Victorian Bustle Gown: Patterning the Bodice

I originally intended for my cotton bustle dress to be one of many historic costuming projects I would undertake this year, but with all my other sewing it is turning into this year's project! I finally have started in earnest, cutting out the bodice pattern pieces and buying muslin to start fitting everything. The sketch above shows the bodice style I am going for, which will require a few changes to the Truly Victorian Tail Bodice pattern I am working with. This is my first ever bustle gown so I am sure I will have a lot to learn about fitting such a curvy garment.

I am also still fighting myself over whether to use a solid color for the underskirt or for the bodice. It seems like real print bustle dresses more often had solid color underskirts, but I personally like the idea of a solid bodice! I have found some examples to support my sketches. It seems that plaid dresses in particular seemed to have plaid over and under skirts paired with solid bodices.

The striped style is very similar to what I am after, pattern on the over and under skirts with a solid color boice with a "vest" of the print!

I hope to have the bodice pattern figured out by the end of this weekend! It is hard to put other projects on hold, I have fun 1950's dresses to make! I have put off this project for long enough though, so it is time to make something historical!