Ideas for a *really* washable bodice/top?

[gem]

I'm growing discontented with my current rain/mud options for Fair. We take our dogs out, and on muddy days, that can result in this:



Yes, that's mud on my chin. And that partlet is still soaking in Orvus.  The chin was easy to wash. LOL That dress--linen, no boning; easily machine washable, but you can see it doesn't protect everything. I have a bunch of plain cotton skirts, so that's no problem--but I'm thinking hard about a better alternative for next year.

I have a walking cape I made several years ago from microfiber raincoat cloth, but it's really heavy, and our muddy days are also often *hot* days. Besides, it totally covers up the rest of my garb. LOL I want something more historical in tone, that looks like PART of my garb, not a cover-up.

I have more of the same fabric (several yards of navy blue, and a semi-finished cape in black I could scavenge)... but I need ideas of *what* to make--and how to make it totally wash & wear. I was thinking of something like a doublet bodice, maybe--but whatever it is will need to have minimal boning or embellishment that could suffer in contact with dog paws or the washing machine.

Any suggestions? Have at me, folks!

Gramercy!

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

What about a chemise in a shade of brown? Then you couldn't see the mud.

[isabelladangelo]

Use duct ties for boning - they are plastic and therefore made of win for water related issues (rain, washing machines, ect).

[LadyFae]

I throw all of my bodices in the wash because I bone them with duct ties. So yeah, I second Isabella.

[Elennare]

Thirded! 

If you want to do grommets on the lacing holes, rather than stitch eyelets, you can totally get weatherproof ones at the hardware store.  Size/color is a bit limited, but I haven't had any problems with mine, and I can't count how often it's been washed.

[gem]

All of my bodices are boned with cable ties, but I've never actually been brave enough to wash them, even if everything was prewashed well before assembly. I have washed the heck out of the brown linen dress in the mudshot; it's linen heavily underlined with canvas, and cable ties along the lacing edges only. So I *should* have faith and just wash the darn things... but I just can't bring myself to risk it!

I've been reading back threads on doublet bodices, and it sounds like folks generally prefer to leave them unboned and wear them over a PoB.

I'm also thinking that some of my black microfiber *absolutely* needs to become a Tudor over-partlet.

[isabelladangelo]

If you really are freaked about washing things, do what I do with some of silk items : bathtub wash them.  If you spot wash, it helps a lot and just leave them to dry in the bathtub.  Or, soak the items in the bathtub with a ton of oxyclean, clean various spots as well, leave them for an hour, then hang them up and drain the tub.  It worked in a few brocaded gowns that I though were beyond hope!  Never put anything in the dryer.