An Infatuation With Costumes! :)

Hey guys! For a few weeks now, I've had an idea for a dress simmering in my brain. It was first inspired by a friend I hadn't seen for a long time, who looked so absolutely charming in her dress that I thought she belonged in some sort of painting. My brain started working...how to get a dress like that? Make it! Then, I watched BBC's Wives and Daughters. Oh my stars! The costumes Molly wears are so sweet and pretty! I really liked some of the bodices of some of her dresses, and the sleeves on her "berry-picking" gown. The only way to get a gown I dreamed up, seems to be to design it myself! So after reading Kendal Butler's post on the summer dress she designed, I figured it couldn't be too hard! With sewing, I tend to sort of make it up as a go along a bit anyway! :) So last night I sat down and drew a very basic idea of the dress bobbling around in my mind. I wanted to get a good image in my mind of Molly Gibson's dresses in Wives and Daughters, so I simply did a google search on "costumes from BBC Wives and Daughters" and came up with a great blessing! Namely, a blog called "The Dashwood Sisters", who had done an entire costume study on Wives and Daughters!!!!!:) :) :) I spent a bit of time poking around over there, and had to tear myself away after getting the necessary information! :) I could have spent all day looking at it, since when I watch any good old-fashioned movie, costumes are the area I scrutinize and moon over! ;) Here is a picture of Molly's Berrypicking dress! I basically, want to use the sleeves and over all idea of the bodice for mine! :)

Here is a really nice view of the sleeves- the main thing I wish to copy from her dress! :)

And here is a view of the dress as a whole! I really like the neckline too, but I was thinking I'd do the one that is rattling `round my brain, which i found out is called a "drawstring" neckline.

Here is the rough design I drew:

I am not sure, with the drawstring neckline, how the back would open up...any ideas? The Dashwood "study" suggested using Sense and Sensibility's "Romantic Era" pattern, and their "Ladies of Elegance" pattern has the drawstring neckline as one option....but I kind of want to avoid buying two patterns....tell me what you think! This is just a fun idea, I really, really like the dress! :( I hope I have enough money and wits about me to buy material, and somehow make it become a reality! What do you all think? Any tips on designing a dress and making a pattern for it? Should I just buy the "Romantic Era" pattern, and improvise the neckline? Help me! Oh! I didn't draw the sleeves quite how I want them! I want MOLLY's sleeves! :D -Rachel