The History of Costume Balls and Fancy Dress

MASQUERADE
The History of
Costume Balls and Fancy Dress
by AnneLise Wilhelmsen
F
or as long as masks have existed, intrigue has been
linked to their use. How could it be otherwise, when
nearly anything imaginable can be hidden by them?
Plain women can be beautiful, vagabonds can be kings, and
at the end of an evening who really knows what has happened
between whom under the cover of darkness? The stories are
endlessly captivating!
King Gustav of Sweden was assassinated at a masquerade
ball in 1792, as part of a coup attempt. And Marie Antoinette
was famous for fleeing the confines of Versailles to attend the
costumed balls of the Paris Opera House, where she and her
ladies in waiting could frolic freely. Shakespeare used the devise
of hidden identities to write many a plot twist, both comic and
tragic. Masquerade attire has even been used to communicate
not-so-subtle messages to enemies, as in the case of Countess
Castiglione of Italy, the mistress of Napoleon III. Her appearance
with him at an 1857 ball created an enormous scandal. Of course
she was above caring about the opinions of all but one, the
Empress Eugenie, whose fury was exactly what the countess was
hoping for when she arrived dressed as the Queen of Hearts.
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Although the earliest use of costumes likely coincided with
pagan planting and harvesting rituals, the first recorded use of
them as entertainments is during medieval times when masked
festivities were part of court life. We know, for instance, that
England’s King Henry II (1133-1189) celebrated Christmas
with plays and masques, which were referred to then as “acting
dances.” And many art works from the Middle Ages portray
the extravagant processions and dramatic pageantry associated
with royal fêtes and holidays. Sometimes members of the royal
family would join in, as in the tragic example of Charles VI of
France. A famous miniature depicts the chaos when he and five
of his noblemen performed at the 1393 wedding of the queen’s
lady in waiting. They had dressed as “savages,” covered in
pitch and flax twigs. The painting captures how it all went
horribly wrong when a bystander with a torch stood too close.
This early masquerade event is known as the “Bal des Ardents”
- The Burning Men’s Ball. Of the actors, only the king (who
doused his flames in the train of a duchess’s skirt) and one of
his men (who dove into a nearby wine vat) survived.
By the time of the Renaissance masquerade balls
had become more public affairs, particularly in Venice.
The relatively new Merchant Class relied on strict social
constraints to elevate them above both the peasants and each
other. But during the weeks between Twelfth Night and the
beginning of Lent, all bets were off as costumed revelers
(often in “Domino” capes) filled the streets, allowing the
classes to mix and mingle freely behind the safety of their
masks. The idea had great appeal, and it was not long before
it spread throughout Europe.
By the early eighteenth century masquerade balls were all
the rage at the newly opened public dance halls in London
and Paris, as well as in aristocratic circles as part of Carnival.
Towards the later 1700s it was even common for wealthy
men to have themselves painted in disguise. One of the
more popular costume themes of the time was to improvise
something from royal portraits of the previous century,
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including those of renowned artist Anthony Van Dyke.
Gainsborough’s Blue Boy is thought to be one such example.
Although it was completed in 1770, the subject of the painting
wears a suit of clothes very similar to those worn by Charles II
in Van Dyke’s portrait of him and his siblings, painted in 1637.
Van Dyke’s portrait subjects were not the only popular
costume inspirations. Many men also began to dress as Van
Dyke himself, incorporating his signature turned up moustache
and pointed goatee into their masks (a look still known today
as a “Van Dyke”). But not every costume was so innocent.
The wearing of masks allowed people to spurn social norms.
Peasants dressed as aristocrats, and noblemen dressed as
beggars. Women often disguised themselves as men, and
vice versa, sometimes to scandalous effect. As the costumes
and dances became increasingly obscene the results were
predictable, and nothing short of bacchanalian.
Religious leaders began to pressure governments to put
an end to raunchy Mardi Gras celebrations. And in 1790, the
new leaders of France listened. They needed the support of
the church, and finally capitulated to it by declaring Carnival
and masking to be indecent. Both were banned in France for
ten years. Elsewhere, there were different but equally farreaching changes occurring. The Venetian Republic fell in
1797. And much of continental Europe was in disarray of one
sort or another.
In England and other places where Carnival had not
been banned, costume parties continued and their popularity
spread, even to Colonial America. But they began to take on
a more lighthearted air. And the use of actual masks all but
disappeared. When Napoleon reintroduced this less hedonistic
form of Carnival in 1800 the French were frankly disinterested.
And by 1830 it was considered completely passé. That year,
there were only three authorized public masked balls in Paris
during Carnival.
But by July everything had changed. The unpopular reign of
France’s Charles X ended with his forced abdication. He was
Figure 1 - A February 1876 plate from Magasin des Demoiselles featuring children’s masquerade costumes.
(From left to right) A tulip, a butterfly, a naturalist from the era of Louis XIII, a peasant girl and a baker from the era of Louis XVI.
replaced by Louis-Philippe, much to the liking of the upper
classes. The Carnival of 1831 was a fantastic celebration of
France’s new sense of freedom and romanticism. It ushered
in a golden age of Parisian “Bal Masques” which lasted for
two decades (and inspired the first Mardi Gras ball in New
Orleans, held in 1857).
Since then, masquerades have retained some level of
popularity nearly everywhere, and many of the most legendary
celebrations of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries required
costumes including the Vanderbilt Masquerade of 1883, Paul
Poiret’s Scheherazade-inspired “Thousand and Second Night”
bash of 1911, and Truman Capote’s Black and White Ball in
1966. Queen Victoria herself was one of their greatest fans.
In 1842 she and Albert hosted Buckingham Palace’s first
ever fancy dress ball, and had their portrait painted in their
costumes to commemorate the event. It was such a success
they held two more (in 1845 and 1851). And when the time
came to celebrate Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee (in 1897), the
Duchess of Devonshire threw one of the most lavish costume
parties in history in Victoria’s honor.
Yet in spite of England’s having been one of the earliest
and most consistent enthusiasts of masquerade balls, their
parties failed to capture the imagination of the world at large.
Meanwhile, the French were becoming masters at publicity,
advertising, and the packaging of “glamour” as an elusive, but
attainable, commodity. This was especially the case during
the second half of the nineteenth century when technological
inventions such as the lithograph process and the rotary press
made it feasible for newspapers and magazines to expand
their circulations. The cost of printing drawings and photos
also fell, and the public now enjoyed the benefits of numerous
illustrated fashion publications. Department stores sprang up,
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allowing greater access to stylish clothing. And Gossip
columns began appearing in newspapers, so what one wore
to society events became a matter of common interest on
a scale not seen before. Meanwhile, with many women
now having more money to spend, their costumes for the
masked balls of Carnival became increasingly extravagant,
resulting in some of the more famous French parties being
Figure 3 - A “Photography” costume from
Godey’s Ladies Book
Book, 1866. Note the
head piece designed as a camera.
Figure 2 - An 1828 Persian Costume
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reported on and copied throughout Europe and America.
By the end of the nineteenth century, French fashion had
become so closely linked to masked balls in popular culture
that one early American silent movie was named “At the
French Ball.” It was, not surprisingly, the story of adultery at
a masked ball.
Numerous periodicals of the Victorian age specifically
addressed the issue of appropriate attire for fancy dress
parties. La Mode Illustrée, Journal des Demoiselles,
Delineator Magazine, Demorest’s Monthly Magazine,
Godey’s Ladies Book, and many others published fashion
plates with costumes for both men, women and even
children (Fig. 1). Harper’s Bazaar offered extensive advice
on the subject in 1869, including some strong opinions on
the scantily dressed female masqueraders seen at recent
balls. And Ardern Holt published six editions of his
book, Fancy Dresses Described or What to Wear at
Fancy Balls, between 1879 and 1895. The options were
numerous, and highly creative.
During the Romantic Period of the early 1800s,
costume ideas came from exotic locales (Fig. 2), historic
or literary figures, and often nature. But as the century
progressed new inspirations emerged. Science and
technological advances led to costumes based on concepts
such as “Photography” (Fig. 3), “Electricity”, (Fig. 4),
and even “The Telegraph” (Fig. 5). Current events also
Figure 4 “Electricity”, 1873.
Figure 5 “Telegraph”, 1884.
Figure 6 - Kimonos became popular
costumes in the later 1870’s.
Figure 7 - Ardern Holt’s New Woman costume, 1895.
“She wears a cloth tailor-made gown, and her bicycle
is portrayed in the front of it, together with the Sporting
Times and her golf club; she carries her betting book
and her latch-key at her side, her gun is slung across her
shoulder, and her pretty Tam’o’Shanter is surmounted
by a bicycle lamp. She has gaiters to her patent leather
shoes, and is armed at all points for conquest.”
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Figure 8 - Ardern Holt’s costumes for “A Bunch of
Sweet Peas” (above) and “A Rose Garden” (below).
Figure 9 - Ardern Holt’s “Waste Paper Basket” costume.
influenced masquerade designs. In 1872 Charles Dickens’
estate was sold, including his portrait of Dolly Varden (a
famous character from Barnaby Rudge) which set off a
yearlong craze for Dolly Varden style dresses. When Japan
finally succumbed to decades of pressure to open its doors
to trade (in the late 1870s), costumes featuring kimonos
appeared (Fig. 6). And as women’s roles in society began
changing, there were outfits reflecting this as well (Fig. 7).
Of course the opera and ballet were popular sources of
inspiration (Pagliacci the clown, for example). And then
there were costumes that were just plain clever, of which
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There’s So Much To Do!
O
by Deb Hoffman
f all the many and varied entertainments of the
Victorian Age the Fancy Dress Ball was by far the
most anticipated. Victorian gentry loved to dress up!
And as with all extravagant events detailed planning ensured a
successful outcome.
The first order of business for a hostess was to choose a
location. Large events were generally held in a rented hall
(often a hotel ballroom or similar) so as to avoid confusion
with house servants concerning priority of duties, and for
the comfort of a large number of guests. Once the venue was
chosen, decorating began in earnest. Greek or Roman themes
with faux columns and statuary were common, as were Gothic
or Elizabethan schemes. The architecture of the hall might also
influence decor. Lavish floral displays with intense greenery
created a backdrop which would accentuate the brilliantly
colored costumes. And heavy drapery with swags (held in place
by finials shaped like masks, musical instruments, or armorial
emblems), along with soft illumination from Japanese lanterns,
lent an air of “a comfortable private home” to the space.
As the preparations moved forward musicians and
servants were engaged and dressed in appropriate costumes in
accordance with the overall theme. Perhaps they’d be attired
in formal French court livery or as Tudor serving wenches.
Although adding to the expense, the picturesque realism these
costumes created was well worth it, as was the lavish and
sumptuous supper always present at such events. Sometimes
planned for a specific portion of the evening and at other times
in evidence throughout the night, the multitude of delicious
delicacies and liberal beverages were sure to delight the most
exacting palates.
With the preparations for music, food and setting cared
for, the hostess now turned her attention to the various
entertainments of the evening. Opening activities varied. Many
balls began with a tableaux, a parade of costumes, or a themed
quadrille. All were favorites so it hardly mattered which came
first, although for the ladies there was no better venue to show
off ones charms than the Fancy Dress March!
Generally, costumes were unique to the wearer. However,
couples could choose to coordinate their choices. Sisters were
also fond of matching costumes. As with all fashion, the ladies
gave special attention to choosing a costume which accentuated
both their coloring and their figures, being sure to always
look their best. As they promenaded throughout the hall each
costume was carefully appraised by the resident members of
the press, for the next day’s papers would provide a lengthy
and detailed account of the festivities for those who were not in
attendance.
The rest of the evening would be filled with spirited
dancing. Waltzes, Minuets and Quadrilles were by far the most
popular choices. The latter of these might include themes such
as black & white costumes only, national costumes, kings and
queens, flowers or fairy tales. Another popular dance was the
Singing Quadrille in which participants sang as they danced.
As the evening came to an end the National Anthem would
be played. Lingering guests might enjoy a final cup of tea, a
last drink or nibble of the remains from the feast and a bit of
conversation as they waited for their carriages. The hostess
would likely be exhausted! But she would know her efforts
had been worthwhile if her Fancy Dress Ball was mentioned in
formal drawing rooms for weeks to come.
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Ardern Holt seemed especially fond. He must have been
acquainted with some lively women to have thought
up some of his more outlandish ideas. For although
one needn’t have been particularly outgoing to dress
as a Bunch of Sweet Peas or a Rose Garden (Fig. 8),
attending a fancy dress party as a Wastepaper Basket
must have required quite a sense of humor (Fig. 9).
Remarkably, the costumes of any decade did not vary
much in silhouette from normal dress of the day. When
figures were corseted, the costumes were corseted.
And as bustles appeared, disappeared, and reappeared
in popular dress, the same happened for masquerade
costumes (Fig. 10). The effect was sometimes quite
comical, as when the prevailing culture of a time period
was completely out of sync with that of the costume
being interpreted (Fig. 11).
Overlapping this colorful time in masquerade
history was one of the greatest periods in French
Figure 10 - “Folly” costumes from
1887 (left) and 1896 (right).
doll making. So it is no surprise that some of the most
well spoiled dolls of the day had fancy dress costumes
in their wardrobes. And since the Mardi Gras season is
soon upon us, what better way to prepare for the ensuing
celebrations than to create a stylish fancy dress ensemble
for one of your own favorite ladies?
Our delightful model for this issue’s costuming project
is an antique Smiling Bru fashion doll named Charlotte.
She stands 16” tall, and her pattern will fit any 16” fashion
lady with a Gildebrief reproduction body. We have decided
to dress her as Lady Teazle, a popular costume of Victorian
times based on the play School for Scandal. The year 1877
would have marked the one-hundredth anniversary of its
first performance (in London).
We’ve had fun interpreting her eighteenth century dress
as it might have been reimagined for the
nineteenth century. And we hope your
own dolls will enjoy many fun
hours of dancing and socializing
in your version of this alluring
masquerade gown.
Figure 11 - 1920’s costume pattern for
“A Quaint Little Quaker”.
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Introducing Charlotte
as
Lady Teazle
A Fancy Dress Costume Pattern
Based on the play
“The School for Scandal”
by Richard Brinsley Sheridan
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Lady Teazle
A Fancy Dress Costume Directions
UNDERSKIRT
1.
2.
Cut one front on the fold and one back on the fold of your
fabric. Transfer all markings to the right side of the fabric
(basting is best).
Create pleats by folding along black lines and matching
them to the blue lines (note directional arrows on pattern
pieces). As you do this, it’s important to also match the red
fold line (Figure 1), which means your fabric is going to
take on an odd shape (Figure 2). Baste each pleat close to
the folded edge, to about 1/2” below the fold line.
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 1
5.
6.
Figure 2
3.
4.
10
Machine baste along fold line of front section. To baste
the fold line on the back, you must begin at the center
back, just to the side of the tiny center pleat, in order to
keep everything laying the right direction on the back side
(Figure 3). There will be four folds at the center back which
you will NOT include in this basting (Figure 4). Stitch from
the center towards the side for both the right and left of the
back. Once the machine basting is finished, keep the hand
basting which holds the pleats in place but remove any other
marks or hand basting. Press well (but do NOT press the
four center back folds - press just to either side).
Separate the four folds at the center back into two sections.
Place a group of three stitches (one on top of the other)
where the fold line should be on the center pleat (Figure 5).
Do NOT catch in any of the folds. Slash center back to just
above this stitch. Slash center front to just above fold line.
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Turn upper edges to inside along fold line and hand baste in
place. Press. Trim excess on inside front as shown (Figure
6). Neaten raw edge with overcast or blanket stitch. For the
back, the excess would have been left as a sort of “bustle”,
so neaten this edge as well but do not trim it.
With right sides together, pin front to back at sides. Stitch from
marked point to hem using a 1/4” seam allowance. Press open
flat, continuing to press a 1/4” wide allowance above the point
where you stopped stitching, all the way to the upper edge.
Figure 5
Figure 6
7.
8.
Turn raw seam edges under (to seam line) and hand stitch in
place (Figure 7). Slip stitch folded edges in place at opening
above seam as shown.
BODICE
Figure 7
2.
Cut two pieces of tape each 13” long. Mark the center of
each piece. Match the center of your first piece of tape to
the center front of your skirt and pin in place. Attach tape to
upper skirt edge with tiny slip stitches, spaced about 1/16”
apart (Figure 8). Repeat for back.
Figure 8
9.
To create your ruffle, begin by folding your fabric
horizontally. Mark the outer cutting lines on your fabric
as shown (Figure 9). The dimensions should be 5/8” wide
(from the fold) and 36” long. The two long edges will be
pinked simultaneously, with the OUTER points touching
the guideline. I found this easiest to do with a rotary cutter,
but any method which achieves these dimensions is fine.
(Cutting with the ruffle doubled in this way will ensure the
points line up properly across from one another). Press to
remove fold line.
1.
3.
4.
5.
Cut two sides, two backs, two sleeves, two sleeve facings,
and one center front on the fold. Cut the same from your
lining (excluding the sleeve facings). Transfer marks to right
side of lining. Tape bias finishing strip patterns together at
green lines and cut one strip on the bias.
Hand baste linings to wrong sides of all pieces, except the
center front. Treat as one piece going forward. Hand baste
dart marks for fronts and backs through both thicknesses.
Create darts in sides and backs by bringing lines together and
machine stitching. Press towards the sides. Remove dart basting.
With right sides together, pin center back. Stitch using a 1/4”
seam allowance. Press seam open flat. Neaten with overcast
or blanket stitch. Repeat for shoulder and side seams.
Hand baste 1/4” from each arm’s eye edge as shown (Figure
10). Clip to stitching and turn to inside along stitching line.
Hand baste in place. Press.
Figure 10
6.
With right sides together, pin bias finishing strip from lower
side front edge, around neckline, and back down the second
side front edge as shown (Figure 11). Clip off excess. Stitch
using a 1/4” seam allowance. Trim to 1/8” and clip curves as
needed. Press strip away from bodice.
Figure 11
Figure 9
10. Stitch two short ends together to form a loop, using a 1/4”
seam allowance. Press open flat. Neaten with overcast or
blanket stitch.
11. Run gathering threads 3/8” and 1/2” from one edge (the edge
being the outer tips of your pinked points). This will be your
upper edge.
12. The ruffle will be stitched over the top of the turned up hem
allowance, having the bottom folded edge of the skirt even
with the lower line of gathering stitches on the ruffle. Match
center front and back of the ruffle to the front and back of
skirt, then pull up gathers to fit. Pin in place. Stitch through
all thicknesses in a line between your two rows of gathering
threads. Remove gathering threads. Press.
7.
8.
9.
Turn remaining raw edge of strip to meet seam line on
inside, then turn in again on seam line. Hand baste in
place. Slip stitch to lining.
Machine baste 1/4” from upper sleeve edges.
With right sides together, pin sleeve facings to lower
sleeve edges. Stitch using a 1/4” seam allowance. Trim to
1/8” and press away from sleeve.
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10. Fold sleeve in half with right sides together and pin (Figure 12).
Stitch using a 1/4” seam allowance. Press seams open flat.
5.
Figure 12
11. Turn facing to inside along seam line. Turn under 1/4”
along upper raw edge and press. Slip stitch folded edge
to lining. Neaten remaining sleeve seams with overcast or
blanket stitch.
12. Insert sleeves into arm’s eyes, matching sleeve seams to
marks on bodice sides and taking care that the sleeve backs
are at the back of the bodice. Arrange bodice over sleeves
so that the folded arm’s eye edges meet the basted seam
lines of the sleeves. Ease in the cap area of the sleeves and
pin. Hand baste sleeves into arm’s eyes, then hand stitch
in place from the outside using ladder stitch (Figure 13).
These stitches should be as small as possible (magnifiers
are a great help here). Remove all basting. Press. On inside,
neaten seam allowances with overcast or blanket stitch.
Figure 14
6.
Turn in 1/4” on each short end of your false hem and press.
With right sides together, pin hem to lower edge of overskirt
(Figure 15). Stitch using a 1/4” seam allowance. Trim to 1/8”
and turn to inside along seam line. Turn under 1/4” along
upper edge and press. Blind stitch in place. Press.
Figure 15
7.
8.
Figure 13
above this stitch. Turn skirt to inside along front and back
fold lines and hand baste in place. Press.
Mark the 1/4” seam line along the lower edge of your
bodice. Lap skirt over the bodice, having the fold line at the
bodice seam line as shown and hand baste in place (Figure
14). Allow 1/4” of skirt to extend beyond each bodice front
edge. Hand stitch skirt to bodice using ladder stitch. Remove
basting and marks. Press well. Neaten raw edge with
overcast or blanket stitch.
Turn under 1/4” on each short end of the overskirt facings
and press. With right sides together, pin to skirt edges.
Stitch using a 1/4” seam allowance. Press facing and seam
allowance away from skirt.
At lower edge, turn facing in at an angle as shown (Figure
16). Hand baste in place. Turn raw facing edge in to seam
line, then turn in again at seam line. Hand baste in place.
Slip stitch upper short edge and lower mitered corner in
place. Press.
OVERSKIRT
1.
2.
3.
4.
12
Match overskirt pattern part 1 to part 2 at green lines and
tape together. Cut one overskirt on the fold, one false hem,
and two front facings on the bias. Transfer marks to right
side of overskirt.
Follow underskirt step 2 to create pleats. Machine baste fold
line through all thicknesses, leaving the four center back
folds of fabric free as before. Keep the hand basting which
holds the pleats in place but remove any other marks or
hand basting. Press well (but do NOT press the four center
back folds - press just to either side).
Measure and trim excess fabric above the fold line so
exactly 1/4” remains.
Separate the four folds at the center back into two sections.
Place a group of three stitches (one on top of the other)
where the fold line should be (refer back to Figure 5). Do
NOT catch in any of the folds. Slash center back to just
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Figure 16
CENTER FRONT
1. Turn under 1/4” along upper edges of center front and
center front lining. Press.
2. If you plan to do the optional boning, begin by machine
basting as indicated on center front and lining. Clip to
just inside your stitching at the mark. Turn center front
and lining edges to inside along basting and hand baste in
place. Press.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Pin lining to center front having right sides together. For a
center front without boning, stitch around entire edge using
a 1/4” seam allowance (leave top edge open for turning). To
prepare for the optional boning, stitch this seam from the
clipped point, leaving the turned in edges free in addition to
the top (Figure 17). Trim seam allowance to 1/8” and clip
curves as needed. Turn to right side and press. For center
front without boning, hand baste upper edges together.
The boned interlining section is created by cutting two
sections from a somewhat stiff fabric. This shouldn’t be
thick, just dense. Transfer markings for boning channels
to one section. Machine baste 3/8” from all edges of each
section separately. Pin together down center front.
Create boning channels by first stitching the center front
line. Each remaining line should be stitched as a “V”,
pivoting at the center. Start and stop each line just inside
your machine basting at the edges. Do NOT go beyond this
basting. When all the lines are stitched, press well.
The “bones” are actually tiny zip ties (1/8” wide). For each
channel, clip one bone end at an angle, then measure the
length of the channel to determine the point to clip the other
end (Figure 18). As you insert each bone, hand baste a stitch
across the end to keep it in place. When all the bones are
in, trim the interlining section close to the machine basting
around the edges.
3.
Apply ruching trim in four evenly spaced rows across the
center front, pulling up gathers to desired effect and turning
in the raw, short ends as you go. Tack in place down the
centers (Figure 19). Remove basting. Add ribbon bows and/
or flowers as desired.
4.
Use the lace guide to cut two pieces of lace on the fold. Run
gathering threads along the upper edge. Pull up gathers to fit
and tack to sleeve at lower edge, turning in raw ends where
they meet and having the shortest portion of the lace at the
sleeve seam and the longest portion at the elbow.
Tack ruched trim over raw lace edge on each sleeve, turning
in short raw ends where they meet. Decorate at the elbow
with a ribbon bow and/or flower if desired.
Use two pieces of trim to decorate the neckline and bodice
side fronts, beginning each at the center back and finishing
at the waist (turn in short raw ends as you go).
Apply remaining two pieces of trim to skirt front, turning
them into swirls at the lower corners (Figure 20).
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
7.
Lap the right side edge of the bodice over your center front piece
by 1/4”, having the top of the center front at the point marked on
the side front pattern. Slip stitch in place on the inside.
Sew hooks to the inside left edge of the side front, and
corresponding eyes to the center front , so that the left side of
the bodice laps over the left center front by 1/4” (Figure 21).
Insert the boned interlining into the center front. Slip stitch
sides together. Hand baste upper edges together.
FINISHING
1.
Use the decorative ruching trim pattern as a guide for size, and
the instructions from the underskirt ruffle, to cut the following:
Two 12” pieces for the bodice front, two 7” pieces for the sleeves,
two 16” pieces for the skirt front, and one 14” piece for the center
front. Hand baste with small stitches down the center of each,
leaving tails for pulling up gathers. Press.
2. Stitch a piece of narrow lace behind the upper edge of the
center front, turning in and overcasting the raw short edges
on each end.
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