The longer dress is the one I like, of course...without the slit at the bottom. I'm going to experiment with the sleeves and make them come just past the elbow, move the neckline a little higher and perhaps modify it to have the illusion of an empire waist!
I really do love the customization that sewing offers. I have a hard time finding things in the store that fit my personal tastes, as well as figure. Everything is always a little too tight in the torso and too loose in the waist. *sigh* Women are not long, straight poles! Designers should realize this, and that women today really do need modest yet attractive fashions.
I'm trying to decide on a good fabric for the dress now...any suggestions? I was thinking blue, since it would match my eyes!
What fabric are you thinking of using? Is this to be an everyday or more formal dress?
ReplyDeleteHere's another thought... if you eliminate the slit... you might have to add additional material to the skirt, to be able to walk in it properly. I think this is partly why the original empire-waists from the English Regency have additional bunched up material in the back on the seam between the skirt and the bodice. I'm not a woman, so this is just speculation. :)
Perhaps an in between, I was thinking...something I could wear to a nice dinner or church, but not a ball or fancy party. I suppose it could be a house dress as well though.
ReplyDeleteI'm not quite sure which fabrics, then...I was just going to wander through the store and pick up whatever looked best to me!
Hm, you mean like a small train? Maybe I should leave the slit, but make it a bit shorter? I don't really want it going all the way up to my knees!
Ahh yes, that sounds like a great idea!
ReplyDeleteI hope you find a fabric that will suit when you have time to go to the store... :)
Not exactly a train, something much less obvious. I'm right there with you when it comes to slits... I pretty much despise them as their can be no good justification from a stylistic perspective inspired of good motives. However, of course there are practical considerations that may at times require them. I'm going to comment on the back of Regency dresses in an upcoming blog post when I've collected my thoughts on the subject, but in the meantime, for an example of what I was speaking of, check out this picture of a dress a friend of mine made... http://myaustendreamworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/regency-gown-2-back-wearing-it.jpg
The danger in not having something to account for motion is you may get a tube that is far less modest than having a slit. IMHO, a dress should never be pulled inwards below the waist when moving. See this dress for a more extreme example... http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/11/23/article-1230243-0752620F000005DC-588_306x659.jpg