A Fitting Concern

I spend a lot of my time making costumes. This statement can (and should) be read as, "I spend a lot of my time cursing, trying to figure out what went wrong in the costume I am working on." Elizabethan garments are made to fit closer then your own skin, with an occasional tendency to redetermine the way your skin itself fits (ah, corsetry). With all that fitting going on, there's a pretty good chance of something not being fitted correctly, which can (and, often, does) throw off the look of an entire gown. Gowns that aren't fitted correctly do not hug the body smoothly. They have gaps, and wrinkles. There are very few times in a woman's life where wrinkles are her friends. Actually, the only time I can think of is when you are refitting a garment. The art of correcting a fit is, more than anything, the art of reading wrinkles. I've spent a fair amount of time learning what wrinkles mean; what deep secret my fabric wants to tell me so badly that it considered wrinkling up over. There's an entire theory and zen of wrinkles to expound upon. (And, for those of you who are possibly in a bit of a time crunch and just want an answer, there's a handy cheat sheet below.)

Simply put, wrinkles are your fabric's little way of communicating one of two things: 1) There is too much fabric right here, or 2) There is not enough fabric right here. Loose wrinkles are a sign of the former, whereas taut wrinkles are a sign of the later. That should make it really trivial to look at any wrinkle and tell what's causing it, right? Well, yes and no. More often than not, it's very important to think about the cause of the wrinkling, rather than simply taking measures to eliminate the wrinkles themselves. For example, there's a rather infamous problem with fitted skirts coming up with horizontal creases between the waist and the butt (obviously, this only happens after you have bought the darn skirt, taken it off the hanger, and worn it for a bit), a problem which I truly believe is caused by designers being unaware of the natural shape of a female posterior (particularly on a female who prefers cheese to rice cakes). At any rate, the very simple way to get rid of those annoying horizontal creases is to take a little tuck, parallel to the waistband, to take up the extra fabric that is causing the creases. The problem is that, while that gets rid of the creases, it probably won't make the skirt fit correctly, because it fails to address the cause of the creases. If you're wearing a skirt that's creasing like that, take a look at yourself from the side in a full length mirror. Odds are that the hemline of the skirt, in back, is a bit shorter than the front. If you look from the front, you might notice that the skirt is clinging at the hips (and the tops of the thighs, if you are built like I am (which is to say, genetically designed to bear children through a famine)), and, in a full length straight skirt, creating some less than flattering lines that move diagonally from the hip (or saddlebag) to the center front of the skirt. All in all, it's safe to say that a) it's not flattering, and b) me and my adipose endowed thighs had some issues with last year's fashion for long straight skirts. Not that I'm still annoyed by that or anything. At any rate, the point under discussion is that simply taking a tuck to get rid of the wrinkles will not make the skirt look any better on, say, me. The wrinkles across the lower back tell me that there's too much fabric just right there. The face that they are horizontal wrinkles tells me that the extra fabric is in the length of the skirt at the small of my back.

The real question is, how did that extra fabric get there? The answer, frankly, has to do with the fact that the skirt was designed for an idealized (and, possibly, mythical) figure of a woman. Something is pushing the skirt up at the back, which is, in turn, pulling diagonally across the sides of the skirt, which pulls fabric that should hang neatly at the front and sides of the skirt to the back. That something is my rump. (This has a lot to do with cross sections of a cylinder. If you were to, say, cut a carrot by cutting straight across it, you could get neat little carrot circles. If you hold the knife on a slight angle, you get carrot ovals. If you lie the circle next to the oval, you'll see that the oval is bigger, in spite of the fact that it came from the same carrot. The same thing happens when you wear, to overuse the example, a straight skirt. If you're the shape the skirt was designed for, it lies straight because all parts of you fit into the provided space. If you carry a titch more at a given spot than the skirt was designed for, the skirt will ride up unevenly, until an accommodating oval is created (which, incidentally, is why the blasted thing fits pretty good when you try in on at the store, and not at all by the time you get to work - it takes time and movement for the fabric to reach what it considers an accommodating position).) The real problem with the skirt is not that it needs a less fabric in the length near the waistband, it's that it needs a little more fabric across the hips somewhere. (With a darted skirt, either the darts are too long, or too deep at the top; with no darts, the skirt needs more fabric added at the sides. In case you happen to be working on a straight skirt right now: how do you know where to add? The diagonal pull from the center bottom of the skirt to some point on your hips actually forms a line that points to the offending area of the hipline of the skirt. Ain't that convenient? Assuming you bought the skirt.... Well, given the complete lack of usable seam allowance in modern, serged clothing, I strongly recommend the long sweater solution, or an even tuck all the way around the waist band if it's only a very slight problem. I also recommend that all aspiring designers note that my perfectly happy size 16 butt is based on a set of curves, not an idealized set of straight lines, and yes, it is entirely possible for the top of the thighs to be wider than the bottom of the rump, making it entirely unkind to declare the Aline skirt out of fashion, thank you very much. Ahem. Really, no lingering issues at all.)

Beyond saving me money on therapy, the above article points out a number of the things that should be evaluated when dealing with wrinkles. My general set of rules goes something like this:

Figure out if the wrinkles are from too much fabric, or too little fabric. Always remember: taut wrinkles (also called stress wrinkles) mean not enough fabric right here, whereas floppy, loose wrinkles mean to much fabric.
Generally, the wrinkles run perpendicular (at a 90 degree angle) to the excess or dearth of fabric.
It is always important to find the cause of the problem. Simply eliminating the symptoms won't make the garment fit better - it will just fit with fewer wrinkles.
Very often, there a secondary set of less obvious wrinkles, or something about the main wrinkle itself, that will point to the problem.

General rules are great, but in the event of a it's-4am-and-I-want-to-wear-this-to-faire-at-10am, well, rules require way too much thought for me. Assuming that's not just a me thing, I've started a list of handy dandy cheater table that may be of some use. At the very least, I'm hoping they're not full of out-and-out lies. ;) This is a project that will take some time to complete. Eventually, it should involve small picts illustrating the wrinkling patterns described. (Er... Just as soon as I get all my osX libraries in order and get GIMP working again under os10.1. Don't hold your breath on this one.....)

Bodices & Doublets, Women's:

Wrinkling Possible Causes Solutions

Bust (outer) to waist, loose wrinkles The loose wrinkles indicate too much fabric in the sides of the bodice or doublet. Often there is ease more ease at the waist than the bust. You will need to remove a bit of fabric from the side seam (or side back seam) if you have one. On a one piece pattern (eg, a french cut bodice), you may have to add a side seam to remove the extra fabric. If there is more ease at the waist than at the bust, you will need to remove a triangular section. Always, always, always remember: Pin, check, *then* cut, and don't forget to leave a seam allowance.

Tight creases from armscye to bust Not enough room has been left for the bust You need to add extra fabric at the bust somehow. You may be able to open the side seam and add a gusset. If the waist is tight also (wrinkles continue down the sides), you might be able to disguise an extra panel of fabric at the front as a decorative detail. (The trick to this "disguise" is to make it a contrasting color and add more trim to the bodice in that same color. Obviously, no one would do that on accident, so it must be a design choice.)

Loose wrinkles, from side of bust to side of armscye (possible radiating in a fan or triangle shape from a point on the bust) Your pattern allowed for too much bust being squished up by the corset. This is far more common in doublets. There's two solutions. The easy (read: cheater) solution is to add a dart from the armscye to the bust point to take out the extra fabric. (No, darts weren't documentably period *one*women's*doublets*, before you yelp, check your arnold for references to darts in men's garments.) If the garment is already finished, this may be your only option. If you are working with a mockup, you'll need to fiddle with the angle of your armscye - it should curve back towards the side of the pattern, rather than going straight up.

Loose wrinkles at the front (center) of a doublet same problem as above - you're pattern has left more room for the bust than you require. The center front seam of a doublet should curve back (away from the center line) above the top of the corset. If you are working with a muslin, increase the curve. If the doublet is done, er, fiberfill will correct a variety of issues.

Tight wrinkles across waist, slightly below the waist line, possibly with buckling if front is not stiffened. More often than not, this is from the bulk for the skirts. Really. Honest. It is *never* caused by the lower tummy. Ahem. (Yes, in a buskless corset, your lower tummy fat can push out the bottom of the corset. It's rather unfair.) It is often advisable to cut the center front of a bodice or doublet with a slight curve out below the waist line. Also, you may be trying to take the bodice drop too far out on the hips - the dippy part of the bodice should always be in front of you, not wrapped part around the side. It should be the width of the front of your hips (or just slightly less) - none of those wretched I-can't-decide-if-I'm-in-the-17th-century-or-the-16th bodice-with-a-weenie affairs from 'shakespeare in love'!

Wrinkles (may appear tight or loose) across the waist, at to slightly above the waistline, continuing around to the sides The garment was cut too long at the sides. It's now being pushed up by the pleating of the skirts. If the garment is not finished, you can raise the sides a bit. If the garment is finished, you can cheat and wear the skirts a little lower, so long as you will not trip on them. With english noble gowns, sometimes all you need to do is lower the bumroll slightly. This problem is not encountered on gowns where the skirt is attached to the bodice which is a very good argument for making things that way, I think.

wrinkles across the back shoulder ares, loose, generally deeper near center back. You've allowed too much ease for curvature at the center back. Most patterns show some curve for the area between the shoulder blades, where most people's backs curve slightly (largely due to modern, abysmal posture). Some people have abnormally straight backs (or are wearing high backed corsets, such as the effigy) and do not need so much (or any) curve here. Remove this curve. If, for some reason, you are getting this on a pattern that was cut with the center back on a fold, part of your back actually curves in. You should be able to remove the wrinkling with a football shaped gusset (point along the center back). Experiment with pinning!

large wrinkle of buckling on the bodice strap towards where it meets the bodice. The strap is not able to support it's own weight, or the weight of the sleeve attached to it. The strap my simply be too loose, and a bit of a tuck where it meets the bodice may help. It may need additional stiffening to stay straight while supporting the sleeve.

Skirts:

Wrinkling Possible Causes Solutions

U or V shaped wrinkles at front of skirt, point at center front (particularly prevalent on skirts with no pleats at the center front, worn over spanish farthingales) The poofiness of petticoats or bearing out of the hemline provided by a farthingale were not taken into account when the skirt was made. If the farthingale stands at an angle in the front of the skirts, rather than falling straight, you are more likely to see this. If the skirts are already finished, you can eliminate most of the appearance of theses wrinkles by taking a tuck at the top of the skirt (you'll want to take up more at the center of the skirt, and you'll only want the tuck to the point where the pleating starts, so it will be rather triangular). If you are working with a mockup, add gores to the sides of the front panel/panels, to create enough extra room for the fabric to flare and lie correctly. You may still need a slight tuck at the center front.

Reevers (the decorated edges of an open skirt worn over a forepart and, frequently, spanish farthingale) of skirt buckle and wrinkle at the top. The bulk of the skirt is pulling forward, rather than staying neatly back in an inverted V over the forepart. You have two options - correct the wrinkles ( take a tuck at the center front to eliminate the extra fabric) or correct the problem - you'll have to find some way to get the skirt to hang where it's supposed to. Pinning it to the farthingale may sound extreme, but it works (use long corsage pins). Nice ties and aiglettes to connect it to loops at the edge of the forepart also work.

Many special thanks to Sarah, Jennifer, Lynn, and Pam for giving this a once over and making suggestions....

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Wrinkling	Possible Causes	Solutions
Bust (outer) to waist, loose wrinkles	The loose wrinkles indicate too much fabric in the sides of the bodice or doublet. Often there is ease more ease at the waist than the bust.	You will need to remove a bit of fabric from the side seam (or side back seam) if you have one. On a one piece pattern (eg, a french cut bodice), you may have to add a side seam to remove the extra fabric. If there is more ease at the waist than at the bust, you will need to remove a triangular section. Always, always, always remember: Pin, check, then cut, and don't forget to leave a seam allowance.
Tight creases from armscye to bust	Not enough room has been left for the bust	You need to add extra fabric at the bust somehow. You may be able to open the side seam and add a gusset. If the waist is tight also (wrinkles continue down the sides), you might be able to disguise an extra panel of fabric at the front as a decorative detail. (The trick to this "disguise" is to make it a contrasting color and add more trim to the bodice in that same color. Obviously, no one would do that on accident, so it must be a design choice.)
Loose wrinkles, from side of bust to side of armscye (possible radiating in a fan or triangle shape from a point on the bust)	Your pattern allowed for too much bust being squished up by the corset. This is far more common in doublets.	There's two solutions. The easy (read: cheater) solution is to add a dart from the armscye to the bust point to take out the extra fabric. (No, darts weren't documentably period onewomen'sdoublets, before you yelp, check your arnold for references to darts in men's garments.) If the garment is already finished, this may be your only option. If you are working with a mockup, you'll need to fiddle with the angle of your armscye - it should curve back towards the side of the pattern, rather than going straight up.
Loose wrinkles at the front (center) of a doublet	same problem as above - you're pattern has left more room for the bust than you require.	The center front seam of a doublet should curve back (away from the center line) above the top of the corset. If you are working with a muslin, increase the curve. If the doublet is done, er, fiberfill will correct a variety of issues.
Tight wrinkles across waist, slightly below the waist line, possibly with buckling if front is not stiffened.	More often than not, this is from the bulk for the skirts. Really. Honest. It is never caused by the lower tummy. Ahem. (Yes, in a buskless corset, your lower tummy fat can push out the bottom of the corset. It's rather unfair.)	It is often advisable to cut the center front of a bodice or doublet with a slight curve out below the waist line. Also, you may be trying to take the bodice drop too far out on the hips - the dippy part of the bodice should always be in front of you, not wrapped part around the side. It should be the width of the front of your hips (or just slightly less) - none of those wretched I-can't-decide-if-I'm-in-the-17th-century-or-the-16th bodice-with-a-weenie affairs from 'shakespeare in love'!
Wrinkles (may appear tight or loose) across the waist, at to slightly above the waistline, continuing around to the sides	The garment was cut too long at the sides. It's now being pushed up by the pleating of the skirts.	If the garment is not finished, you can raise the sides a bit. If the garment is finished, you can cheat and wear the skirts a little lower, so long as you will not trip on them. With english noble gowns, sometimes all you need to do is lower the bumroll slightly. This problem is not encountered on gowns where the skirt is attached to the bodice which is a very good argument for making things that way, I think.
wrinkles across the back shoulder ares, loose, generally deeper near center back.	You've allowed too much ease for curvature at the center back. Most patterns show some curve for the area between the shoulder blades, where most people's backs curve slightly (largely due to modern, abysmal posture). Some people have abnormally straight backs (or are wearing high backed corsets, such as the effigy) and do not need so much (or any) curve here.	Remove this curve. If, for some reason, you are getting this on a pattern that was cut with the center back on a fold, part of your back actually curves in. You should be able to remove the wrinkling with a football shaped gusset (point along the center back). Experiment with pinning!
large wrinkle of buckling on the bodice strap towards where it meets the bodice.	The strap is not able to support it's own weight, or the weight of the sleeve attached to it.	The strap my simply be too loose, and a bit of a tuck where it meets the bodice may help. It may need additional stiffening to stay straight while supporting the sleeve.