#jk i love making corsets n i expect ill love making stays

[bismuthburnsblue]

before i can start even thinking about my dress for Lady Stede, i need to consider the four base layers i need to support it:

1: Shift

my plan is to go quick and a little dirty here- just a bog standard basic shift pattern with a drawstring at the neck. its not inaccurate for the era, but i really am not abiding by any specific history here. i dont do enough costuming to have more than one shift, so i want something that will work with as many different pieces as possible, and the drawstring will hopefully allow that. i have some linen i bought with the intent of making a shift or shirt a little while back, so its finally time to use it up!

2: Stays

i already own redthreaded's 1750s stays pattern, so im going to employ that here! its going to be a perfect time period for the dress im making, and im already enamoured with the style as it is. i actually bought the pattern with the intent of making a fashion set of stays using a cotton print i got for pennies that reminded me of those gorgeous blue and white print designs. i think that plan fits stede without need to change anything, so i just get to move that project up the list! i think my only adjustments are that ill make sure i pay attention to the histori silhouette when fitting a bit more. im not quite sure what im. going to be using for my strength layer yet, i wont have enough coutil without buying more, and so i was considering trying a more historical option if i have to make a purchase anyway.

(the fabric- the colour is more blue in person i promise!)

3: Pocket Hoops

theres probably a good argument to be made that a full pannier would be a more appropriate undergarment for a lady stede costume, especially with my influences... however. i have to get this into a suitcase, so it absolutely has to be pocket hoops. ill tell myself that thats Stede's idea of toning it down on the boat, of practicality. ive stared at a lot of images of pocket hoops in this process already, and i think ive determined the key factor in making a pair i would like: the top length. pocket hoops where the length between the top hoop and the waist is too short pull at a weird angle i hate, and ones where its too long go saggy and lose the dramatic shape of the skirt. it seems to be a very easy thing to get wrong because ive seen a lot of ones that just dont look right to me. the rest of the pocket hoop is easy as pie. ive got a couple patterns in books i own already, and ive decided to go with the enclosed style, for storage potential. the rest of the pattern ill fiddle with until its giving me the shape i really want. i dont have any hooping wire or cane, and i dont want to buy in bulk (which is the way all my usual haunts sell it) so im going on a fun trip to the hardware store to see if i can find a boning alternative!

4: Under-Petticoat

ive seen two main styles of this, the one thats a base skirt designed to go under the pocket hoops, and the one that is essentially the same as the petticoat you see, two halves that tie front and back and go over the hoops. im yet to decide which style im going with for certain, though im leaning towards the second style because for my purposes, i cant see how the first really helps? ill have a shift that long anyway and its away from the top surfaces, so it seems obsolete to me. doing it the other way will also give me chance to practice for my outer petticoat, too. but i think i still have a lot of research to do on this particular element before making a final decision. i know im going to use a random cotton i have around though, probably old bedsheets or something of the like. something breezy and light but inexpensive and not precious yardage.

looks like im going to have a busy winter!