Critique My Ballgown?

[Danielle le Roux]

Good morning everyone,
This is my ballgown. My mother sewed it for me, because I didn't trust myself with the silk. I wore it before it was entirely finished, so I there are some things I know need to change, like the length of the skirt and the addition of bust pads. Something also needs to be done about the chemise sleeves that keep peeking out! I love the fabric and truthfully I'm afraid to spoil it with trim... there is enough left for a berthe, so should I make one? How can I trim it a bit without making it seem overwhelming on my 5'7'' and hefty frame? There is something off about the bodice, but that could also be my incorrectly made and franken-patched corset distorting my shape. What do you think? Advice? Suggestions? Things I haven't noticed but need to address?

[Danielle le Roux]

The links don't work....
Lets try again.
http://s1241.photobucket.com/albums/gg501/OwlyCreature/?action=view&current=CIMG2130.jpg
http://s1241.photobucket.com/albums/gg501/OwlyCreature/?action=view&current=CIMG2131.jpg

[Elizabeth]

The blue color is a fantastic one with your complexion, so excellent choice there!

I'd add full-gathered petticoats between your hoop and skirt; right, now, the skirt doesn't have a huge contrast from your waist, as it needs more support in the hip area.

The chemise sleeves can be shortened 2-3" permanently, and you'll be fine there.

I think what I'm seeing in the bodice is that it's actually too large, both circumference-wise and length. The length may be by as little as an inch, but if you were to flip the waist edge up and tug the whole bodice down, I think you'll see the neckline and bustline settle right where you need them, and that fit improve. With circumferences, FrankenCorset may be playing a role, so I'd fix any issues there before seeing if you can tighten up or refine the shapes of any seamlines. You may still need very light bust padding, but maybe not!

I like the "rumple" of the sleeves a lot.

Will you be adding a berthe? There are some great styles that would finish off the neckline gorgeously.

[K Krewer]

I was about to say that the bodice looks a bit too big, but I'm not much use on fitting stuff.  I think you could solve the sleeve problem AND add a bit of trim by adding some lacy white undersleeves -- short ones were often owrn with evening dresses.  A white tucker might set the neckline off very nicely, too. 

Fabulous fabric and great color on you!  I can sympathize with not wanting to goober it up with too much trim.  But you might consider, since you have enough for a berthe, to make it detachable -- some originals had the berthe as a separate piece, so that you can vary the look.  A nicely pleated berthe, set off with some narrow white lace at the edge and a rose corsage at the center, would be exquisitely lady-like. 

[Snowdrop Sabine]

oohhh i love this pattern, it was the first dress i made (a year ago today i finished it)
and i just think the sleeves are fabulous.  i agree the color is wonderful on you.

i was dying to make mine of silk, but i didn't find a fabric i could afford...
not to mention it was my first project and i didn't want to mess it up at that price.
it was a rush job & i needed it done in 2 weeks with all the underpinnings, ( made it, whew!)
i made it from navy & white cotton  & the chemise, corset, petticoat, split drawers from bleached muslin.
i also omitted the bust pads and was sorry i did.

i am anticipating seeing your bertha collar when it is finished.
please be sure to post it   if you baste it on, you can always remove it, no?

*snowdrop*

[Danielle le Roux]

Oh thank you all for your comments -- and compliments! My Mum did a great job.

Elizabeth -- I'd never thought about more hip fullness! That would help a lot. I'm built short-waisted and boxy, so proportions are important, I know. The corset... that's a whole 'nother story. I might start a thread for help on just that one It mostly does what it's supposed to but has never fit *really* right. And I think I will add a Berthe before the next ball! The length of the bodice may be a problem, because the sides are already quite short. Perhaps I should add that it isn't attached to the skirt in that pic, and rode up horribly all evening. I had to keep ducking into the ladies' for adjustments.

K Krewer -- I love the idea of a pleated berthe! That is just genius: Trimmed, but featuring the fabric I love. There may even be enough fabric in that super long skirt to put a couple of tucks in it as well.

Snowdrop Sabine -- Whew, that sounds stressful! That's pretty much my experience so far as well. I never seem to start these projects until the event is almost upon us. I guess it's good practice though, huh? It sounds very pretty, and you can always add the bust pads later, I think.

[Jessamyn]

That is a gorgeous color and it's gorgeous on you!

The bodice does desperately need to be attached to the skirt, which will help a lot with keeping it pulled down, but it is still too long. Excuse me while I sound like I'm 100 years old, but you kids today have NO idea where your waist actually is. 15 years of consistently low-waisted clothes have produced a generation that doesn't understand about the natural waist, and the variability of the fashion waist. The 1860s waist is quite high, if anything slightly above your natural waist, and you are not currently at your natural waist even on the sides. If you cut the bodice higher and the skirt shows, then you're not wearing the skirt high enough either! Your natural waist is the narrowest part of your torso, just below your lowest rib, and usually just above your belly button. I just can't get over how many pants nowadays are described as "high waist" or even "natural waist" and still show the belly button!

(Sorry! Sorry. Okay. I feel better now. Ahem.)

If your corset isn't completely doing its job (or even if it is), a wee bit of boning might help, too. It was pretty common for ball bodies to have a little boning. A few pieces down the side-front seams and into the front point would help it sit right over your midsection. You'll want it alongside the lacing in the back, too, if you don't have it already.

A berthe can actually be a boon to a broadly shaped woman (not that you look anything like as boxy as you say!), because if you make it a nice shape it will actually distract from your shoulders, not add to them. You want one in a shape that narrows to very little at the shoulder and swags pretty low in front, and all that shaping will do a lot to diminish the expanse between your shoulders.

Width-increasing berthe style:
http://dbase1.lapl.org/images/casey/full/05/rbc4981.jpg

Width-diminishing berthe style:
http://dbase1.lapl.org/images/casey/full/05/rbc4989.jpg

[Beth Chamberlain]

Excuse me while I sound like I'm 100 years old, but you kids today have NO idea where your waist actually is.

HAHAHHAHAHA! 

Fix up you corset first (go ahead and start a new thread, we do a lot of corset diagnosis here). I'm pretty sure that once you have that fitted really well you'll discover your waist is higher than you think it is.  Before fitting the bodice do add a petticoat or two first as Liz mentioned as adding that lovely hip shelf raises your waistline while it's making it look smaller. Once you've got all the undergarments perfect give that bodice a good tug down as Liz explained and you'll lose about 15lbs of visual weight from the creasing you've got now.

Beth

[Danielle le Roux]

Thank you Jessamyn and Beth, that is very very helpful. We may need some help with the waist shortening, so I'll be hovering for a while haha

Looking at the picture, I do see what you mean... the curve of my body starts far higher up than the sides of the bodice. You are saying that the edge of the bodice sides should be *right at* that narrowest point, where I bend?

I have three more questions:
1)The bodice is boned throughout. I guess you can't tell because of the creasing, but I'm guessing shortening it will address this as well?
2)I do have a petti on, but it is flounced only at the bottom. Should I flounce further, or just add one or two more very full ones on top/underneath?
3)This taffeta shows every needle mark. If we take it apart even a little for adjustments, I very much fear that the scarring will show on the fabric. Is there any way to avoid this?

Thank you all again, it's so wonderful to finally have reliable help! First chance I get I'll put on that dang corset and let y'all see what needs to be fixed.

[Danielle le Roux]

Oh and Jessamyn, thanks for the visual. For newbies like me it really helps to have something to put my finger on and say "ah, that's what I'm shooting for!"

[Elizabeth]

Go with full-gathered plain pettis. You'll get nice boof at the hip, but they're easy to launder, starch, and press later. Flounced pettis? Pain. In. The. Hindparts.

I'd pull the boning out and re-evaluate the fit. Huge dittos with the previous centenarian discussion on waists. And yep: that smallest bit is the lower-most edge for your bodice waist.

When the bodice is short enough, and the skirt is worn high enough (which also solves the too-long issue), and the twain are basted together, you'll get an accurate look at what, if any, bodice fitting issues still exist. To get a preview of the fit, I'd fasten or lace the bodice but leave the last 2" unfastened. Remove the boning. Flip the waist edge up, and give the bodice a tug down... and see which of the fitting issues go away.

Definitely, let's diagnose your corset. It's a key element in everything else working. The sewists here on the SA encompass virtually every figure style known to humanity, so we're all very realistic, non-judgmental, and loving.

Because there is worry about the scarring of the fabric, if the boning removal, flip-up-edge tricks don't show a clear path for alteration, I'd consider making a mock-up of the bodice pattern in a strong, minimally-flexible fabric, playing with it, and then using those adjusted pieces as templates for alterations to the existing bodice.

[Danielle le Roux]

Thank you all again, you're awesome

Right. *rolls up sleeves* Time to get cracking!