anybody know things about edwardian garment construction?

[thanate]

I'm looking at this pattern, and on the face of it, it looks very simple. But when I go to trace it out, I find the following difficulty:

The blouse front is supposed to contain a box pleat with buttons down the front. But the collar piece is marked "CF on fold" and in the illustration, which enlarges if you click on it, the embroidery goes straight across the front of the collar without break or seam, and there's a seam at the back. So... are the front buttons false, and there's a real opening in the back? Or is there some other secret that prevents you from having to remove your head to get the garment on?

Comments

[cheshiretiffy.livejournal.com]

Maybe a two-layerd collar? I don't know jack about Edwardian fashion, but the picture makes me think that its a wrap-around collar that probably buttons in the back, attached to either the left or right side, probably with a panel underneath?

(http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v382/chshiretiffy/Etc/?action=view&current=wrapcollar.jpg)

Totally guessing.

[thanate.livejournal.com]

Clever-- I don't think this is what they mean on this particular pattern (unless it's a double-wrap somehow, but you'd think this would be somehow noted on the piece) but definitely a good way of solving the problem. Thanks for the suggestion.

[belfebe.livejournal.com]

Hmmm . . . I don't know jack about Edwardian construction (you may want to ask Rheabecc for that one). However, looking at the pattern and at the blouse, it seems to me that your interpretation of the front buttons being false and fastening at the back may be correct. I can't see how else you would achieve that effect.