I've actually never had to do it for any of mine. (I haven't made a court dress for this period, though!) It really isn't the norm for the galaxy of dresses at the time; wools and cottons don't need it, and it's pointless for sheers. It's mostly for silk gowns, and even then not for all of them. I also get the idea that it's a thrifty thing to do, because it will make a lighter & cheaper silk drape more like a better silk, and it will also protect the silk so it will last longer. Pretty sure none of those considerations affected Isabel. ;)
That IS a lot of fabric! I didn't line the long skirt train on my 1690s court dress, although the portrait showed that it was lined in a lighter pink silk. It worked okay, though it wouldn't have been so limp when I picked it up. Maybe you can use a cheaper silk? The stuff from Bangkok Thai Silk is truly silk, very lightweight but also halfway crisp; like I imagine washed taffeta would be. http://www.bangkokthaisilk.com/100-auth-silk/
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branchandroot
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Date: 2015-08-22 05:46 am (UTC)That IS a lot of fabric! I didn't line the long skirt train on my 1690s court dress, although the portrait showed that it was lined in a lighter pink silk. It worked okay, though it wouldn't have been so limp when I picked it up. Maybe you can use a cheaper silk? The stuff from Bangkok Thai Silk is truly silk, very lightweight but also halfway crisp; like I imagine washed taffeta would be.
http://www.bangkokthaisilk.com/100-auth-silk/