A question

[mandie_rw]

For my fellow costumers who know the 18thc very well!

In a few 1780s portraits (like this Fragonard, but I know I've seen it elsewhere), there's no obvious front opening to the bodice. I've seen/heard of two options to recreating this, either a very wide stomacher that pins in, or a separate under-bodice that closes in back, with the gown worn over top of that.

Practically speaking, the separate bodice sounds easier to me, as you could just pin the gown into place with a stable layer (as opposed to my ever present wonkus pinning of off-centered stomachers! especially trying to reach around my own side-back), but I don't know of any actual evidence to support this. Anybody? Bueller?

(And there's always the third option of Total Artistic License!)


In this particular painting I suppose it could be a complete ivory gown underneath, with a completely separate robe worn over top of that. (Wait...that fastens where? Now I'm just confusing myself!) Well, opinions anyway!

Comments

[blackcat452.livejournal.com]

for my russian court dress, I did a separate bodice. It was based on research by demode.

[mandie-rw.livejournal.com]

Oooh, thank you! I knew I'd read/seen it *somewhere* but I couldn't think where.