How to wear an item

[FortuneRose]

I have an irish(ish) style dress I bought years ago for my mother to wear to festival.  Now, I have it and don't know how in the world to wear it for myself or to loan to a friend to wear...  let me explain the dress (if I can find my camera, I'll take a picture)..

It is silver and has a slight train.  It is in the irish fashion in that the bodice and skirt are attached and the skirting is split at the front.  But, the bodice is cropped...  so it is Italian style in that sense.  I don't have any full length colored chemises at the moment and don't have time to go out and buy fabric and sew one up for this weekend for my friend to wear.  How do you think this could be worn and not look horrid?  If at all....

[DonaCatalina]

Go to a thrift shop and find a solid colored long crinkle skirt. Wear is under the split skirt.
Find a solid colored 'poet shirt' if you don't have any chemise at all.
That will work for the short term

[FortuneRose]

DonaCatalina, I thought about that, and its actually sort of what my mother wore when she wore the dress...  she borrowed one of my short chemises and just wore a full solid skirt...  but you can see the chemise between the underbust and the skirt at the waist...  

I think I have solved the problem, though...  I knew I had seen a picture of someone who wore a verymerryseamstress item like this....

Here is the picture...
http://www.verymerryseamstress.com/pictures/jolad04.jpg  

I'm just going to pair it with a solid colored bodice and matching skirt and then layer the silver italian/irish(ish)   dress over the top!  voila!  looks like it flows nicely!

ETA:  Its not identical, in that, the dress I have is more ON the bust and cuts under, rather than this one which looks like it lays closer to the natural waist...  but the same idea is what I'm going for.

[Kate XXXXXX]

Another idea is to baste that front opening closed up the skirt...

[FortuneRose]

Another idea is to baste that front opening closed up the skirt...

wow...  the obvious...  dang, why didn't I think of that?  lol!  I may do that....  I'm getting ready to pull it from the closet again and look over it.

[gem]

What you're describing sounds like the sort of Florentine-esque overgowns.  Maybe what you need is a kirtle to wear under it:

[Adriana Rose]

I have an overdress that kinda sounds like that and I wear it with a chemise and a skirt. It doesnt look funny to me and its my freaky hot day go to outfit. Or I wear a pair of harem pants and a chemise for the funky gypsy look

Hope that helps

[Elennare]

You could always get a skirt that sits low on your hips, and just not wear a chemise under it.  Go for some sort of sexy fantasy princess look. 

Otherwise, the other suggestions sound good to me.