isabelladangelo | Gothic Fitted Gown

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

If this could help...

From my own experience with blouses, tops, dresses and coats that had seams under the bust, I can say that it only works well if you have a generous pair of boobies, otherwise the seam doesn't sit where it's supposed to sit. As you move, it generaly tends to go up at breast level rather than bellow, especialy if the garment is fitted as it won't drop back into place when standing back normaly as opposed to a slack garment. That's the one problem I've experimented so far with customer's clothing. Other than that, it works great.

I can't wait to see the results. Please post when you're done. Good luck with your project :)

I'm a 38 D currently with a 29 1/2" waist. It's pretty safe to say I'm on the generous side. :-D And this is after I had surgery to get 'em smaller. Okay, the surgery was a good 10 years ago almost now but I was a 42ddd we think. It's kinda hard to figure out when you are that big up top and only have a 27" waist. ...I really want my 27" waist back...

so ummm yeah, there is an ulterior motive going on here....and that's it! :-) But saying "I wanna do this because I'm big up top" sounds very shallow and modern. I do want to try it because I doubt it's as modern as we think (the Italians certainly had it a 100 years later, although in a different form) and I really think it will keep me up better than not having it.

Hurray for big boobies!!! :D

ok. I gotta ask -- I feel your pain 'cept I got more Ds than you did. Technically, I think I'm a 34G -- and I've got your waist too.

Assuming that dropping the rest of the post-Paxil 40 pounds doesn't drop them in size, I'm considering surgery especially if I can get insurance to cover it.

How did your surgery go? Would you do it again? Suggestions/comments/etc .....

My surgery went pretty poorly but I would do it again with a few things in mind. Ask the surgeron for an IV of low level antiboitics both before and after the surgery as a safety precaution. I didn't (I was around 18~21 at the time.) and my stiches re opened three times. I had to go back under to close them twice...both times without the antibiotics. The third time, the doctor gave me an antibioic cream to put on what was left of the stitches. The wounds finally healed (two months later) and left horrible scarring that I will eventually get removed.
The areas close to the stiches are still numb to a degree. Part of that is probably my problems with the lack of antibiotics during the operation although I've heard other women complain of the same problem. It's not severe but it is something you notice to a degree. It kinda feels like you still have a bra on even when you don't sometimes. You get the "phantom itches" syndrom where you can feel something itching but that piece of skin is either now inside or no longer existant.

The very good side to all of this: My clothes fit. I look proportional. My back doesn't hurt nearly as much anymore. My shoulders are no longer about to break and the indents on my collar bone from the bra straps are almost no existant anymore. (I can still feel them but you don't see it anymore to the naked eye. You need X-rays) I'm sure if you ask for antibiotics, that it will go smoothly.

Well, I've got mitral-valve prolapse, so antibiotics are required for any surgical procedure -- even getting my teeth cleaned.

*giggle* I almost *never* not have on a bra -- I've slept in one since I was about 16 -- more comfortable that way.

Thanks for the feedback; I appreciate it!

Gothic Fitted Gown

no subject

TMI

Re: TMI

Re: TMI

Re: TMI

Re: TMI