Post by Mrs. Goblin on Jan 30, 2012 15:59:58 GMT -5
When Goblin and I started with Regency dancing a little over a decade ago, I made La Mode Bagatelle's bodiced petticoat and dress for my dancing needs. I remember at the time loving how comfortable it was. I fit their DD in my size so beautifully, it was as if I had been their model. It was comfortable, supportive and gave a decent silhouette. I could dance fairly bouncy energetic dances and I felt more supported than I did in my modern brassiere.
Then, young sir was born and my body shifted with pregnancy and then slowly shifted into a new shape. The demands of a small child limited our activities to more casual gatherings. We attended a couple of picnics and less formal affairs, but now that young Master Goblin is starting to enjoy dancing for its own merits, I found myself in need of a new ball gown.
Nothing fit, of course. The bodiced petticoat doesn't wash well, and my uhm... expansion in the bosom meant I didn't really fit in to my old undergarments anyway. Inspired by this board, and with Goblin's gentle prodding, I decided that there was no rush on a ball gown. I could take my time to do things well, so maybe I should start building wardrobe pieces from the skin out. Of course, we started with a shift, and because we had it washed and ready to go, we made it out of linen.
Goblin did most of the work. He enjoys sewing a whole lot more than I do. I cut (well, ripped) the big pieces and sewed a couple of long seams, but Goblin finished sewing and did all the fine handwork (turning edges, making eyelets, etc...) We used the Kannik's Korner shift pattern, sewed with cotton thread, and I wore it with an old attempt at a front laced short corset that... the most charitable thing I can say about it is that it mostly worked. (But a new corset is certainly next on the agenda.)
I remember how comfortable the bodiced petticoat felt the first time I danced in it. The linen shift, even with a bad corset over it, was about 1000x more comfortable. I was really surprised by how big a difference it made. Partly this was due to how well linen deals with sweat. But partly it was the extra volume of fabric in the skirts making it easier to walk and move. I didn't realize how constricting the skirts on the old bodiced petticoat felt until there was this other option.
I also love how much easier it is to adjust the shift's neck line under a gown, without losing coverage. And of course the practical ability to throw a shift into the wash without having to worry about boning or corset shrinking/wrinkling is a huge advantage over the old bodiced petticoat style. The short sleeves didn't feel restrictive at all, and, as you can guess, helped protect the dress.
If anyone is on the fence as to whether they want to do a more modern interpretation of a regency outfit, or a more historical one, if you're interested in comfort, I would urge you to consider a more historical combo of shift + corset, particularly if you can get linen for the shift. It's much more comfortable, both at rest, and in motion. I found it easier to put on, and easier to fit under the neckline (particularly in back) without losing coverage or feeling unsupported. Also, both in terms of time and fabric, it is easier/cheaper to remake just a corset to fit over a petticoat, than to have to create a whole new bodiced petticoat if your weight tends to fluctuate like mine does.
Hope that opinion helps someone.
-Mrs. Goblin
Then, young sir was born and my body shifted with pregnancy and then slowly shifted into a new shape. The demands of a small child limited our activities to more casual gatherings. We attended a couple of picnics and less formal affairs, but now that young Master Goblin is starting to enjoy dancing for its own merits, I found myself in need of a new ball gown.
Nothing fit, of course. The bodiced petticoat doesn't wash well, and my uhm... expansion in the bosom meant I didn't really fit in to my old undergarments anyway. Inspired by this board, and with Goblin's gentle prodding, I decided that there was no rush on a ball gown. I could take my time to do things well, so maybe I should start building wardrobe pieces from the skin out. Of course, we started with a shift, and because we had it washed and ready to go, we made it out of linen.
Goblin did most of the work. He enjoys sewing a whole lot more than I do. I cut (well, ripped) the big pieces and sewed a couple of long seams, but Goblin finished sewing and did all the fine handwork (turning edges, making eyelets, etc...) We used the Kannik's Korner shift pattern, sewed with cotton thread, and I wore it with an old attempt at a front laced short corset that... the most charitable thing I can say about it is that it mostly worked. (But a new corset is certainly next on the agenda.)
I remember how comfortable the bodiced petticoat felt the first time I danced in it. The linen shift, even with a bad corset over it, was about 1000x more comfortable. I was really surprised by how big a difference it made. Partly this was due to how well linen deals with sweat. But partly it was the extra volume of fabric in the skirts making it easier to walk and move. I didn't realize how constricting the skirts on the old bodiced petticoat felt until there was this other option.
I also love how much easier it is to adjust the shift's neck line under a gown, without losing coverage. And of course the practical ability to throw a shift into the wash without having to worry about boning or corset shrinking/wrinkling is a huge advantage over the old bodiced petticoat style. The short sleeves didn't feel restrictive at all, and, as you can guess, helped protect the dress.
If anyone is on the fence as to whether they want to do a more modern interpretation of a regency outfit, or a more historical one, if you're interested in comfort, I would urge you to consider a more historical combo of shift + corset, particularly if you can get linen for the shift. It's much more comfortable, both at rest, and in motion. I found it easier to put on, and easier to fit under the neckline (particularly in back) without losing coverage or feeling unsupported. Also, both in terms of time and fabric, it is easier/cheaper to remake just a corset to fit over a petticoat, than to have to create a whole new bodiced petticoat if your weight tends to fluctuate like mine does.
Hope that opinion helps someone.
-Mrs. Goblin