The Highland Bodice

The Highland Bodice began with a love of the softer, more romantic side of eighteenth-century dress.

Rather than creating a historical reproduction, we wanted to borrow the beautiful proportions and distinctive laced silhouette of the period and make them part of a modern wardrobe, something equally at home layered over a simple blouse as it is worn as part of a wonderfully elaborate ensemble.

A little piece of the past, made for however you choose to wear it.

• Linen outer with a cotton lining

• Front-lacing design

• Separate structured stomacher sits beneath the lacing

• Light synthetic whalebone supports the lacing channels

• Designed with a traditional tapered lacing gap

• Choice of eyelet finish

• Choice of ribbon or cotton-cord lacing

• Optional sleeve frills

• Optional peplum frills

• Made individually to your measurements

• Made to order in England

Each Highland Bodice is made individually to order in our Devon studio.

Your bodice is cut to your measurements before being carefully constructed, lined and lightly boned around the lacing channels. A separate stomacher is made to sit behind the front opening, before the eyelets and your chosen lacing are added to finish the piece.

This is slow clothing in the truest sense: cut, sewn and finished for one person at a time.

Made in linen and lined in soft cotton, the Highland Bodice combines the beautiful natural texture of linen with enough structure to hold its distinctive shape.

The linen is available in a small collection of natural, earthy shades designed to sit easily amongst the rest of your wardrobe.

The Highland Bodice is made to measure rather than made to a standard dress size.

It is designed to lace with an intentional gap at the front - approximately 3 inches across the bust, tapering to 1–2 inches at the waist, with the stomacher visible beneath. This is part of the design rather than an indication that the bodice is too small. 

If you'd prefer a little more ease, just let us know.

Planning to layer yours? Please take your measurements while wearing the garments you intend to wear underneath your bodice, whether that's a blouse, chemise or pair of stays. This allows us to account for those layers when creating your fit.

Your Highland Bodice is made especially for you, so please allow approximately 4–6 weeks for us to make your garment before dispatch. 

Good things take a little time.