Démodé

historical costume projects & resources

Fixing the Fit

It’s taken me a while to pick this back up again, even when I knew I only had to do a relatively easy fix.  Lethargy and CADD are to blame!  If you’ll recall, I’d put the basic dress together and all the lacing holes, and had Scary Mooshy Boob.  I let out the CF lacing as far as necessary to achieve Relatively Normal Boob, then put a piece of paper over me and traced the opening shape.  Then I cut that in half, and made a pattern for a small gusset to go in the side seam.  I put that in and it seems to have MOSTLY dealt with the problem, so since this dress is all about being good enough for government work, that’s done!  I am getting some horizontal wrinkles around my waist, particularly in back, but I’ve decided I’m just going to live with that.  I’ve got one front gusset that’s pulling — I did resew it, trying to create a bit more seam allowance, but it’s pulled again.  Harumph.  I will have to rip out the top of that gusset and try some fray block or something!

I also took some scary flash photos of the full length of the dress, just so you could see the skirt.

6 thoughts on “Fixing the Fit

  1. BAH. I have the same problem with the GFD (godd*mn f*cking dress) folding over on the waist and wrinkling like a mofo on the torso. In addition to the monoboob issue which I can never seem to fix and still be supportive.

    It’s a pretty style, but I’ll be happy if I never have to make anything pre-1450.

  2. I have wrinkles too. And huge mono-bosom especially when looked at in profile.

    But, I have found an illustration in period with huge mono-bosom AND illustrations with wrinkles right beneath bust and around waist too.

    So, its authentic.

    Looking great though. And its a gorgeous fabric.

  3. Takes having boobs to have a monoboob, so I guess that’s one advantage to a small cup. 😉

    But I get weird wrinkling too. Especially at my lower back.

  4. I say, “more than good enough!” I think the dress looks lovely on you, I think the bosom area looks great, and I think the wrinkles are not noticible in the least bit. Nice job all around!

  5. Thanks everyone! I can’t IMAGINE not having monobosom in this style of dress, given the fitting methods that are the current theory. Maybe if I had an A cup? (ha)

  6. While I see what you’re talking about, it looks completely beautiful and should be enjoyed for the lovely thing it is!

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