Bodice Length??

[ladybootlegger]

All the bodices I've bought from faire have all ended at my rib cage. And all the patterns I have for bodices seem to end at my rib cage as well. Granted, I do have a long torso, but is that where they are supposed to end??

I would think that a bodice would be so much more comfortable if it ended at my waist. Or, would there be an issue of it curling up at the bottom. Although, that issue could be easily remedied with the appropriate placement of boning.

So, how long is a bodice supposed to be?

[raevyncait]

IMHO, where your bodice ends is a personal preference, unless you are looking for specific period accuracy (which, in all honesty, I am not).  My torso is long, and I get the best fit as far as length goes, from Moresca, either the Max, or the Pirate. I prefer my Maxes over a Pirate, simply because my girls spend the entire day escaping and I am constantly trying to keep them contained properly.

I have worn, with some success, an XL Pendragon Tooled bodice, that had been customized for someone else and is actually a couple of inches longer than the standard XL (she's over 6 feet tall). The only issue I had with it was not enough boning to give me the support I am accustomed to in the back.

My current favorite is not a bodice at all, but rather a corset that I purchased used from the same person that I bought the Pendragon from. It's technically more Victorian than Tudor or Elizabethan, but it gives me the support I need all the way around, a fabulous figure, and it's comfortable for me to wear all day at faire.

[gem]

First, are you sure you know where your natural waist is? Many people don't, because modern mundane clothing is very misleading, and nobody really wears their pants at their natural waist anymore. To double check, bend side to side. Where you "crease" is your waist.  I'm short-waisted, so mine pretty much *is* at the bottom of my rib cage. As a rule, most bodices are "supposed" to hit at the natural waist, but...

...What Ravencait said. Unless you're talking historical accuracy, you might prefer a different fit. And bodice styles definitely do vary. However, I would caution you about not going *too* long, or the bottom edge of the bodice will dig into your hips, which is uncomfortable, or the whole thing might push upward, throwing off the line of the garment.

[isabelladangelo]

From the historical perspective, time and place.  Sometimes the waist line was under the bust, sometimes it was closer to being right above the hips!   There are plenty of examples of the bodice hitting right at the end of the ribcage so it can be accurate depending on shape and material.   Do you have pictures of your bodices?

[gem]

Oh, yes! Very good point, Isabella!  What she said. 

[ladybootlegger]

Okay, here is the link to see a photo of my bodice.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1128774&l=9256380943&id=1071097428

You can see the space between the bottom of my bodice and my belt. Where this bodice ends is at my rib cage, and I find it rather uncomfortable, and somewhat painful.

[Cilean]

Looking at your faire bodice I would say you have a longer than average torso, I have the opposite, so if you are going to make yourself a new Bodice, I would suggest you make up a toile and then you can cut it at the suggestion on the pattern and add fabric to the section until it fits as you would like it. Then use the toile as your actual pattern or make a pattern from the now fitted to you bodice pattern.


Cilean

[Kate XXXXXX]

Easier to add a couple of inches to the pattern and then make up the toile.  You can always trim it off if it's too long.

[flidais]

Whether you are looking for H/A or not....if it's uncomfortable, it's all wrong for you.  I think as far as buying a bodice you really have to try some on from the different shops.  As much as I love the look of the Moresca Max bodices, they are too long for me...but work great for other people, like raevyncait said.  I personally think that all the different clothing vendors at faire all have very different fitting bodices. 

My favorite bodice, is one I made using the directions here...  http://www.renaissancetailor.com/demos_patterndraft.htm
It fits me perfect.  If you have a pattern already that you'd like to use, I think you could always use her advice about sizing to get the right fit.
And like everyone else said, do a mock up first out of muslin. 

[Adriana Rose]

I really like the way that the Moresca Max fits around my waist, it hides all the stuff I want it to and its COMFY.

I am trying to tweak it into a front lace and I have had mixed results.  So please keep us posted on your progress!

[ladybootlegger]

So, I had just finished making my first bodice (as discussed and pictured here: http://www.renaissancefestival.com/forums/index.php?topic=11717.0). Once it was 100% totally complete, and I tried it on... only to discover that it was too short. That of course sparked the posting of this thread, and now I'm trying desperately to figure out how to lengthen it without making it look terrible.

[Lady L]

How about adding some tabs?

[ladybootlegger]

Okay, I ended up being rather creative and added to the bottom of the original bodice. And because I still can't figure out how to insert pictures here... I uploaded the newest pictures of the completed project to my facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=52783&id=1071097428&l=d252df10cc

Let me know what you all think.

[amy]

Very Very clever!  Well done.   The trim looks great even if you don't wish to wear a belt.  I have made a similar if not same bodice but chose to put a peplum (sp) on it rather than smooth edge or tabs.  It does run a bit short.  You look like a tall drink of water!

[DonaCatalina]

Very well done.

[gem]

Agreed!  A nice solution. How does it feel?

For future reference, I grabbed one of your shots and labeled your natural waist on it:

[ladybootlegger]

It feels so much better! Where my natural waist is, is where the pattern for the bodice originally ended, and was not at all comfortable.

Thanks to all for the tips, hints, and compliments.