I didn't even realize it was a dress, I was only interested in the
mechanics of the skirt.
The modern "skirt tied together in places" look has been around for two
or three years. I've not only seen many examples, I've bought a couple
of dozen at least.
There are many variants. The ties are usually twill tapes dyed to match
the fabric, but sometimes they are ribbons or strips made of the
fabric. Occasionally buttons and loops are used instead of ties. Usually
the skirt is long or calf-length, but sometimes it is knee length or so.
Usually it is pretty full to very full. Often it is a separate skirt,
but sometimes it is the skirt of a dress, a tunic top, or a 3/4-length
or longer coat or sweater/knit coat.
Often the ties are meant to raise the skirt in a place or places, at
will. Sometimes the skirt is made longer in back, on both sides, on one
side, or occasionally even in front. (However, it is not made long
enough to drag on the ground when not tied up, this not being very
convenient for modern wear.) When the ties are tied, the skirt is
leveled, more or less. But sometimes the skirt is made the same length
all around, and the ties raise it unevenly. Sometimes the ties create a
kind of bustle on the upper part of the skirt. Sometimes the ties are
meant to pull parts together across the skirt, narrowing it at will. One
simple variant where the sides of an A-line skirt are pulled across the
front and tied with the side "points" together, is called an apron skirt.
I'm also seeing a lot of "roman shade" tie skirts (you pull the ties up
to ruche the skirt as much as desired at the bottom, and tie them
together), or permanently ruched or elasticized skirts that have the
same effect, except you can't un-ruche them.
I believe the inspiration for these styles is the late 1860s through the
1880s, but they are not attempts at historic recreation per se.
Designers/manufacturers that have been producing these styles include
Ronen Chen (Israeli), Hanna/La Journee, Spirithouse, Surrealist, and
numerous others, especially some European manufacturers. Sometimes this
is marketed as part of a layered style called "lagenlook," which I
believe to be German for "layered look," but the term has caught on in
English to some extent. I see it a lot on eBay, especially with
international sellers--the "lagenlook" seems to be popular in both
Germany and England. XCVI Wearables has made a lot of the elasticized
ruched-up skirts.
The full European "lagenlook" involves things like wearing a long skirt
and also either a shorter skirt or a tunic top, one or all of them tying
up in some way, and possibly a big drapey sweater on top of it all.
Websites that often carry skirts in the tied styles include
www.artfulwears.com and www.2chicboutique.com. Ebay sellers that carry
it include guaranteed_authentic_ fashion (they specialize in drapey knit
versions of the lagenlook), and many others.
Fran
Lavolta Press Books of Historic Patterns
http://www.lavoltapress.com
_______________________________________________
h-costume mailing list
[email protected]
http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
