Refection on Design Two

Unfortunately the design I chose from the Norah Waugh Book 'The Cut of Woman's Clothes' does not have any reference to where it is from. This meant that I did not know from what year or place the image came from.

After looking through my research i soon learnt that the garment was fashionable at around 1895. 


I liked needing to research for this design rather than just copying a pattern from Arnold, J and feel that I have learnt a lot more for it. 


After draping the skirt of this costume I realised that I had placed pleats all around the centre back and darts down the side seams and wondered how I can make the skirt possible to get in and out. I first thought about the seam but this is down the side front and right in front of the eye. 


I thought about any other way of allowing the skirt to get on and off with out needing to add another seam as I loved the way it all draped. 


I then realized that maybe I could place the opening and placket just one side of the centre back underneath a box pleat that could then be poppered across. 


However this idea looked a lot more clear in my mind and I had a great problem trying to organised a way of doing it. Finally I worked out the best way of putting the placket inside a box pleat. 


This made me really happy and feel like such an achievement because I had worked out how to do it without any help. 

If I was making this garment as a finished piece in top fabric I would place a few bones in both the blouse and the jacket seam allowance. 


I feel I have learnt a lot from this design and hope to put it all to good use next year.