Fabric and design decided on, the next step in the process of creating my new 1863 evening gown was to decide on a pattern.
I decided to start with the pattern I used for the bodice of Evie, my 1864 evening gown (this originally came from Janet Arnold’s Patterns of Fashion 2). You might remember that I needed to adjust Evie to fit me two years ago, so I knew that the pattern would not work as is. For the new pattern, I added some space to the waist circumference, bust area, and across the shoulder blades in back.
To test out my pattern changes before cutting into the silk, I cut my flat lining and basted it together to check the fit. Looks good in the front!
And also looks good in the back! Success! No further alterations needed! 
The zipper in the back is my fitting zipper–a long separating zipper I can baste into mockups to check the fit without having to pin anything. This is great for fitting on myself! The zipper ensures the my center back edges will meet nicely so I can move on knowing that the bodice will fit.
As a side note, I have to mention how silly bodices from this period look without skirts! The bodice stops at the natural waist on the sides, which makes my legs look super long and my torso super short! This bodice actually stops even a little higher than my natural waist. The layers of hoop, petticoat, and skirt waistbands all add bulk that needs to be accommodated for smooth lines on the finished bodice.
The next step will be to work with the lovely apricot silk that will be exterior of the dress.
The Quintessential Clothes Pen 
I can’t wait to see the colors together! Isn’t it interesting how the style creates an “optical illusion” of sorts on a person’s body? I am actually working on a costume for a presentation I will do in a few weeks. I bought a pretty sleeveless blouse on sale and am adding long sleeves to make it look 1904-ish. I’m adding a few tucks to the sleeves and found a pretty brooch for the neckline at an antique shop. I will take a photo for you when it’s done! I so enjoy your blog! You are inspiring!
Thank you for the encouragement! Your blouse project sounds both creative and useful! Hopefully it is fun to put together as well. Thanks for taking the time to comment and share!