help needed :)

[misspeterson]

I really need some help about a dress!!! I know there's someone out there who can give me some great tips because I'm really in the dark about this! I am saving up for a dress to attend events and I need some tips! Two issues arise:

Money- I've got student loans beyond what is reasonable and two jobs at restaurants so money is tight! Ideally I'd like to have a daywear dress and an evening dress but I'm not sure how reasonable that is for me. Are there cheats? Perhaps a simply elegant day dress and a fancier overdress or something to take it to evening?. I really know nothing about historical accuracy in dress!

size: I am an odd size. The empire waist is about the least flattering thing on me that I can imagine but I've got to suck it up because I loooove Regency. I am generally a dress size 18-22 and wear a 42DD so I'm pretty big on top. I'm also sort of apple-shaped with shaplier legs and a small back side. It's important to me to find a dress that drapes well and looks nice. I would, of course, get a corset/stays whatever but I'm also worried about the actual dress. I have had a few dresses made and I have noticed that sometimes, larger sizes aren't scaled very well and look strange.

So, to sum up, I want something that looks really nice and makes me feel beautiful and classy and I'd like to know how much I need to pay to get that. I am really not great at sewing so I'll have to find, at least, help or, at most, just pay someone to do it.

PS: What do I do about shoes?! Are hats necessary? What do I do with my shoulder-length hair!? Ohhh I am clueless!

[cosmoblue]

Hi and welcome!

Aug 27, 2009 2:05:09 GMT -5 misspeterson said:

Money- I've got student loans beyond what is reasonable and two jobs at restaurants so money is tight! Ideally I'd like to have a daywear dress and an evening dress but I'm not sure how reasonable that is for me. Are there cheats? Perhaps a simply elegant day dress and a fancier overdress or something to take it to evening?. I really know nothing about historical accuracy in dress!

First of all I totally understand about money being tight. Since you are new to sewing it might be easier to buy a commercial pattern and make sure to do a mock up so that it fits you properly. You will waste less money that way. If you are starting out with only one gown a good option is a sheer white cotton gown. I am of course biased because I just love a white gown, but a sheer white cotton is your LWD(Regency equivalent of an LBD=Little Black Dress) You can dress it up for a ball by sewing or having made an open robe in a taffeta or satin or velvet. You can also wear a colored silk or cotton petticoat underneath to change it up. A white gown can be trimmed and re-trimmed until you have the time and money to make an entirely new gown or until it wears out. Also topping a gown with a spencer or pelisse can change the look a lot.

Aug 27, 2009 2:05:09 GMT -5 misspeterson said:

size: I am an odd size. The empire waist is about the least flattering thing on me that I can imagine but I've got to suck it up because I loooove Regency. I am generally a dress size 18-22 and wear a 42DD so I'm pretty big on top. I'm also sort of apple-shaped with shaplier legs and a small back side. It's important to me to find a dress that drapes well and looks nice. I would, of course, get a corset/stays whatever but I'm also worried about the actual dress. I have had a few dresses made and I have noticed that sometimes, larger sizes aren't scaled very well and look strange.

There are very few people who are not an" odd size" The stays that you choose will make a huge difference in the fit of your gown for sure. I would almost say that the majority of costumers that post here are pretty busty. I am a 32DD. I always think that anyone over a C cup looks best in long stays as opposed to short but I know that others here may disagree with me. A regency dress should always drape well as long as you use the right fabric. If the dress looked strange then the seamstress probably should have done a fitting since patterns are "standard" and bodies are not. Commercial patterns assume that you are evenly proportioned with lots of people aren't. Regency gowns do tend to have more leeway though because of their frequently extremely adjustable designs.

Aug 27, 2009 2:05:09 GMT -5 misspeterson said:

So, to sum up, I want something that looks really nice and makes me feel beautiful and classy and I'd like to know how much I need to pay to get that. I am really not great at sewing so I'll have to find, at least, help or, at most, just pay someone to do it.

You should not have any problem creating what you want or finding someone to do that for you. Because you are in the ORS area there is probably someone from the forum or the ORS who may be able to meet with you to help you out.

Aug 27, 2009 2:05:09 GMT -5 misspeterson said:

PS: What do I do about shoes?! Are hats necessary? What do I do with my shoulder-length hair!? Ohhh I am clueless!

If you are looking for shoes there are plently of ballet flats that would be suitable for the period at least to attend ORS events I don't know if it more strict for reenactors. Hats are not nescssary to attend events but it would have been expected if you were out of doors in the day time. If you are married you would wear a cap at home and out in the day probably under your bonnet. Shoulder length hair is perfect for creating updos like in the Jane Austen Movies except do not copy the hair in the recent Mansfield Park. Billie Piper's hair was horrible in that and in the P&P with Keira Knightly it was not really good either. Anyway I encourage you too look around the costumes forum and get some ideas on what you would like and ask tons of questions. I love "talking" about regency clothes.