in love with a dress

[jennylafleur]

*swoon*

I am in love!!

http://mantuadiary.blogspot.com/2008/12/cut-away-gown-history.html

Thanks sakka for the link to her blog.

I've been really drawn to this shape of "zone" front lately but this is truly a stunning reproduction of it. She has the proportions just right. So now I'm wondering if I could alter my Pimpernel to this shape or if it would even be worth the effort since I don't have a contrasting stomacher/petticoat. I'm also liking the buttons. Miss-I-loath-doing-buttonholes. Weird.

*ponders possibilities*

Comments

[padawansguide.livejournal.com]

I've always liked this shape for zone fronts! She did a gorgeous job!

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

I've liked them too but lately they've gone from "pretty" to ""oohhhh... pretty". :>

[joysdaughter.livejournal.com]

Instant thoughts. You could make a false front stomacher, baste it to your Pimpernel bodice and cover the join with braid. You could hook and eye any bodice and sew buttons on as trim rather than ones that work. And thanks for the link as I am doing 3.5 1780's dresses! (The half is an adjustment of a 1776 dress I made in 1983, to make it 5 + years later.)

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Glad to be of help! Thanks for the suggestions!

[bauhausfrau.livejournal.com]

Ooo, lovely! Thanks for posting this! I just love the zone fronts. I think part of it is the contrast of those wonderful clean lines a-la menswear with the frou-ness for the girly side of the 18th century.

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Oh, I think you must be right. The fact that this one is striped explains some of the lust as well. :>

[silverstah.livejournal.com]

OMG, that's absolutely gorgeous. Mind if I cross-post this to awesomecostume? :)

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Oh what a good idea!

[vanessa-lynne.livejournal.com]

Wow - is that gorgeous.

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

*nods head in agreement*

[demode.livejournal.com]

I say we kill her and take her dress!

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Oh... I love it when a plan comes together! :>

[chloeandrudy.livejournal.com]

The photo of that gown has been in my "Luv" list for a long time. It's just as beautiful in real life.

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

I can see why! *drools*

[marcine.livejournal.com]

Thanks for that link - Nicole started that gown in the Burnley and Trowbridge workshop in November. She had the bodice mostly done (hand sewn) by the end of the workshop and it was looking super! The gown looks great completed!

You could do the same sort of front -- the Kyoto gown with this treatment is of one color. Not that extant garments should limit options, but the detail is pretty whether in a contrasting fabric or not.

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Oh fun! It's really quite disgustingly gorgeous. You can tell her I said so when next you meet. :>

Oh thanks for the reference to Kyoto! I'd forgotten about that one. Good to know it looks pretty in one color!

[dormous.livejournal.com]

Don't you just love seeing other costumers work online? So inspring

[dormous.livejournal.com]

That would be inspiring even.

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Oh yes. Somehow it makes it seems more possible to create the things in my head. "Well if she can do it, I can to!"

And proper speling is for loosers anyway. :P

[suededsilk.livejournal.com]

That's a gorgeous zone front!

And no one said you had to have buttonholes...just the pretty buttons. ;)

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

But that is the sick part - I'm actually liking the functioning buttonholes and buttons. Not a good sign!

[girliegirl32786.livejournal.com]

Drool.................... I'm a sucker for zonefronts and that is just gorgeous! Want!

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

My responce exactly! There is a reason we are friends. :>

[sakka.livejournal.com]

Oh!! Thanks for friending me! :) I love your costumes - it is SOO inspiring as a new sewer - and you seem like a lovely person yourself! :)

Yeah... I dropped dead when I saw that gown. It is just gorgeous!

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

You are most welcome - you seem lovely yourself! I am very much in your debt for the linky goodness!

[colev.livejournal.com]

Wow. I really don't know what to say! Thank you to everyone!
Hopefully I'll get a hat completed soon and suck it up and buy lace (so expensive....). Just so you know, for an easy cut-away you can just add trim to give the illusion (they would have too)
And Kendra, you'll have to find me first!

[jennylafleur.livejournal.com]

Welcome to LJ and your new fan club. :> Once again - lovely work! Yes lace, it's one of the hardest things about the 18th century I think. The good stuff is SO not cheap.

Thanks for the tip about trimming for the illusion! I did that on my last ball gown so good to know that it is indeed period (I thought it was). The dress in question is already a zone front, cut in the straight not curved, but I'm altering it (the back had some fitting issues) and was thinking about changing the shape of the zone while I was at it. I may have to re-cut the front to do it though. I wonder if I have enough fabric...