Gothic Fitted Gown

[isabelladangelo]

I'm going to make a couple of Gothic fitted gowns. I've made one before but I lost 20 pounds and it wasn't so fitted after that so I sold it. :-)

I honestly like the method shown at http://www.cottesimple.com but I really, truly, don't think it's period. First, it wastes fabric. Anything that wastes large amounts of fabric (aka, where you have to throw away fabric) probably wasn't done. Draping required that you lose a bunch of fabric that otherwise could be salvaged for gussests, sleeves, and other small jobs. Heck, even a patch or three. :-)
Second, even the lady that did the website points out that buttons on the front of the fitted gown is very rare. I've tried to look for it myself and can't find them in any of my books or online.

What I am finding online is interesting. It looks like almost all the gowns have a line right under the bust and either a thin, almost invisible line down the front or on the sides. Although a bit late for the "traditional" gothic gown, this painting is great because it shows the lines in the bodice part of the gown perfectly. http://www.wga.hu/art/w/weyden/rogier/10braque/3braque.jpg

You can see the bust part consists of two oblong trapizodal like shapes, most likely cut along the bias to accommodate the bust. The gown is "fitted" beneath the bust using two pieces of rectangular fabric that probably flow to the floor and have gores or gussets on the sides.

http://www.wga.hu/art/m/michele/pannonio/ceres.jpg

Although the above is meant to be allegorical, the dress is inline with many seen in various illuminations and other art works. Notice it has both side and front lacing (similar to what is most likely going on here in this illumination. There appears to be a thin line beneath the bust, again, suggesting that the bust area is cut separately from the rest of the gown and then sewn in. You can also see a thin line going over Ceres' hip and down toward the front center showing one of the gores of the gown.

So, for the layout of the Gothic fitted gown, I'm going to use two rectangles of about 45" in length and about ~16" across; basically the length from the underbust to the floor and half the "width" of the underbust (plus seam allowance). I'll have two trapezoidal pieces for the bust, cut along the bias, and sleeve pieces. I'll also have gores for either side of the dress. (Although the dresses look very full, it looks like that has to do with large side gores and not a front gore.)

Some other paintings/illuminations with the gothic fitted dress:
http://www.wga.hu/art/zgothic/miniatur/1401-450/2italian/01i_1400.jpg
http://www.wga.hu/art/l/limbourg/02fevrif.jpg

So, I've started on this project. It will once again be in the indigo blue linen and this time lined with the rest of the red/white linen crossweave that I have left over. Basically, the same fabric I used for the Viking outfit. That's the good thing about solid (ish) colors; they are timeless.
I'll post pictures when I get it half way decently sewn and whenever I find my camera. I think my car ate it. Or Ginsie did.