A friend recently gave me a regency dress she wasn't happy with. The reason was quickly discovered and is one of the most common difficulties when sewing for this period: the front skirt part didn't fit at all. The tricky part is to keep it as flat as possible while still putting enough fabric to the front to keep it from clinging to your belly but not making you look pregnant - which requires shaping the top edge a bit.
So first step: undo the front half of the waist seam and the side seams, as well as the hem which will also have to be adjusted. The upper edge of the front skirt piece is cut out in a slight curve, the sides are cut slightly at an angle. This helps to keep the front flat because this slightly trapezoide shape gives more fabric at the hem where it's needed while keeping the upper part as smooth as possible without adding bulk. Two small tucks (one under each breast) also help. I also had to take a little width out of the bodice, taking in the side seams beneath the sleeves, then closed the side seams again. Always check if the pleated back part of the skirt doesn't come too far to the front, which would ruin the silhouette. Which it didn't do here, so I could adjust the hem and finish a very practical day dress. It can be worn without any kind of undergarments (like corset or even bust-shaping shift) thus being the perfect choice for summer reenactments. Yay again to me being a stick figure :D
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