They will be functional...instead of just using regular laces (the ones I saw this weekend had shoelaces on them), I want to use the ribbon.
Now, the skirt it's going to go with. My friend said it should be a fishtail skirt because it would make me streamlined (I wanted to tell her I was not a Zeppelin!!!!), and then it would have that extra at the back. I don't want to use a bustle, but at the front it will be "open" and reveal a series of ruffles underneath. Now, if I did the corset in purple, I would want to do the ruffles in purple.
Also, the "flaps" on the front of the skirt will be held back by buckles (I had to go all over Mobile to find the belt buckles that I wanted). And the top will be a high-collar shirt. The sleeves will stop at my elbows and instead of a button at the very top another buckle will hold it closed at my throat. I'm going to make a regular shirt out of that pattern tomorrow and see how it fits, etc., then I'll decide from there what I'm going to do with it. I'm going to be wearing arm warmers as well, probably with a stripe pattern. Unless it's ungodly hot in there, in which case I won't be wearing them for long. ^_^
That's the plan anyway. *sigh*