Mary Kathleen Part 4 - The Bodice

It was time to fit the bodice and I thought it would be much easier than anything I had done on the skirt. Au Contraire! The bodice on this dress also went through many variations. I wanted a nice tight fit and slim waistline, (who of us does not?), but found myself juggling seams and remaking constantly. I wanted the bodice to be authentic, but could not find the best way to achieve the result of the lining showing on the turn back. I looked at a Louise Hedrick example and the construction was not even similar. What lesson was I missing? I read “Costumes in Detail” and the Janet Arnold books and could not find the answers there. It was up to me to create everything I could see in the fashion plate and make the garment as correctly as possible. The neckline turned out beautiful. The chemise lace shows ever so little and matches the rounding wonderfully. The hooks in back alternate so there is no specific pulling in any one are. While there, I spoke with several experts and have learned that I should not have lined this bodice the way I did, as that is what is causing some bunching. This was the best lesson I learned. In speaking with those who know, that best way might have been to snip the lining at the center and finish off the edges of the cut area. This would have released any pressure and pulling from the inside. The linings would also have been apparent in the turn back and I would not have forfeited the style. Having completed this costume, I do believe I can take on other challenges with more success. I intend to try it. To date, however, this is the most complicated thing I have made.
I think it is time to get her accessories and a wig on, don’t you?

Kathi Mendenhall