Peach and cream striped Empire gown
Here is the gown on my trusty form Lucy. This second gown I made from the Folkwear Empire dress pattern, and I was very pleased. Since it is adjustable (drawstrings around the neck, tied at the back), fitting was no problem. However, I did need the proper undergarment for bust support as the bustline is historically correct and higher than current fashion. I substituted a made-over (read compressed!) long-line strapless bra that I had, and for the occasional ball, this works fine. However, in the long term, it is better to have the correct garment. Sense and Sensibility has an undergarments pattern which should be quite satisfactory, although I have not used it yet.
The pictures above show the detail on the sleeve (the pattern has three on each sleeve) and the lace and ribbon detailing.
I see this pattern as sort of transitional….the bodice is short and constructed as the garments of the late 1790’s and early 1800’s, with the small back and extended sleeve hole, but the skirt is slightly flared and has a reduced amount of fabric gathered into the back, more like garments after 1810. This makes it versatile for adaptation.