bodice length

[FrogPrincezz]

I have a bodice purchased @ faire that i swear is too short.  Where on the body should the bottom of the bodice sit?  The bottom of it stops just under my lower rib giving me instant muffin top all though I am not thin I could be a say cupcake top but a muffin top is not an easy task but this bodice manages to squeeze out body fat I have never noticed naked!

[gem]

Who made your bodice?  Do you have a picture?  It's difficult to say for sure without seeing, but *generally* speaking, it should hit at your natural waist (which may not be where you're used to wearing your mundane pants/skirts).  On me, that's right at the bottom of my rib cage, but if you're taller/longer-waisted, that might be a little higher than your waist.  To find your natural waistline, stand in front of a mirror and bend side to side.  Where you crease (on the side), that's your waist.

Are you lacing the bodice too tight?  Do your skirts come up high enough?  You should have enough layers at your waist to camouflage any little issues that may appear.

[Lady Kett]

I had (have?) a similar issue with one of mine - I had to put the skirt up a little higher than I expected and the bodice a little lower. It "feels" low to me but I think it looks good. Luckily this one has adjustable shoulder pieces so I could add some length into the bodice. The skirt ends up being higher than where it would sit if you were wearing a skirt to work, but not so high that it's not your waist.

I never did get around to posting pics but would offer up that the people here are very friendly and helpful if you can s how them your dilemma.

Good luck!

[FrogPrincezz]

Aye, my natural waist IS just below the last rib wish is about 4.5 inches above the waist band of my jeans (not low riders).  I am on the taller side 5'8 when I pull a skirt up that high to tuck under the bodice it slides right down but I definitely need more layers underneath..  It is possible that I am tying too tightly.  I will take photos with jeans and skirt.

Thanks

[gem]

Anything's going to look really wrong with jeans. Trust me on this one! LOL  I've done enough mockup pix to know that one!  Once you get your skirts/belts/etc on, it will look much more "right."

[Dayna]

I have had this problem for years, bodices that end 3 inches above my belly button and cause Major Pillsbury Doughboy Effect.  I think part of it is that as a woman of ample means, the natural waist in the back is higher than the natural waist in the front.  I have my bodices cut curved so they are lower in front, which takes care of that little issue.  The alternative is to hike my skirts up to my boobs so that there's not that expanse of white chemise between the bottom of the bodice and the waistband of the skirt.

[Katie Bookwench]

  The alternative is to hike my skirts up to my boobs so that there's not that expanse of white chemise between the bottom of the bodice and the waistband of the skirt.

Oh, 'Gap-Oh-Sis' in on many a garb-wearer's lists of pet peeves! You're not alone there.

In some cases, putting a skirting (overlappig piccadils or solid skirting) on the bodice helps  bridge a small gap (say 2-3 inches) between bodice bottom and skirt.

You don't want your bodice too LONG, which is nearly as bad, and can severely limit your mobility.

but yes, pictures would help - do share!

[gem]

The alternative is to hike my skirts up to my boobs so that there's not that expanse of white chemise between the bottom of the bodice and the waistband of the skirt.

I do this all the time!  I hem all my skirts so that they're long enough to be worn with hoops, but on non-hoop days, I have to hike them up right under my braline.  I actually sort of like it--it's one less layer right at my waist.

[FortuneRose]

The alternative is to hike my skirts up to my boobs so that there's not that expanse of white chemise between the bottom of the bodice and the waistband of the skirt.

I do this all the time!  I hem all my skirts so that they're long enough to be worn with hoops, but on non-hoop days, I have to hike them up right under my braline.  I actually sort of like it--it's one less layer right at my waist.

yup, I'm in on this one.  I'm the same way...  I have them long enough for hoops and then WAY hiked up when I don't wear the hoops.  I didn't like it at first and thought I was destined to HAVE to have 2 of the same skirt in varying lengths, but...  this seemed easier, cheaper...  and all around more logical.  Though, I will say this works nicer if you don't have a drawstring skirt..  that creates an odd lumping circle all around under the bodice

[FrogPrincezz]

Oh yeah I see several shoppes that offer underbust corsets as well as waist cinchers, would these have been worn during this period? If so, how?  The song "do your boobs hang low" keeps jumping in my head.
Would a corset (strapless) been worn at all?

[GirlChris]

Underbusts and cinchers are a more modern thing (keep in mind, by "modern" I mean "more recently than five hundred years ago"), and I haven't seen any evidence of strapless corsets in my research. However, if you like the look, go for it. It's faire, it's for fun. I don't think they'd help at all with the gap between a skirt and bodice, though. Nothing to do, really, but hike up the skirt and possibly invest in a pair of suspenders

Actually... suspenders might work. Hmmm...

[Charlotte Rowan]

I'm so glad to know I'm not the only one with this problem. It drives me nuts!!!!  I dress as a pirate and wear knickers so I don't have the solution of hiking up my skirt or disguising the extra fat with more skirt fabric. I have tried in the past to wear skirts and hike them up, but they always fall back down. Maybe suspenders are the answer, lol!

[FrogPrincezz]

suspenders!!!  I just found an old pair that belonged to my Dad... the most famous Mork from Ork rainbow suspenders!

[SterlingFan]

I too had the same problem !  I now own several bodices from Damsel in this Dress, not HA but they are longer so no more muffin top !  Here's the link: http://www.damseldress.com/

Another thing could be how you lace your bodice. If you lace from top to bottom on a short bodice, it'll push everything downward - even if you are on the thinner side.  I lace from top to bottom with my Damsal bodices but since they're longer - no 'pudge' !

[ladylissame]

I have an issue from scoliosis so I have to have all my bodices custom made because one side is longer than the other and the natural waist hits weird. It will hit just right on one side, but dig into the rib cage on the other. I prefer my bodice to hit just below the natural waist for this very issue.

I lace bottom to top