Front-opening bodice with exposed lacing holes

Over the Easter long weekend I have been working on a blue drill dress that I started in about August or September last year. There have been lots of changes to the plan as I work on this dress in dribs and drabs. I re-made a pattern which has straps further off the shoulders and a pointed bodice. I wanted a front lacing dress so that I can dress myself, as often I don't have anyone to help me dress.

I had planned to close the front of the dress with hooks and eyes, but when I basted them in, they didn't seem terribly secure. Because I am big busted, I plan to wear a pair of bodies underneath the dress anyway, but I didn't want to take a chance on the closures opening up when I bend or move. I also considered ladder lacing, but I have not done it before and I need this dress to be finished within a month. So I am planning on doing ladder lacing through eyelets. This is not a very common bodice closure based on what I have seen of period portraiture.

I have a whole roll of some very nice blue and gold trim, so I can 'go to town' with the decoration. The real trouble is making a decision on which way to go with it! I am also unsure about what type of sleeve head decoration to use. I played around with the pattern for several hours this week and am completely fed up with the whole concept of sleeves, so the sleeve head pattern is on the back burner while I work on pleats and eyelets.

Here are some portraits that have been an inspiration to me:



http://starlightmasquerade.com/PortraitGallery/Ladder-Laced-Venetian/inspiration-pages/Venetian8.htm





http://starlightmasquerade.com/PortraitGallery/Ladder-Laced-Venetian/inspiration-pages/Venetian11.htm






http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Judith_with_the_head_of_Holofernes.jpg




http://starlightmasquerade.com/PortraitGallery/Ladder-Laced-Venetian/inspiration-pages/openbodice118.htm



http://starlightmasquerade.com/PortraitGallery/Ladder-Laced-Venetian/inspiration-pages/openbodice7.htm




http://starlightmasquerade.com/PortraitGallery/Ladder-Laced-Venetian/inspiration-pages/openbodice74.htm