Ok, I’m just going to go ahead and say that I never thought I’d be discussing underwear online. That said, it’s probably one of the most crucial pieces of garb for my comfort and overall look, so it’s worth discussing!
The fact of the matter is, due to my body type, I really need some support. I often look forward to events because I get to eschew the pain and discomfort of cutting elastic, straps, hooks etc. How pleasant it is, instead, to wear a cool, sweat-wicking garment with nothing pinchy! The thing is, modern bras are, while uncomfortable, very effective. It’s an engineering project to get anything close to a similar result using woven fabric. Success here would be a fully finished garment in a period design with a good shape and silhouette that distributed the weight of my bust evenly so as to be comfortable all day and night. Here’s a quick rundown of my trial and errors so far:
- First attempt/first garb – 2010 – I wasn’t sure what to do and was limited on fabric, so I basically made two sleeveless kirtles to wear as my second layer over a non-supportive chemise and under another gown. They were basically tubes, and for some reason decided to attach a strap in the front that went over the shoulders. (I think got confused by partlets) Flattening, but fairly supportive. I was a bit thinner back then so the engineering wasn’t quite as crucial. I also thought medieval ladies wore no underwear at all. Oh, the chafing in that Pennsic heat.
- Second attempt – 2013 – My second garb-making attempt happened in 2013. I bought a ton of white cotton muslin and made some basic non-supportive chemises, and the idea was to wear two gowns at all times, and let the lower gown take care of the support. This sort of worked, but I wasn’t satisfied with being chained to wearing two gowns all the time, and also I had some trouble getting the bottom layer gown to stay tight enough throughout the day. I had to make some emergency alterations halfway through Gulf Wars!
- Third attempt – 2017 – With mounting dissatisfaction, I decided it was time to get articulated. I attempted to engineer something like the Lengberg castle bra, but failed, ran out of time, and ended up taking an existing non-supportive chemise and went in, cut off the sleeves, and tailored it MUCH tighter, like a kirtle. Very rough, definitely uni-boob, but at least it supported. I shaped using the front and sides, and ended up adding two darts right under the bust, which isn’t period and honestly didn’t work that well. I also did more or less the same with an existing mundane nightgown.
- Fourth attempt – 2018 – I came back to my failed project and really tried once more to wrap my head around how it was going to work. I examined modern bras, I exhaustively read over other people’s attempts, and finally, after SO much error, came up with an 8-piece articulated cup design that actually worked. But, in my fashion, barely in time for Gulf Wars, so it was never finished. And, also in my fashion, it stretched out during the week and I needed to sew it tighter, thereby eliminating the darn opening. But it WORKED! Comfortable, no weird shifting, and the best silhouette I’ve achieved yet.
- Fifth Attempt – 2019 – And here’s where we catch up. I started a few days ago trying to make another one of these; sewing up some pieces I cut out last year. But, now I’m thinking I’m going to take a step back and maybe try to engineer the cups more closely to the extant example, with one center seam rather than the four I came up with. The goal is long sleeves with a front closure. I’m guessing that my best bet for a good fit is to get the cups more or less where they need to be, and take it in little by little in the back.
So… I feel like a complete idiot because in writing this blog and going back to find Katafalk’s version… I realized she actually had a pattern. Oh geez. Oops. How did I miss that? Well, that helps just a little. /s
It’s so humbling to sew!