I am reading Amanda Foreman's novel "Georgiana Duchesse of Devonshire." and
i enjoy it very much. Its full of fashionable details.
I stumbled about this quotation about "false fronts" wich i dont think i
know anything about. Does any of you?
In the sanctuary og Devonshire House the two women amused themselves by
experimenting with new hats and drawing patterns for dresses. The fashion
for false hips and bottoms made of cork to round out the figure, and padded
breast to fill out the bodice had ben in vogue since the 1770s. Georgiana
added a new element: the false front to disguise pregnancy. She showed her
design to her friends; they were so well received that the false fronts were
soon worn even by women who were not pregnant. Georgiana was also
responsible for the unprecedented sales of the "picture hat": wide brimmed
hats, worn with a large sash and adorned with drooping feathers. She had
posed in one of her own design, perching it stylishly on the side of her
head, for her portrait by Gainsborough. After he exhibited the painting,
women up and down the country ordered their milliners to make them a copy of
the "Duchesse of Devonshire's" picture hat.
Also in my making of the Kyoto Stays 1780 i wonder about the pronounsed
front. The bustline is quite wide and off the natural breast. Could this be
because a false breast improver was added?
http://home0.inet.tele.dk/drewscph/anglaise.htm , at the bottom.
How would such a thing be placed? was it over the breast, or under? Most of
the fashion that time, they used a fichu over the bust, mostly to emphasize
the shape.
Sorry about these peculiar questions, but i have no idea!
When you look at the picture of the Kyoto Stays in the book, it dont show,
that it has such a pronounced bustline, but this is mostly because it is
taken from the center front.
On my model (the blue) you can see that it either is made for a very endoved
lady, or because it want to improve the fashionable look.
Bjarne
Leif og Bjarne Drews
www.my-drewscostumes.dk
http://home0.inet.tele.dk/drewscph/
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