If your costuming goal is to have a garment that reflects overall norms for the
mid-century, then please do use self-fabric piping or corded piping on cotton
print dresses. It is *by far* the most typical. Mrs Lincoln's gown is atypical,
even for a high-fashion dress, and should not be used as documentation for
contrast piping on a cotton print dress.
That doesn't mean, however, that you lose the opportunity to add color
contrast. Pick up the red with covered buttons (perhaps do little ones, set in
close groups of three... that's one treatment I've seen on a print dress, and
it's very effective), add flat bands of red to a cuff (perhaps with more
buttons), and/or add a belt with a red rosette at the closure. Or, add a red
ribbon bow at your neckline instead of a brooch. There are lots of ways to pull
up that red that would be quite normal and typical for a cotton print (or wool
or silk print) dress, so you'd be both individually stylish *and* consistent
with decorative dress details for the period.
(Of course, if you have a different costuming goal, don't worry about it! Do as
you like! Not every use calls for an outfit that stays fully consistent with
the period.)
Regards,
Elizabeth Clark
The Sewing Academy Main Site
The Sewing Academy "Historic Clothing Tech Support" Forum
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