I’m currently making some historybounding or cottagecore dresses. The dresses are inspired by historical fashion. However, they are still modern enough so that I can wear them today as summer dresses. 😀 This is one of my historybounding dresses: It’s inspired by 18th century dresses.
My modern 18th century dress has a separate bodice and skirt. For the bodice I used my usual 18th century stays pattern. However, I shortened the pattern so that the bodice ends just below the waist.
The bodice is lightly boned and closes at the center front with spiral lacing. All the lacing eyelets are hand-sewn. The bodice also has tied shoulder straps with hand-sewn eyelets.
The skirt is separate from the bodice, cartridge pleated into a cotton twill waistband and closes at the center back with hooks & eyes and snaps.
Related: How To Sew Cartridge Pleats
To stiffen and embellish the skirt, I added three wide tucks and a wide cotton hem facing.
The fabric that I used for my modern 18th century dress was this Victorian-style skirt before! 😀 However, because I didn’t like the color, I dyed the fabric dark blue with fabric dye. 😉
Related: Update Old Clothes With Fabric Dye
And I also dyed the vintage cotton bed sheet blue which I used for the bodice lining and hem facing.
I love how my modern 18th century dress turned out! 😀 I think I soon make another historybounding dress.