Aylwen, I would build a corselet into the gown's bodice. It's a period thing to do (if the wearer isnt too zoftig) and it gives the correct high-bust silhouette. Your performers get period appropriate modesty (er, more or less) and reasonable support. They also *must* wear the correct undergarment as it's built in. Ha! You can trick them into it! You can find a croquis for a bib-front gown c1803 in the patterns section of Blanche Payne's book. While I rather doubt your antique is the same style, this one will show you some methods to attach the corselet inside the gown. This isnt a solution for all age groups or body types, but as you've said they're performing dancers, I've assumed a certain level of mobility & body carriage.
Wont you please post a photo (or two) of your antique? --cin Cynthia Barnes cinbar...@gmail.com ----- Original Message ---- From: Aylwen Garden <aylwe...@gmail.com> To: Historical Costume <h-cost...@indra.com> Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2008 1:40:28 PM Subject: Re: [h-cost] Drafting from antique garment - question Another thought went through my mind - I could develop this pattern to fit modern sizing charts, but it was designed for a different figure that may have had regency stays on! This raises the question, if I'm drafting from an extant garment should I make it for a person wearing a corset? Will this isolate those who don't wear corsets, or encourage them to wear period undergarments? Bye for now, Aylwen Gardiner-Garden _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
