1870s Bustle Gown

April 17, 2004

Well, I'm finally getting this journal up! I actually started on this gown back in December or January sometime. I got busy and lost interest in it and never did get around to putting up a journal for it until now! I'll probably work on this dress off and on, so don't expect me to finish it anytime soon. I found out I had time to work on it today and I actually felt like working on it again. You see, many times I need inspiration to work on a dress. Especially when I don't need the dress anytime soon.

Several months ago I made the undergarments. I just now took pictures so you can see what they look like. They were pretty easy to make, actually. The bustle took me about a day to make and I was happy to have all the materials I needed right with me. I hate it when I have time to work on something and a lot of inspiration and find out I need to order something before I start on it. I decided an 1860s corset wouldn't be that much different from an 1870s corset, to I'm just using the one I have. I'll probably have to make a new chemise because the one I have now is off the shoulders. It might not be a big deal since you really won't see it. But, I may make a different one if it seems like it's a bother once I've made the dress.

Today I also got to work more on the fit of my toile. I had started it several months ago, but I still wasn't pleased with the fit when I stopped working on it. It didn't take much, but I made some changes on the old toile and cut a new one. Fits perfectly now! I tried taking pictures of myself wearing it, but that was not easy. I also took some on my dress form, although the fronts won't meet all the way down. It will spread apart sort of like an upside down V when I wear it. You can see what I mean in the picture I tried to take of myself wearing it. For some reason it didn't come together when I wore it, but when it was on the dress form, it did. Actually, I had wanted it to not come together all the way so that it had the look of one of Gwendolen's gowns. But, the pattern I was using actually have it so the fronts meet all the way down. Anyway, this is all very confusing, but all that really matters is it fits now and I'm happy! Next is the task of figuring out what kind of sleeves I want and drafting a pattern for it. Here are some pictures of the toile I made today: