Getting Dressed in an Empire Gown
Getting dressed in an Empire gown is a process, not just because the gown itself it eight feet long, including the train, and requires pins and ties to make everything secure. What goes on beneath the gown, and in what order, is as important as the gown itself...
STEP TWO The Stays I chose the beige fabric to make the stays for two reasons: in the information that came with the pattern from the Mantua-Maker, Deb Salisbury, described a set French stays of the same color; secondly, due to the almost diaphanous nature of the bleached muslin, I needed to make the stays virtually disappear beneath the gown. |
STEP THREE
Petticoat In lieu of a petticoat, I use a half slip that goes to my ankles. After looking at pictures of myself in the gown, I saw that the outline of the stays' bottom was visible. Having the slip/petticoat over the stays will help eliminate that outline. A petticoat is on my to-do list... |