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Post by Mme de Beaufort on Dec 19, 2007 17:23:55 GMT -5
What's your preference? What's really accurate for the back (or front) of a gown?
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Post by cosmoblue on Dec 19, 2007 18:07:58 GMT -5
Well, I am a newbie, but I have seen them all, alone and in combination in books and pictures. I am sure that it depends on the year and style gown that you are looking for. A lot of back closures have drawstrings, or buttons. Most of the front closures that I like are the bib fronts with buttons or pins or the cross overs with the ties at the waist. I think that in general drawstrings were earlier and buttons later.
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Post by dawnluckham on Dec 20, 2007 10:27:55 GMT -5
Cosmo's got it right. All were used. I think drawstring ties are very common for the early period and continue to be very common for back closing ball gowns throughout the period.
I close my bib front gowns with straight pins. I like the flexibility of the pins; I can tighten and loosen as I wish. This was a very common closure and I've never yet hurt myself with a pin. I might be more cautious if I had a small child or baby to carry or pick up. I might add button loops and buttons to my bib front gowns in that situation. I don't know that I'd agree with buttons being a later thing. They were used throughout.
Hooks were certainly there, but you don’t find them in extent garments as often as you find the other types of closures. Flipping through “Costume in Detail” by Nancy Bradfield shows several uses of hooks.
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Where so many hours have been spent in convincing myself that I am right, is there not some reason to fear I may be wrong? ~ Jane Austen 
