Victorian Bustle Gown Project: Musings on the actual dress

So, I did get all the sewing for my bustle support done last night, but realized that not only am I out of grommets, but I also have no tipping fluid. Apparently when you cut the hoop wire, it sometimes has sharp ends. Tipping fluid is a thick rubbery paint that you dip the ends in to round them off. I didn't think of this at all until I was ready to cut the hoop wire and stick it in the channels, then realized how thin my cotton broadcloth is. So anyways, that's on hold until my supplies come in. Pictures to come when I finish the thing.

I've also been beginning to think about what I want to go over all of these supports that I've been working so hard on. Also, as a disclaimer, this first project will be be a learning project. I'm not sure it's even going to be wearable when I finish. I'm not planning to use a pattern, so this will be how I figure everything out. I have a basic style in my head that I'm going for - the mid 1880s late bustle period.





The bodice I'm going for will look similar to the second lady from the left in the first picture, wearing purple. These show up all over the fashion plates of the era. It looks like a high necked jacket with a military collar and cuffs on the sleeves, with a false-front vest with buttons going all the way down the middle front. The little girl in the second fashion plate has something very similar. Many other fashion plates seem to have similar bodices, but you often can't see the bodice because they're viewed from the back. It seems everyone is focusing on that massive bustle. Truly Victorian has something similar (http://trulyvictorian.com/catalog/463.html). If going it alone doesn't work out, I may break down and buy this pattern. They also have a very nice overskirt that doesn't look too unobtainable (http://trulyvictorian.com/catalog/362.html).

As for fabric, I'm going with some thrift store finds I made:



The brown and cream colored leaf print is from a (very out of date) couch cover, but I think it will work well for this time period. I plan to use this for the bodice and the bustle. This fabric has an icky backing, so I'll have to line it. I have some navy silky stuff in my fabric stash that would probably work well. I plan to make the underskirt out of the navy, which came from two fitted sheets. I'm not sure where or if I'm going to use the burgundy, which came from a tablecloth - I might work it into the bustle. And I even found some navy trim in my stash. I'm thinking I might make the false front out of the white muslin left over from my undergarments and trim it with the navy trim and use big navy buttons down the front. This will be a relatively simple dress for the era - not a lot of trim and extra fabric panels - but it's probably a good idea to start simple. Also, it's hard to find yards and yards of fabric of the same kind in a thrift store.

Also, this outfit will definitely require a hat. I need to learn millinery. I'll put it on the to-do list.