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Victorian
Bustle
Day Dress
Lesson 1
with Jennifer Rosbrugh
www.HistoricalSewing.com
Victorian Bustle Day Dress
Lesson 1
Stuff to Get Before We Begin – Supplies & Patterns
3
Design & Trim Ideas – What do you want the dress to look like?
4
Fabric Selections – What you should and should not use
6
Measurements for Skirt s – What size to cut
8
Sewing & Cutting Tips – Good stuff to keep in mind
11
Homework Assignment – Time to get to work
13
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Stuff To Get Before We Begin
I am SO happy you're here! We are going to have a grand time making a bustle dress
together. 
By now you should have read the welcome page with guidelines on how this online class
will work, tips for the Facebook discussion group, and contact information regarding your
enrollment. If you have any questions at any time, please contact me. I want to see you
succeed!
Before we begin the class, please make sure you have the following items. You can't make a
Victorian bustle dress without some of these vital elements. Most on this list were given to
you when you registered for the class. They are here for your future reference in case you
want to go through the lessons on your own for another costume.
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Basic Sewing Kit: scissors, seam ripper, machine & hand needles, seam gauge, straight
pins, thread, steam iron
Tape/ribbon for skirt ties; bodice buttons; hook & bars/eyes
Pattern Tools: 18" clear ruler, pencils, eraser, paper, clear tape
Chemise & drawers or combinations undergarments
Victorian corset
Bustle: petticoat bustle, lobster tail or bum pad
Petticoats: 1 to 2 is best for this time period
The above finished items are vital for fittings.
Truly Victorian Patterns – choose a set from one column
1870s Early Bustle
#201 – 1870s Underskirt
#305 – Bustled Apron
Overskirt
#400 – 1871 Day Bodice
Natural Form Era
#221 – Tie-Back Underskirt
#324 – 1878 Long Draped
Overskirt
#420 – 1879 Cuirass Bodice
1880s Late Bustle
#261 – 1885 Four Gore
Underskirt
#365 – 1883 August
Overskirt
#460 – 1885 Bustle Cuirass
Bodice
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Design & Trim Ideas – What do you want the dress to look like?
It's always good to have some sort of idea, a vision, of the final costume design. What it will
look like in the end. Even when you let the fabrics and trims speak to you throughout the
construction process (something you should allow for), having the end in mind is a brilliant
thought.
Without a vision you will stumble through the creative process. You will get discouraged.
Your dress will end up in the UFO (Un-Finished Object) pile. Stand out from other
costumers and finish this project. Choosing a design will help. You can do it!
It's creative work to select a design. Let your imagination run with it. For this class you are
using a set of basic patterns to create your base. Use the tips below to give this simple
silhouette some umph and help you narrow down your ideas. It completely up to you how
wild or period accurate you wish to make your dress.
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Explore multiple fabrics for each garment, such as both skirts the same, with the bodice
in a different fabric
Make the bodice in one fabric with contrasting sleeves giving a sleeveless vest look
Add rows of ruffles or ruches to the underskirt; add them to the sleeves to imitate cuffs
Belts and sashes are popular for 1870s looks
Add fringe or lace to the overskirt hem
Cut a round, square or V neckline, or keep to the pattern high to the collarbone
Research ideas in Google image searches, and by looking at the collections at the Met
Museum (http://www.metmuseum.org/collections) and the Victoria & Albert Museum
(http://collections.vam.ac.uk/).
Remember to keep the patterns in mind for the shapes you'll be making. Then simply add
your own touch through fabric selections and trim.
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Illustrated London News, Sept. 1869
1875 April L’Élégance Parisienne
Left: 1880 May
Journal des
Demoiselles
Right: 1877 October
Godey's Lady's Book
Left: 1883 La Mode
Illustree
Right: 1887 Godey's
Lady's Book
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Research Books for Inspiration
80 Godey's Full-Color Fashion Plates: 1838-1880, JoAnne Olian, Dover
American Dress Pattern Catalogs, 1873-1909, Nancy V. Bryk, Dover
Fairchild's Dictionary of Textiles, Phyllis G. Tortora
Fashions of the Gilded Age, Volume 1: Undergarments, Bodices, Skirts, Overskirts,
Polonaises, and Day Dresses 1877-1882, Frances Grimble
Full-Color Victorian Fashions: 1870-1893, JoAnne Olian, Dover
Metropolitan Fashions of the 1880s: From the 1885 Butterick Catalog, Butterick Publishing
Co., Dover
Nineteenth Century Fashion in Detail, Lucy Johnston
Victorian Costume for Ladies: 1860-1900, Linda Setnik, Schiffer
Victorian and Edwardian Fashions from "La Mode Illustree", JoAnne Olian, Dover
Victorian Fashion in America, 264 Vintage Photographs, Kristina Harris, Dover
Victorian Fashions: A Pictorial Archive, Carol Grafton, Dover
Victorian Fashions & Costumes from Harper's Bazar: 1867-1898, Stella Blum, Dover
Also visit the Pinterest board specifically set up for this class as well as my other Bustle Era
board:
http://pinterest.com/jenrosbrugh/victorian-bustle-day-dresses/
http://pinterest.com/jenrosbrugh/bustle-era-1870-1889/
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Fabric Selections – What you should and should not use
Fabrics can make or break a historical costume. It's important to constantly be studying
textiles: walking through the aisles of a fabric store and getting to know what certain fibers
feel like and how they drape (the 'hand' of a fabric). Spend time in a quality department
store simply feeling garments and checking the tags for content so you can come to quickly
identify a fiber by feel or title given online.
For a more period look, stick with natural fibers: cotton, linen, silk and wool.
Avoid synthetics when possible such as polyester and nylon materials. However, blends
like cotton/poly, linen/rayon and wool/nylon are widely available and offer good budget
options. Try to find blends with the natural fiber being of the higher percentage.
You can read more about cotton fabrics that work well for day dresses here:
http://historicalsewing.com/cotton-fabrics-for-bustle-foundation-skirts
Silks are lovely and can make beautiful visiting or afternoon day dresses. If your budget
allows, go for taffeta, a smooth textile. Dupionis and shantungs are also ok choices, but try
to find ones with the fewest slubs. The fewest slubs equate higher quality materials.
Wools are perfect for Victorian day wear. 100% wool is available but can be expensive.
You'll want to stick to lighter-weight wools like tropical or suiting. Wools will hold their
shape best when flatlined with a cotton.
Linen is best reserved for summer wear. You can find lovely linen/rayon blends that will
work well for bustle dresses. Look for smooth linens and avoid the rough, heavy weights.
For online fabric resources visit: http://historicalsewing.com/resources/fabrics-trims
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Colors
You can't go wrong with solid colors. Navy, blues of all shades, reds, pinks and burgundys,
greens - mainly medium to dark shades, purples and mauves, browns, black and white. If
you have an off color, like light yellow, do a bit a research to see if you can find an original
with the same color and fabric.
Aniline dyes were in! Invented in 1856 by mistake the first vivid mauve was born. From
there every deep jewel color you can think of came into existence. These are BRIGHT! Make
a bold statement with stunning purple, Kelly green, royal blue, powerful red, deep black or
vivid orange.
Although quite period, be careful with prints. Do research or simply go with what strikes
your fancy. When in doubt, stay with a smaller motif. By the Bustle Era, many patterns
were closer together and did not have a lot of background "white space" as the two
previous decades. Avoid overly busy designs. Oriental touches were becoming huge with
the Victorians so look for those. Paisley is wonderful as well.
Stripes! They are everywhere on dresses through each of the Bustle Eras. Use them to your
heart's content. All sizes and colors of stripes too, printed or woven. Mix two stripes or toss
in a complementary print.
Be bold – try a plaid. Queen Victorian set a popular trend with her Scottish heritage in the
1850s. Plaids were still being used in the bustle period but not as prevalent. Team with a
complementary solid so the plaid is the focal point.
Late Victorians were all about textures and layers. Use two fabrics for your dress – bodice
and overskirt in a print or solid, underskirt in the opposite. In summer gowns you can get
away with only one fabric for all three garments. Keep trims lightweight.
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They loved mixing wools and cottons or linens. Silks were usually by themselves but could
mix with high quality cotton sateens. You can also make a cotton dress and trim in silk.
Self-trims were popular – cut your ruffles and ruches out of the same or contrasting fashion
fabric. Add braids over the ruffle seams. Attach fringe to the overskirt.
For a successful bustle dress it must have trim! Be brave and pin first before attaching.
Fabrics to Look For & Use in Bustle Dresses
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Quilting cottons
Twill, chambray
Poplin, broadcloth
Lawn, voile & batiste – interlined with organdy or organza
Soft cotton organdy
Shirtings
Cotton sateen
Cotton damask (jacquard woven textile)
Brocade in cotton or silk
Eyelet – avoid cliché patterns
Fine wale corduroy
Wool suitings
Linen – avoid rough looking, heavy materials
Linen/rayon or Linen/cotton blends
Silk taffeta
Silk dupioni, shantung – select fabrics with the least amount of slubs
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Measurements for Skirts – What size to cut
Follow the diagram given in the pattern sewing instructions.
Take measurements first. You'll want to put on your chemise and corset for your waist and
hip measurements. DO NOT measure over your bustle support.
Cut your skirt size according to your hip.
You can cut your waistband size by what the pattern chart says or try the calculation
method below.
Waistband
Cut your waistband the length of your corseted waist measurement plus seam allowances
plus width of the placket. (Placket measurements are below.)
Example for a 30” waist (measurement over undergarments) with ½” seam allowances:
Length of waistband: 30” + 1/2” + 1/2” + 1" placket = 32” cut length.
Your waistband width can vary from 1” to 2” wide with 1 & 1/4” to 1 & 1/2” the best
widths. I like to cut my waistbands 3" or 3 & 1/2" wide – this includes seam allowances.
Your overskirt waistband can use the same measurements.
If you have a thick fabric, allow for a bit of ease. You can read about that here:
http://historicalsewing.com/struggling-to-get-that-waistband-closed-easey-part1
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Placket
Your skirt opening should be large enough to easily get on over you and your
undergarments with enough to turn it if necessary and settle it into place. I always
recommend skirt openings of 8" to 12". The placket pattern here is for a 9" opening (that's
from seamline at waist to bottom of opening).
This pattern is made up by measurements. I keep it on
my corkboard and use it for all my skirts.
Make yours the length you want. For this one it's 10"
long (9" plus a 1/2" seam allowance at top & bottom).
The finished width is 1" so double that and add seam
allowance and cut 3" wide.
If you want a wider or narrower placket, figure this first
and adjust the calculation on your cut waistband length.
Video sewing instructions on how to set the placket into
your foundation skirt will be in lesson 2.
If your fabric is sheer or lightweight you may want to add a thin layer for interfacing. Use a
second layer of sheer, soft organdy, organza or a sew-in interfacing.
I rarely underline my plackets unless the fabric is fine and the hook/bar closure needs
support. You can cut your placket from a lighter underlining fabric rather than your skirt
fabric, but using the skirt fabric will hide the opening better.
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Sewing & Cutting Tips – Good stuff to keep in mind
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All seam allowances are 1/2" (1.3cm).
Pre-wash your cotton and linen fabrics. You may want to do a quick hand wash of any
cotton trims too.
Press your fabrics (all of them) with as much heat & steam as they'll take. Pre-washing
or not, this will help "shrink" the fibers further so when you press in construction, you
won't have a shrinking issue.
Press as you go! For years I've said half your sewing time is at the ironing board, and it's
true for quality craftsmanship. Press every seam flat first. Then press open or to the
side. LET COOL before moving! Blow on it if you have to (I do this a lot).
Use a pressing ham or sleeve roll to press seams open. This helps prevent those ridges
from showing through on the right side. A press cloth of cotton or linen helps prevent
ridges and a "shiny-ness" from appearing from your hot iron.
Grade your seam allowances when enclosed like the waistband seam, neckline, sleeve
hem/cuff and skirt hem. http://historicalsewing.com/tutorials/how-to-grade-seamallowances
Use your large skirt pieces cut from the fashion fabric as a pattern to cut your
underlining. This works well for netting on the overskirt too.
After cutting your overskirt (and foundation skirt if it has a top pouf section), place
safety pins at the pouf marks noted on the pattern. This will save you a world of
frustration when you go to pouf up the skirt with the ties.
Staystitch those curved edges after cutting: skirt front, overskirt apron front, necklines.
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Homework Assignment – Time to get to work
1. Gather your supplies & notions. Order patterns (if you haven't done so already).
2. Decide on your design. Are you doing Early Bustle 1870s, Natural Form Era, or Late
Bustle 1880s? What kind of trim do you want – ruffles, bows, pleats, lace?
I like to write out each of my costumes on paper
with specifics as to my design, where I found the
design (book, photo, website, etc.), specific design
elements (5 ruffles at skirt hem, pleated trim on
sleeves, etc.), my fabrics (fiber content, width,
yardage), special notions, patterns, and my
measurements (especially the waist so I know how
much I need to cinch in my corset).
3. Select and order fabrics. Include all fashion
fabrics, underlinings and trims (or fabric for
self-trims).
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4. Pre-treat your fabrics by washing and/or steam pressing.
5. Take your measurements over your undergarments. DO NOT take your hip
measurement over your bustle support.
6. Cut out or trace your foundation skirt pattern
size. Draft out your waistband pattern or cut
by measurements. Draft a placket pattern.
7. Lengthen or shorten your skirt pattern if necessary.
8. Cut out foundation skirt fashion fabric and underlinings if required.
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Remember, if you are making the 1880s Underskirt with the poufs at the center back top
area, make sure to place safety pins at the bustle tie markings as shown on the pattern.
(You'll also do this after cutting your overskirt, but we'll get to that later.)
Videos in This Lesson
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Choosing Your Design & Fabrics
Taking Measurements & Choosing Your Pattern Size
How to Lengthen or Shorten Your Skirt Pattern
Happy Sewing!
~Jennifer
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© 2013 by Jennifer Rosbrugh and HistoricalSewing.com. All rights reserved.
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