretation!

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