Cream Regency Dress

Oh So Elegant

So to go along with my sons wonderful Regency Attire: 

I am making dresses for Me, Mommy Dearest, and Youngest Sister. This first dress I was imagining for my mother and my thought process and justification we as such:

A sophisticated woman in her prime, sees and appreciates 

the newfangled daring dresses of the younger generation but,

 secure in her station in life and situation needs not imitate them. 

Instead, she decides to keep the flavor of the fashion in the coloring 

and style of her dress but maintain her modesty,

 as befitting a woman of her years.  

Except... well...lemme start with the fitting. I am using La Mode Bagatelle's Regency Wardrobe Pattern  which is excellent in theory. Its an entire wardrobe with in one pouch and for someone who needs to make at least three distinct dresses its certainly handy, if not QUITE historically accurate. But accuracy isn't for someone who uses curtains, sheets and polyester in historical fashion. (Unless that person is Scarlett and lets be honest, she can do whatever she wants and still be FIERCELY FABULOUS) 

Oh bless your heart, this old thing? 

So, fitting. I used the DD version as well, c'mon. Both me and my mom are similarly Apple-built with quite an impressive uh... curvature. HOWEVER, I must be doing something wrong. See, and this may be TMI so for those who wish to protect their virgin eyes, LOOK AWAY: my mom has saggy ta-tas.

I respect those ta-tas, dont get me wrong. Mom has five adult kids and worked all her life so those babies have put in their weight and more toward my health and happiness as an infant. But... well. Gravity, right? 

So, here I am trying to fit a regency, I.E. tight and conforming, underbodice to a pair of stubborn hooters and well....

Not happening. As I go through I realize that technically she could fit the small bust easier, however that is going to SEVERELY screw with the fit and require goddess like sewing powers. Which I lack. But I am not to be dissuaded by one measly miscalculation (I so totally am). I decide to make the dress and fit it to her, ignoring the stiffened petticoat bodice. I figure Ill have her don Ye Ole Sports Bra for proper shape. Shocker? IT WORKS! 

Of course I hate following directions so after a cursory glance I wing'd it, and fuk'd it up lol. Not too bad but I didn't get the whole, ruch the bodice until it fits bit so Ill need some kinda stuffer to stop it from RELEASING THE TWINS!! Anywho, the first draft, on my Mommy Dearest! 

Smokin' hot! AND IT FITSSSSSS!

I was feeling pretty good about myself so I drafter and applied the sleeves. 

I might add, there are no seams here. Its just pins. Sorry mom.

It was exactly what I wanted. Classy, elegant. Understated but still fashionable. 

Mom hated it. Lol. She grimaced a smile at me and forced a laugh and tried to pretend but I know when a woman is faking it. See, my mom is not a Classy, Elegant, Understated Female. She's more like... 

Color matching? No problem. 

So, yeah. She wants color and life, all pinks and yellows and well, young stuff. Solution? 

My dress now. 

Ha! So there. Anyway, since she wasn't going to wear it I claimed it, and revamped the sleeves on account of I like poufs.  

Oh lord. These sleeves. I sewing them both the same way and had to seam rip. And again. And Again. Yes, you heard right. I sewed the same sleeve wrong THREE TIMES. UGH!!!!

However, I was able to finish up the body of the dress and sleeves and set myself up. All needs doing now is the hemming (ETERNAL HEMMING) and buttons on the back.  

PIC ROLL!!!