The essential Regency 'little white dress' - Jane Austen Festival 2012, Bath

I am creating my very first Regency 'little white dress', the essential dress of the early period of the Regency and Directoire periods. I have steered clear of white for a long while as I am sure to spill beetroot on it the first time I wear it, even if beetroot is no where near me! I'm like that lol!

I also felt the gown could be a tad ingenue for a women of my 'certain age', but it seems all ages wore them, so who am I to declare that I am of an unsuitable age?

Not only will the gown be white, it is also a sheer muslin, so la, you will be able to see right through it and will be bib fronted, my very first of these as well. I'm using the Hungarian Chicks brilliant tutorial on the bib front gown with the pattern based, loosely, on the one in Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion.

This gown is going to be the base for bright shawls, sleeveless spencers and over gowns. It will enable me to 'ring the changes' with the very small wardrobe I can take on the plane to Bath.

I particularly love the sleeveless spencers on the right, they will add colour and difference at the bodice and won't be bulky to pack, unlike four different gown styles.

It is rather exciting working with such sheer fabric, the muslin is so beautifully soft and has a slight sheen.

I cut the gown out two days ago and started sewing today, the Hungarian Chick says that once you get the hang og it, you can whip this gown together in four hours, I'm not as fast as that, but it has been a surprisingly quick project.

So, first, the bodice, which I am pinning closed, rather than using buttons, pins are definitely a period closure and I detest buttonholes, yes I am a coward where they are concerned. I'm also running a thin cord through the bodice neck line to draw it in close with a slight gather, or loosen it off, should I want a lower bodice for evening wear. This is a technique used in the late 18th century gowns and all through the 19th and into the early 20th.

White on white on white, so very hard to see the bodice front

Back bodice, a better pic

The next step is to put the skirt together. Now, I didn't follow the Hungarian Chick's tutorial to stitch the skirt together because I didn't get it at first and was too impaitent to get start, d'oh, so instead I stitched five gown 'drops' together from the width of my fabric, selvedge to selvedge and after all that seaming, I'll also have a massive hem to stitch, next time, I will use her method which has only one skirt seam and a selvedge for the hem. Having created my large 'tube' as she calls it, I found the centre front, measured 8" in and 18" down and cut the front bib slit in the skirt and hemmed both sides with a rolled hem.

Next I made my bodice bib front, I cut a long strip of muslin on the cross (bias) and then gathered it in to create a lovely ruched effect.

 Then I pinned the skirt on to see how it would work

Looking good, I need a few more pleats to compensate for my plump tummy. Next I'll had the sleeves into the bodice and then attach the skirt and beyond metres of hemming, it will be finished, that is indeed quick.

It is rather exciting working with such sheer fabric, the muslin is so beautifully soft and has a slight sheen.


I cut the gown out two days ago and started sewing today, the Hungarian Chick says that once you get the hang og it, you can whip this gown together in four hours, I'm not as fast as that, but it has been a surprisingly quick project.


So, first, the bodice, which I am pinning closed, rather than using buttons, pins are definitely a period closure and I detest buttonholes, yes I am a coward where they are concerned. I'm also running a thin cord through the bodice neck line to draw it in close with a slight gather, or loosen it off, should I want a lower bodice for evening wear. This is a technique used in the late 18th century gowns and all through the 19th and into the early 20th.

White on white on white, so very hard to see the bodice front

Back bodice, a better pic

The next step is to put the skirt together. Now, I didn't follow the Hungarian Chick's tutorial to stitch the skirt together because I didn't get it at first and was too impaitent to get start, d'oh, so instead I stitched five gown 'drops' together from the width of my fabric, selvedge to selvedge and after all that seaming, I'll also have a massive hem to stitch, next time, I will use her method which has only one skirt seam and a selvedge for the hem. Having created my large 'tube' as she calls it, I found the centre front, measured 8" in and 18" down and cut the front bib slit in the skirt and hemmed both sides with a rolled hem.


Next I made my bodice bib front, I cut a long strip of muslin on the cross (bias) and then gathered it in to create a lovely ruched effect.

 Then I pinned the skirt on to see how it would work

Looking good, I need a few more pleats to compensate for my plump tummy. Next I'll had the sleeves into the bodice and then attach the skirt and beyond metres of hemming, it will be finished, that is indeed quick.

Cutting the facing for the bib front bodice

The bib front with bib bodice attached

The gown is finished, I feel it has turned out very well.

With bib front down, I gathered my under bodice with ribbon, rather than fitting it and adding buttons, I think it gives more versatility size wise

With bib front attached, I didn't pleat the bib front,  I prefer a plain front

Back of gown showing ties, I haven't stitched on my tie holders as yet

Back close-up

The gown is very transparent, when you consider that most women didn't wear drawers and their chemise and petticoat was equally sheer, hmmm, risque times indeed!

The final product, off to a Regency dinner party with friends.