Romantic Dresses

 So I've been working on some dresses for an upcoming theatrical. I've decided I enjoy costuming for the theater, because while it is often historically-based, allowances can be made for the circumstances: being on stage, being wired with a mike, changing costumes, etc. And besides being historical, the costumes have to impart character in coloring and design perhaps rather more than normal reenacting garments.

 Matron dress: Yes, I know: plastic button fail. This dress is all simple grey broadcloth, made for the matron of an orphanage. There are three yards in the skirt. The bodice is fitted with darts, and I added a small pocket on the lower front. The sleeves are slightly curved with a little gathered fullness at the top.

 Pocket!

I started out with this dress in patterned cotton. My goal was to make it drape over the front, so I put slanted pleats at the shoulder and gathered the bodice front at the waistline, as close as possible to the center front. It turned out well, but the lady who will be wearing it is fairly small, and the gathered fabric puffed out ridiculously, so I had to take it in at the shoulder and tack down the pleats for some pouf control.

Shoulder pleats.

This dress I went with larger sleeves and small boned waist pleats. The buttons are supposedly coconut shell. I didn't spend time on matching the stripes, and that probably shows at the front closure.

I also added piping at the seams.

This dress is for a street girl selling flowers. It's going to be very striking.