Regency Question

[atherleisure]

A question for those of you who do Regency period things:
There are a lot of extant dresses that I've seen with a fitted back that are fastened only at the neck and waist. Does this often tend to pull open between the fastenings? I've only got one dress that I've tried this with, and it gaps rather badly between neck and waistband.



In the picture, it ties at the neck and buttons at the waist, but it gaps almost as badly after replacing the strings at the neck with a button and buttonhole. I just don't have a picture of it. I know I could fix it by putting more buttons or hooks and eyes, but I wanted to know if a gap was period. I love the dress (it's so soft!) but am a little annoyed by the bodice back.

Any thoughts?

Comments

[koshka-the-cat.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure it's period. I don't see how it would work without a lot of gathers!

[atherleisure.livejournal.com]

That's what I was thinking. If it's adjusted closed, any time you reach forward, it opens up again! And I really don't think the back is too small.

[koshka-the-cat.livejournal.com]

And so pretty!

[atherleisure.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I've been very fond of it, not least because it was my first completely hand-sewn dress.

[nuranar.livejournal.com]

When you say "fitted back," do you mean fastening with fixed ties only? Come to think of it, I'm not sure I've seen that. I did it on my first bodiced petticoat, and had trouble just because the knot for the ties created a gap. True edge-to-edge wasn't possible.

My white mull gown is essentially the same as yours, but instead of fixed ties I have tiny drawstrings coming from the side seams/shoulder seams. There's a small bit of ease in the back. Even with everything taut, it can still gap.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/festiveattyre/16899138611/in/faves-51592109@N08/

I noticed that the gap in mine is mostly a matter of getting the sides close enough together on either side of the knots. Yours seems to curve away on the side somewhat, as if the center back is too long; a small neckline drawstring might snug that up.

[atherleisure.livejournal.com]

By fitted back, I mean a non-drawstring closure, eg buttons or hooks, like the embroidered one in Patterns of Fashion. When I originally made this, I made it with drawstrings at neck and waist, not realizing that the drawstring closure method only works with excess fabric around the closure. Then I replaced the waist cords with a button and buttonhole but left the neck cords in and just tacked them to the edges of the back so that they wouldn't draw anything up. That made me realize that the knot itself takes up space between the sides so I tied off those cords and put in a button and buttonhole. Now I have the same configuration as the Patterns of Fashion gown - a button at neck and waist with no significant overlap - and still have a gap. Mechanically speaking, I don't really see a way around it, and it looks like others don't either, based on the comments I've gotten so far.

[quincy134.livejournal.com]

I have a dress with even some gathers in the back, and it gaps sometimes too. I think it's unavoidable.

[atherleisure.livejournal.com]

I'm pleased to have confirmation that it happens generally.

[sadievale.livejournal.com]

it tends to be fairly unavoidable in Regency in my experience and they had petticoats and shifts to keep them decent (gasp) so it makes sense from a period perspective. If they bug you, you can do things to minimize, add a panel behind or overlap them, or use your snaps/button idea...good luck!

[atherleisure.livejournal.com]

It doesn't bug me if it's period! I just wanted to get some other opinions. Thanks for chipping in.

[sadievale.livejournal.com]

Gown backs aren't pictured as often in fashion plates but I don't recall seeing one pictured with a gap: of course it's the ideal for the time so likely there were gaps in reality. I overlap and pin mine or add a hook and eye for gaps on drawstring dresses or those that meet at the center back because personally I don't like too much of a gap. :) but it's a common complaint of back closing Regency gowns,