KCI Dress Project (9)

I am determined to wear this gown on our Tall Ship Adventure this weekend but am still being plagued by questions about how it was constructed. Only the front of the gown was photographed and put online, and my emails to the KCI haven't been answered. I have posted a letter this week in case it gets through. Hoping!
I've been looking at the front again and have a gut suspicion that it is front closing. It is very hard to see, but two clues are a missing loop in the centre front neckline could indicate a centre front opening, or on the right of the picture you can see some piping coming up from the waistband that might indicate that it opens on the side near the left sleeve. This then brings up the question about the neckline trim...

From http://www.kci.or.jp/archives/digital_archives/detail_59_e.html

Anyway, so that I can wear this on Friday I have to do something fast. Until I get some answers, my temporary solution is to make a simple bodice with the ornamental neckline trim, leaving off the front slashes. It will be back opening. When I get some answers, I will then remove the neckline and sleeves and turn the bodice into an under-bodice, and make a separate outer bodice with the slashing, ornamented neckline and the long sleeves.
Last night I spent the evening hand sewing the trim and have pictures below of my progress. I have changed my mind about the neck trim and simply cut a piece of striped fabric on the bias, traced my curves on with tailors chalk, and then sewed the piping onto the fabric.

After this I made a trim to use on the neckline trim - different to the original but using a piping method that Kleidung um 1800 shared and that I felt would look nice.

And lastly, here is a picture of my matching bonnet and parasol to be used with this gown. Sorry, its not such a good photo as it doesn't show the fringing on the parasol.