Victorian Bustle Dresses

Victorian Bustle Dresses 1872, 1881, 1888

I get many inquiries about the various research and construction aspects of Bustle Era dresses. This period from about 1869 to 1889 is full of the best designs of the later Victorian years. If you want girly and fluffy – you’ll find it here. More tailored is your style? Yep. And smooth fitting is smack in the middle.

Below is a list of my posts here on my blog covering the fashions, fabrics, trims, fitting, and undergarments for my favorite period of fashion history.

 

Bustle Era Specific Posts & Tutorials:

Bustle Era Changes – The Highs & Lows in the 1870s & 1880s – explore the three distinct fashion varieties that reside within these two decades

How Do You Know It’s a 1870s Bustle Dress? – 5 features that classify garments of the early-to-mid 1870s styles

Selecting the Correct Bustle to Create the 1870s or 1880s Silhouette You Want – breaking down the Bustle Era years with tips and patterns to get the accurate silhouette shape you want

August 1878

How to Make an 1870s Bustle Skirt – my popular video tutorial on getting those beautiful poufs

Demystifying Bustle Skirt Poufs – take the guesswork out of making a basic bustle skirt back

Quick Study of an 1880 Natural Form Gown – a look at a beautiful silver blue silk taffeta gown displayed at the Fashioning Fashion exhibit at LACMA

Finishing Your Victorian Skirts with a Hidden Placket Opening – how to cut a skirt placket then how to attach it to your skirt for a smooth, “hidden” closure

Laughing Moon 112 Trained Bustle

The Tail of 3 Bustles – my sewing review of patterns: Truly Victorian TV163 Lobster Tail Bustle, Truly Victorian TV101 Petticoat Bustle, and Laughing Moon 112, view C Trained Bustle

Cotton Fabrics for Bustle Foundation Skirts – covering cotton fabric recommendations to provide a firm foundation of your dress

Constructing a Victorian Bustle Dress – construction tips of the three garments that form the basic foundation of a bustle dress

Figuring Out How To Do Pleats on the Back of a Bustle Bodice – help creating those gorgeous fluffy bodice tail pleats that float above the puffed up bustle

Boning in Bustle Bodices – a look at what kind and where to apply boning in 1870s & 1880s bodices

Waist Tape Wrangling, or the Unseen Bodice Support – the what, why and how to setting in a functional waist tape on your bodices

When Your Bustle Poufs Just Don’t Lay Right – tweaks you can apply to make that puffy bustle skirt stay in place

How to Deal With Too Much Width in Your Sleeve Cap – 3 techniques shown in a video tutorial on how you can handle extra fabric across the sleeve cap

How to Sit in a Victorian Bustle Dress – for when you’ve finished your ensemble and are ready to dress out for your event

The Simple Solution to Perfect Pleats – the secret to keeping your finely pleated bustle trim in place

Victorian Dressing Gowns & Tea Gowns: A Brief Overview – boudoir fashion that became popular in the 1870s continuing into the Edwardian Era

 

Other Posts & Tutorials:

The Big Scary World of a New Time Period

Planning a Big Costume Project

Bringing a Fashion Plate to Life

How Much Yardage Do I Need?

Big Butts of the 19th Century

Fitting Guidelines for Flattering Victorian Costumes

Fitting a Victorian Bodice on Yourself

Working with Mockups

Sleeve Fitting for Movement – or Victorian BFFs

How to Apply Boning to Darts

Easy Method to Make 3-D Trim Motifs

How to Make Ribbon Bows for Victorian Costumes

How to Flatline a Bodice

Flatlining 19th Century Skirts

Before Frosting You Must First Bake the Cake! – making the foundation skirt for my 1887 Summer Berry Trifle Dress

How To Finish Your Skirt Hems For The Most Support

Curvy & Dressing Historical

A Breakdown of How to Make the 1872 Blue Velvet Dress

Quick Note & Pattern Ideas for an 1880s Winter Dress

Finished Skirt Ruffles on 1870s Bustle Skirt

 

How to Calculate Yardage for Ruffles

Why Sewing Trim to The Back of a Hem is a Good Thing

Fabric Info Posts: Cotton, Linen, Wool and Organdy

 

Jennifer’s Bustle Era Projects:

1871 Harvest Grape Dress

The 3-Hour Hat Non-Tutorial (hat made for the 1871 Harvest Grape Dress)

Pink Parisian Tournure

1873 Blackberry Cream Victorian Ensemble

1873 Licorice Princess Dress

1875 Scotch & Soda Dinner Dress

1876 Trained & Ruffled Petticoat

1880 Vanilla Dressing Gown –
Creating the Lace Panels
Constructing the Gown

1883 Caramel Apple Dress

1883 Summer Rose Tea Dress

1886 Pink Bubble Gum Diamonds Dress

1886 Ivory Spring Hat (worn with the Bubble Gum dress)

1887 Summer Berry Trifle Dress

Tips for Whipping up a 1880s Summer Berry Hat (worn with Summer Berry dress)

 

If you need a bit more step-by-step guidance on sewing up your bustle dress I invite you to sign up for my online Bustle Day Dress Class. We go through each step from fitting & patterning to finishing techniques. More on the class here.

To finalize your new dress ensemble I have an online class for making a buckram frame hat to polish off your 1870s or 1880s look. Sign up for the 1880s Hat Class here. (Tips for 1870s shapes included.)