Bustle Era Dinner Bodice

I am converting this Ball Gown Bodice into a Dinner Bodice with 3/4 sleeves. Hopefully it will be done in time for the Anton Pieck Parade on the 8th of December.

I have been trying to work on it for days now, but my personal life keeps getting in the ways. There are tons of things I have to do in order to prepare for his upcoming birthday this Friday and Sinterklaasavond (Sint Nicolas Evening)  next weekend. No to mentions my household chores.

The sleeve will become a little bit shorter than they are now, because the end up being in between 3/4 and full length and black lace will be added to them as well. The shoudlers had to be taken in so I had to take of the glass jet deocrations. I am thinking of replacing them with lace or ribbon.


Here are some images of dinner bodices with 3/4 sleeves from the bustle era, for your and my inspiration.

http://metmuseum.org/collections/search-the-collections/80034340?img=0

Dinner Dress, c. 1883. Designer: Charles Frederick Worth.

http://www.kci.or.jp/archives/digital_archives/detail_92_e.html

http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/search-the-collections/80035688?img=2

http://www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/50737.html?mulR=8748%7C3

Victorian Bustle Overskirt

The inside of my bustle overskirt. With the pleats pinned to the waistband. The netting adds volume and stiffness. The pleats have to be sewn by hand first, before sewing the skirt to the waistband with the machine. My husband pinned the pleats for me because I didn't have the patience for it.

Honey does my bum look big in this outfit?

This is how far I got with overskirt untill now, I still need to sew on the ribbons on the inside of the skirt to create the poufs in the back. I started working on that last night, but was too tired and make mistakes  so I decided to quit. When the skirt is finished I am thinking of decorating it with red fabric roses. http://www.madamesmercantile.com/ has a nice article on how to make them.

I always fight with my hair , especially the morning of the Anton Pieck Parade, when I have to get up early and try to manage my unmanageable hair with my sleepy head. Sick and tired of this beauty stress I deciced to look for a solution and bought a braided bun.

It's a clip -on by Balmain from the Elegance Collection. It arrived yesterday and though I am happy with it's going to take some practice, and some more hairpins, to keep the thing in place.The clip it small and not very strong and hasn't got enough grip on my hair.

I'm Back!

The last weeks we have been without a proper pc. So I couldn't post anything.
Here a pictorial update of what I've been up to.

I made necklaces to go with my 50's style blue dress.
And a 50's bolero from an original pattern. I still need to sew on the collar.

My son made a halloween ghost together with a friend.

I started work on my victorian bustle overskirt. This is a picture of the front panel. At this moment I am trying to figure out how to pleat the back to the waistband, as it is quite a lot of fabric.

I fell in love with a victorian style travellerbag

And decided I really "need" it because my luggage has to go in style to the Anton Pieck Parade.

Bought two patterns of fashion books written by Janet Arnold because it was a bargain !

Went to the market to buy black ribbon for my victorian bustle overskirt and came home with the ribbon and  fabric.

And then I came here to find that I have 100 followers! 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog.