Having some fitting issues...

[threadlette]

Hey guys, so I finished 80% of the construction of my first regency stays and I am quite pleased with the fit except for the bust (as usual). The pattern is kind of a mish mosh of drafted by me and one I found online and it fits well through the hips and waist.

I have some theories of what went wrong but I am not quite sure so I would love some input. I would would be great if I didn't have to totally remake it since I spent a fair amount of time cording and putting in the gussets I would not like to repeat but if I do I suppose I do. So anyways, any ideas/suggestions?

Pictures: www.flickr.com/photos/29830796@N08/sets/72157619714464948/

Thanks a million!

Ariel

PS. it looks like the link is being wonky and it goes on beyond the @ sign so just copy and paste, sorry

[dawnluckham]

You know what Ariel? These don’t look so bad! In fact, they have a look of an extent pair of stays I’ve seen. You’ve done lots of hard work and I can see why you don’t want to start over again. You’ve achieved a VERY period correct silhouette!

The only real ‘thing' I see in the front facing image is that the cups seem to droop to the outside. The busk holds things up nicely in the centre but there’s nothing at the sides to keep things up.

I’ve found cording won’t ‘do it all’ for full busted ladies. And the best solution is a combination of cording and boning. (This was true during the Regency period as well.) And there are extent examples with whalebone in them.

Do you have boning running up the sides of your stays? I can’t see anything to indicate that you do. If it were me, I would add one or two channels of boning running from the bottom of the stays, straight up towards the outside edge of your bust. This won’t be alongside the gusset, but where your bust actually sits. I don’t know if you’ll want a bone running directly under your arm as well. In the side view you’ve got your arm down and I can’t tell.

Once you have the bones in along the sides, you may discover that the gussets are too large. You might want to experiment by pinching the fullness out of the inside edge of the gusset closest to the busk.

If this improves things, you have two options: One is to just alter the inside gusset so it will be smaller than the outside gusset; or you can take both gussets out and redistribute the amount you’ve pinched out over both gussets and replace all 4 gussets so they will all be the same size again. (I think I’d do the first option, myself and go with two large and two small gussets).

And the very last suggestion might be this: Although you’ve got the straps attached to the front in a very correct position – this is one of those “making it work” solutions: Use the straps to help a bit with holding the outside edge of the bust up: Move the pinned strap just a smidge toward your centre and see what difference that might make.

[cosmoblue]

Wow that is pretty amazing work you have going on there. I have not yet had the opportunity to try cording.

[threadlette]

Thank you soo much. Yes without a doubt I am planning on moving the straps more to the center of the cup and also cutting them down so they aren't so thick. You're right there isn't a any boning in the side seam so I will without a doubt add some there. Would you recommend putting it outside the two cording channels that are already there or taking out the cording so that the boning is closer to the seam?

One other idea I had was cutting out the front panel again and then moving the gussets farther towards the busk, would that help?

As far as cording goes it's so much easier than it looks. I just got some cotton string from home depot and you sew 1/8 of an inch channels then take a tapestry needle (Metal not plastic, I kinda sorta broke one doing this hehe.) and thread it through also if it's closed on both sides of the channel just poke the needle in through the lining and pull the cording in. Just cut the cording a bit short when your done and the hole should close itself.

~Ariel

[cosmoblue]

If you are going to re-cut the front you may want to shorten the gussets a little bit. The longishness of them gives me an 1820s-ish feeling, though in this are Dawn has done more research than I have of the various kinds and getting to see them up close and everything. I think that moving the gussets closer to the CF would help with the side spillage which I would think would help with the droop. At least a modern bra with the cups closer together improves my perkiness.

[dawnluckham]

Before you recut the front and move the slash for the gusset closer to the busk, wait until you get the additional boning in and have the opportunity to pinch out those centre front gussets. I think you’ll achieve somewhat the same result by taking the excess out from centre front as you would by cutting the slash for the gussets closer to centre front.

The other thing to keep in mind, that although this looks different to our modern eyes, this “breasts more separated and slightly to side” look is repeated over and over again in period art work and in fashion plates. I wasn’t kidding when I said you’ve achieved a VERY correct silhouette.

Cosmo, has a point about the depth of the gussets, but you’re really full breasted and I’d be reluctant to shorten them very much. You’ve got them fitted very well and you’re raised quite high. Shortening by the tiniest bit – maybe – but it’s looking pretty darned good. I usually stop the upper edge of my corsets right at bust point. I think when you get the boning in there and then pinch out excess, you’re going to find that the neckline is a tiny bit high. Trimming that neckline to bust point will also “shorten the gussets” in sort of an opposite way.

As far as boning goes, I’d just leave the cording and add the boning. Work it into the design pattern someway, if it pleases you.

[threadlette]

Yeah I think moving them closer to the center may be my best option, I really don't want to change the pattern besides moving the gussets closer together. My main problem I end up with making the gussets shorter is there simply isn't enough room for my whole breast to sit in them. They just kind of fall out haha.

Actually I dont really mind remaking the front because I want to insert the gussets more nicely this time..

~Ariel

[threadlette]

Whoopsies I posted that when I got back from a quick trip to starbucks and forgot to reload the page. You have a very good point. Normally we are used to a pretty natural position for the breasts (or not so natural *cough jessica simpson cough*)

~Ariel

[Anna]

I posted my advice on the TV board, but I wanted to throw in a Hi! There aren't a whole lot of us that freqent both boards. Over there I'm "bookwyrm."

[dawnluckham]

Hmmm.. And I’m Acacia at the TV and the Sense and Sensibility sites.

One thing you asked about on the Truly Victorian board was about a drawstring in the top binding (at neckline edge). I almost always add a drawstring running from side front (depends on the individual corset where that is. Sometimes it's all the way to the underarm seam) to centre front inside. It's not so much to gather up the top as it is to add a slight drawing in of the upper edge of the stays. This prevents the 'spill' that was discussed.

Just to add to the images Anna has already posted at TV: Here are a few more to prove you really have done an excellent job of getting the "look":

Cropped ‘detail’ images from two John Lewis Krimmel paintings:





Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres:

Madame Leblanc
www.bestpriceart.com/popup/?imagename=abc_ingres27.JPG

Madeleine Chapelle Ingres
www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2006/03/23/arts/24ingr_ready.html

Madame Aymon la Belle Zelie
www.rouen-musees.com/medias/musee/115-1870_1_ingres-moy.jpg

B. Van der Kooi ...Hmm. Meant to show the one of mother and son with the letter.

tinyurl.com/lr9d4x


And just a few fashion plates :

[Mme de Beaufort]

Goodness, Threadlette! I'm green with envy, that corset is STUNNING.. and that's exactly what I need for my girls--you should make a pattern of that! You're so cute! Your silhouette is stunning! Dawn's right, you could be plucked from the pictures, and turned into an undergarment fashion plate.

Adorable. I can't wait to see it finished and with a gown over it. Squee!

[threadlette]

*blushes* Wow, I think my tongue even blushed if thats possible xD. Thank you. And hello to you Anna and Dawn. I figured I'd post it on both for luck haha and Allseeing RSA I will post pictures of the finished corset I pinky promise and there is a gown in the works haha.

~Ariel