Robe á la Polonaise
The Design
This project was assigned to learn how to pattern draft a conical bodice.
I decided to use some curtain fabric from my old house to design and build a dress from the 18th century.
When I prepared the fabric, I noticed the leopard pattern had a gradient.
I decided to take advantage of this by strategically placing the gradient in the centre of the skirt and on the pleated trim.
The Gown
Pattern Drafting and Manipulation
I began with a basic bodice pattern I drafted from my measurements. I manipulated the block to create a basic conical bodice. I then referenced a Polonaise gown pattern in Janet Arnold’s Patterns of Fashion 1 (p.39) to decide the style lines of the bodice pattern. I drafted a sleeve from my two-part sleeve pattern.
I then made a mock-up and fit it on my dress form and myself before cutting out the fashion fabric.
Construction
I began construction by building the boned bodice from canvas. I used a steel busk for a center from closure partial because I had not done it before and also because it would help to keep a flat front without undergarments. The side seam was left as an alterable point.
After constructing the boned bodice, I covered it with fashion fabric and attached the sleeves. The polonaise skirt was attached at the back to the dice and then with a waist tape. The underskirt was a separate piece.
Completed Base Gown
I was very happy with the basic gown and how it achieved the shape of the period with out any understructure. Now it was time for the trim.
Finishing
After completing the gown, all that was left was the finishings. After some research on 18th-century trim, I decided to make box pleat trim to line the center front, neckline, and sleeve openings. The trim was cut with pinking shears and a line of stitching held the pleats in place. The trim on the underskirt also was pinked and box pleated, but was much wider and only stitched on the top edge to allow the trim to move.
Design Variation
When I began this project I considered overdyeing the fabric to dull the leopard design. In procreate I overlayed different colours to see how it might look. In the end, I decided to embrace the leopard print and leave the fabric as is. I liked the juxtaposition of a traditional gown with a modern fabric.
