Costume panic - fabric fiends please help!

[taimatsu]

I have finally got started on the dress I would like to make for Shards. I am basing it on the Elizabethan Corset Pattern Generator bodice alteration, as I have used it before and know I can get a decently-fitted bodice out of it. Then I want to attach a wrapped skirt. Imagine, if you will, that you attach a big piece of fabric, at around one-third of the way along its length, to the back of your bodice, at your waist. The shape of the fabric is not important, it will be whatever drapes right - for now, a big thin rectangle. I want to attach the top corner of the short side to my waist on the far side, like a normal wrap skirt. But the long side, instead of wrapping round my waist the other way, I want to pull up the front of my body and attach at the opposite shoulder (with a button and loop).

This looks great in my head and when I doodle it on paper, but in practice it is not draping correctly. The swathe up my front, if it fits correctly at the side of my waist, is too tight over my breasts and looks odd. If I loosen it it gaps at the waist. I may have to make a tuck in the drape, which was not really the idea.

The costume is 'tribal fantasy' and is intended as a special occasion dress, which in practice will need to be easy to move in and quite warm. I will probably make detachable sleeves for the bodice so it will work in winter and summer, and a pair of leggings.


This is a rough attempt at a representation of what I'm after. The heavy black outline is the front drape - the green dashes indicate the location of the underneath drape at the waist.

Does anyone have any thoughts, comments, ideas, tips, or any clue what I'm even on about?

Comments

[ixwin.livejournal.com]

What sort of material is it?

Would it help to pleat or gather the fabric at the shoulder in some way?

[taimatsu]

Either a light stretchy faux-chamois fabric, or a heavier non-stretchy brushed-cotton sort of fabric. I'm trying the pleating thing but it still gaps at the waist; I might just have to sew a fold in it there.

[inquis.livejournal.com]

I have had a similar problem with a roman tunic and toga costume. The only thing that fixed me was a lot of safety pins, but you could probably do something more effectively with hook and eye fixings, to force the drape along your figure, rather than that of someone with no curves. Otherwise, to get the look you want, it would probably involve stitching the "drape" into place with the right pleats at the front and fastening the whole affair with a zip at the back.

[claire-smith.livejournal.com]

I have a sneaky suspicion you will have to cheat a bit at the waist, to make it not-baggy. Something simple like a popper at the waist would stop it from gaping, and you'd still get a nice drape. If you wanted it to be more authentic, you could perhaps use a brooch of some kind?

[damianobf.livejournal.com]

how much material have you got? As I think it might need more than you think.

Also have you looked at how a toga is worn as it is appears quite similar to that to me

This is a site I foudn with a quick search.
http://www.dl.ket.org/latin1/things/holidays/halloween/togas.htm

I am not sure how useful it is.

I'll try and remember to ask Esther is she has any ideas or try and mock up what you are doing and see if I have a brain wave.

[jspriddleuk.livejournal.com]

I suspect its the weight and width of the fabric which is affecting the drape. The lighter the fabric, the more it wants to float away from your body, but if you used a wider rectangle it might sit better as it would compensate for the weight... However, that would result in a much longer skirt.

Another thing to think about is using natural fibres, either cotton, linen, wool or silk mixes. They have rougher surfaces and like to 'stick' to one another which means the fabric should cling to itself better than if you use an artifical fibre.

If you do need to resort to pinning, I think your best bet is to experiment with kilt pins. Then when you've got the look right, hunt down some suitable brooches.

Hope that helps.

[taimatsu]

I intend to add detachable sleeves and make some leggings to wear with it :)