Open Front Bodice

[Miss_Elisabeth]

I've been hunting around on Bibliotheque Des Arts for inspiration for a mid 1850s dress I've got some deep green/blue worsted wool stashed away for.



And I keep coming across bodices like that. Front point, but open across the front with no visible support. Is the chemisette/white bodice underneath structural? As in attached to the edges of the bodice? Or is it simply separate and the bodice held there by magic? 

I've also thought about using some other fastenings across the front of that opening.
I know in the 1840s there were tabs holding the bodice together. Would it be appropriate to use black velvet tabs/stripes held across with black velvet buttons, up to about the bustline, with a single hook and eye securing the two edges at the bottom and a matching black belt? I'd bone the sides with spring steel.
The only problem with that would be how to fasten the tabs - a buttonhole through the tab? A hook and bar on the tab/dress?

[always in fashion]

I am not sure about this particualr fashion plate and how it keeps a nice tight line without gapping but I have several from the mid 1850's and they show either some sort of closure up to just under the bust area or an inch or so below the bust area or either the tab like closures you mentioned would also be appropriate. See the gal in pink next to the gal you posted. she has little tab closures.

I can post pictures if you like of what I have, just let me know. I am a bit tired from work all day and then shopping for a new washing machine (and no jokes about me being the washing machine, LOL) So I will probably try to do it tomorrow afternoon if anyone is interested.

Lisa

[Marta Vincent]

If you are looking for aa pattern,  Check out Kay's website for the Lily Patters.  There are a couple with open front basques.  You'll have to size them up, but the form is there.  The one I'm making has a suare neck, and is on 1855 #9.

http://shop.originals-by-kay.com/category.sc?categoryId=76

[Beth Chamberlain]

Looking for something else I bumped into a dag showing a bodice which attempted to be open almost to the base of the point. If you zoom in really close you can see some buttons on opposite sides of the opening with some sort of double loop to hold them. Even better - zoom in just above that and you can see a pin TRYING to hold the  bodice in place. http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/tf5c600544/?&brand=oac A wish a and a prayer doesn't seem to be quite enough. I'm pretty sure that if you really study this you'll find a disconnect between the fashion plates - open all the way, and images - showing some closing part way up the midriff. Most of the images I can think of are closed anywhere from a bit below where the bust starts to just about mid bustline. If it fits right it will stay in place just fine with a partial closing.

If you try to do this with an existing muslin - cutting down the front will alter the fit. Be prepared to take a bit out of the center front above the bustline and possibly to have to shorten the center front a bit. That front edge needs to be really snug to avoid gaping. The deep V fronts are wonderfully slimming and elongating. You don't need any help but those of us who are vertically challenged and well padded do!

Beth

[K Krewer]

I was going to mention straight pins last night when my machine crashed.  (I think it's okay now with updates.)  Anyway, in 18th C garments that had stomachers, most garments have no visible means of closure -- meaning that they were pinned or stitched.  A couple of straight pins, judiciously placed through the underside/lining through chemisette, and possibly down into the corset, and back up again, would provide some closure/stability.

[mr.darcy1]

Miss Elizabeth,

I went through all of my files and these are some of the more interesting images that I came up with for open front bodices:

Kind of hard to tell what the bottom closure is. . .
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1007/3170487627_f73538b723_o.jpg

Not the best quality pic, this one's French
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1049/3170487589_7ee6331820_o.jpg

Buttons and cording, I like this style
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1052/3171319452_878917ed3e_o.jpg

Looks to be pinned closed?
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1051/3171353326_64a076e3c6_o.jpg

Fairly common style of button or hook and eye closure up to bottom of bust and decorated with a bow.  Super cute.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1034/3170521109_1de2a547dd_o.jpg

Hope this helps,
Chandra

[kaygnagey]

If you get the Citizen's Companion, please check out the picture of Mrs Reed on the back - that dress was made from an 1855 pattern with an open front.  We used hook & eye below the bust.  The pattern was http://shop.originals-by-kay.com/product.sc?categoryId=-1&productId=672.  Instead of the revers collar we boxpleated ribbon to mock a collar shape.  The tension of the pattern kept the edges nice and straight.

Kay

[Katherine C-G]

While looking for inspiration for my upcoming 1850s dress, I came across this dress that appears to have a built in, stomacher-like front.  I thought it was sort of interesting!

It does list one of the materials as cream cotton (baumwolle being one of the about 12 German words I know, the rest being do you speak English? excuse me, and several types of food) so I'd guess it's part of the original dress.  I wish they had more detail

[Beth Chamberlain]

While looking for inspiration for my upcoming 1850s dress, I came across this dress that appears to have a built in, stomacher-like front.  I thought it was sort of interesting!

It does list one of the materials as cream cotton (baumwolle being one of the about 12 German words I know, the rest being do you speak English? excuse me, and several types of food) so I'd guess it's part of the original dress.  I wish they had more detail

The neckline of this is screaming "altered" to me. From just below the shoulder seam to about mid bust it looks bulky- as if something has been turned in, that would also explain why the collar in turned in (looks like more than just a header turned in) The angle of the front also looks odd to me. The other deep v'd fronts I've looked at all pull in closed (or close to it) by the waist, this looks like it might actually bow out a little at the waist. Too bad they don't give more info. Have you found any dags with a front like this? 

Beth