Date: Tue, 24 Dec 1996 07:24:23 -1000
From: Nancy Saputo
Subject: 18TH CENTURY MOVEMENTS, MANNERS & COSMETICS HAND-OUT
Alicia Annas (Prof. and Chair of the Dept. of Drama at San Diego State Univ.)
Hand-out for "WHAT SHALL I WEAR/ DRESSING FOR A BALL 1770-1790"
Gadsby's Tavern Museum/Alexandria, VA Oct. 19, 1996
PRIMARY SOURCES:
Chesterfield, Philip Dormer Stanhope. "Letters To His Son on the Fine
Art of Becoming a Man of the World and a Gentleman". London, 1774.
Hogarth, William. "The Analysis of Beauty". London: J. Reeves, 1753.
Nivelon, F. "The Rudiments of Genteel Behavior". London, 1737.
Petrie, A. "The Polite Academy: Or School of Behaviour for Young
Gentlemen and Ladies". 8th ed., London: 178--. (1st edition: 1762)
Tomlinson, Kellom. "The Art of Dancing." London, 1735.
Towle, Matthew. "The Young Gentleman and Lady's Private Tutor."
Oxford, 1770.
SECONDARY SOURCES:
Annas, Alicia M. "The Elegant Art of Movement." "An Elegant Art:
Fashion and Fantasy in the Eighteenth Century". New York: Harry N. Abrams,
1983. (Emphasizes 18th c. attitudes expressed through manners and movement
with specific directions taken from primary sources.)
Aresty, Esther B. "The Best Behavior: The Course of Good Manners From
Antiquity to the Present as Seen Through Courtesy and Etiquette Books". New
York: Simon & Schuster, 1970. (Contains good general overview of many
periods, including 18th c. and an excellent bibliography of period etiquette
books.)
Wildeblood, Joan. "The Polite World: A Guide to English Manners and
Deportment". Rev. ed. London: Davis-Poynter, 1973. (Excellent overview of
medieval through 1920's attitudes and specific directions for manners and
movement taken from primary sources.)
COSMETICS:
Primary Sources:
Le Camus, Antoine. "Abdeker: or, The Art of Preserving Beauty".
A. Millar, 1754.
Stewart, James. "Plocacosmos: or the Art of Hairdressing".
London, 1782. (Contains a section on 18th c. cosmetics at the end.)
Secondary Sources:
Angeloglou, Maggie. "A History of Makeup". New York: Macmillan, 1970.
Corson, Richard. "Fashions in Makeup". New York: Universe Books, 1972.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 2 Jan 1997 08:53:49 -1000
From: Mary Walter
Subject: Re: Tailor's masterpiece books
At 01:50 AM 1/2/97 -0500, Ron Carnegie wrote:
>At 06:14 PM 1/1/97 -0800, you wrote:
>>I have never seen the mid 16th-century tailor's masterpiece books
>>someone referred to, mentioned in any history of _published_ patterns.
>>That is patterns freely available to anyone, not just passed between a
>>master and apprentices or among members of a tailor's guild. Were these
>>books professional publications, freely available, and do they actually
>>contain usable patterns, or just instructions?
>
>
> The Spanish book does contain "cutting diagrams" for assembling
>garments, and instructions of that nature. There is a facimile copy with
>translation in the library at work. I have browsed through it, but not
>actually read it.
>
> I have seen some trade encyclopedias that give some instruction as
>well. These were not really meant as home sewing guides though.
>
>Cheers,
>Ron Carnegie
>[email protected]
Ron,
The book you may be referencing is J. Alcega's, Tailor's Pattern Book 1589.
There is a translation by J. Pain and C. Bainton, intro and notes by
Nevinson. It is a facsimile of "Libro de Geometria, pratica y traca". My
understanding was that Alcega wasn't attempting to publish a pattern book
per se but was showing how to effectively lay out then current patterns to
get the best and most economical usage of available cloth. Cloth had become
less expensive by Alcega's time but it still represented a huge out lay of
resources even for the well-to-do. Many of the affluent still had but two
to three changes of wardrobe. However, this book is an effective guide to
understanding the tailoring methods of the day...The "french" cut bodice
depends upon the correct orientation of the garment on the grain for proper
fit. By studying the lay out of the bodice one can understand how to
proceed. Alcega's book deals primarily with men's garments but not exclusively.
I have also finally caught up from the holidays with all messages on this
list. I was very interested in the discussion of both fustian and the
construction discussion of the costume from Queen Margot. I suspect the
poster who wanted to know or suggested that a corset pattern was covered
with cloth may have been right about the rigidity of construction. I don't
know however that it would have taken a corset covered with cloth to achieve
the non-wrinkle very stiff look. If you reference J. Arnold's, "Patterns of
Fashion c 1560-1620", p. 27, placte 182, Arnold shows the tailoring method
used in a man's doublet. Layers of linen was used to stiffen the front of
the doublet. Those layers are covered in some areas with pad stitching.
The pad stitching placed correctly gives the correct shaping (a kind of
rounding) to give a smoother line over shoulders and chest. With a bodice,
lined similarly, and cut "correctly" in terms of the grain of cloth, you
could possibly achieve the very stiff, non-wrinkle effect of the Queen
Margot bodice costumes. (My understanding is that pad-stitching is still
used today to shape the shoulders and lapels of men's suit jackets).
An example of what I'm referring to is most likely seen in the "Phoenix"
portrait of Queen Elizabeth I attributed to Nicholas Hilliard, c 1575. In
fact the bodice would have probably had to be stiff enough to walk to the
closet on its own power, since the sleeve rolls on the dress of that picture
would have presented some problems of "staying up" or put. Arnold in her
"Queen Elizabeths Wardrobe Unlocked" refers to 18 yards of fustian being
ordered for sleeve rolls. Bents of whalebone were also probably also
used...but just think of those constructions being attached to a very slim
piece of fabric at the shoulder. (Alcega's "french" bodice pattern would
suggest how thin a section). And I say that with some trepidation because
the portrait and several like it, almost visually would imply those rolls
were resting on the upper arm and off the shoulder. (I'm told the "off the
shoulder" is an visual illusion). This is a construction, with which I'm
still struggling. And yes, cartridge pleating to the stiff bodice (mine,
unfortunately don't yet walk to the closet on their own :]) is much easier
than onto something with not quiet as much body.
I would like to thank all those who responded to my query about
rabbato's/supportasses, especially Sally Chandler. Sorry about being absent
a month or so from post...I own a retail store and the holidays are pretty
impossible, but I didn't mean to neglect my very sincere thank yous.
I would appreciate someone posting the name of Phillip Stubbs book again if
possible. I think I've missed some posts due to system problems.
Mary Walter
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Date: Sat, 4 Jan 1997 15:21:37 -1000
From: Maggie Pierce
Subject: Bibliography for Old Irish and Scottish Costume
Since a number of people have asked for this, it seemed most sensible to just
post it generally. It's not TOO long.
This list is taken in part from the Clan MacColin Costume Guide, 1988-90,
compiled under the guidance of Steven Gillan. Since Steven remains my mentor
in these matters, I ll see if he would be interested in snail mail
correspondence with anyone wanting to pick his very active brain.
Have fun!
Bingham, Madeleine, "Scotland Under Mary Stuart An Account of Everyday Life",
[no date available, about 1950 I think]
Browne, James, "The History of Scotland, Its Highlands, Regiments, and
Clans", 1845.
Burt, Edward, "Letters from a Gentleman in the North of Scotland", Edinburgh,
1754.
Chambers, Granuoile, "The Life and Times fo Grace O Malley ", 1979
Derrick, John, "Image of Ireland", London 1585 (available as a facsimile
reprint, no date available).
Dunlevy, Mairead, "Dress in Ireland", B.T. Batsford Ltd., London 1989.
Falls, Cyril, "Elizabeth s Irish Wars", 1950
Logan, James, "Manners, Customs, and Antiquities of Scotland".
MacKenzie, Agnes Mure, "The Scotland of Queen Mary and the Religious Wars
1513-1638", Oliver & Boyd Ltd., Edinburgh, 1936, rpt. 1957.
MacKinnon, C.R., "Scottish Tartans and Highland Dress", Glasgow, 1960.
Maxwell, Stuart and R. Hutchinson, "Scottish Costume", 1958.
McClintock, H.F., "Old Irish and Highland Dress", 1943. [this is a recognized
reference but does contain some errors]
-------------------- "Handbook on the Traditional Old Irish Dress",
Dundalgan Press Ltd.,
Dundalk, 1958.
Moryson, Fynes "Shakespeare s Europe, More Unpublished Chapters of Fynes
Moryson s Itinerarys" [primary source for late 1590-1620]
Telfer Dunbar, J., "The Costume of Scotland", B.T. Batsford Ltd., London
1976.
---------- "History of Highland Dress", Oliver & Boyd, Edinburgh, 1962.
Walker, George, "Historical Essay on the Dress of Ancient and Modern Irish",
London 1787.
Walker, J.C., "Historical memoirs of the Irish Bards", 1789 (includes the
complete Irish sumptuary laws of Henry VIII)
------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 4 Jan 1997 11:18:58 -1000
From: Frances Grimble
Organization: Lavolta Press
Subject: Tailor's Masterpiece Books
Regarding the "mysterious" tailor's masterpiece books: see No. 3 of
_Costume_, the 1969 issue of the British Costume Society journal, for
the article "Tailor's Masterpiece Books."
Also see the bibliography for the Ruth Bean reprint of de Alcega's
_Tailor's Pattern Book_.
Also, see Irena Turnau's _European Occupational Dress_ and her _History
of Dress in Central and Eastern Europe from the Sixteenth to the
Eighteenth Century_. These are Polish books translated into English.
Turnau shows pictures of patterns from a 1581 and a 17th-century
tailor's guild pattern book, and she tells where these are in the state
archives. I just got Turnau's books in the mail yesterday, from Fred
Struthers. He probably has more copies because these are not used
books.
Fran Grimble
------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 08:53:33 -1000
Comments: Environmental Systems Research Institute
From: Dale Loberger
As Steve "Cold Knees" said, "I often am involved in the fight against
the historically incorrect wearing of the kilt." Well, maybe I don't do
it often, but when I heard the question about women wearing kilts, I
asked a female friend of mine who re-enacts in a Scottish unit. Here is
her reply:
"Women did not wear the kilt. Women wore the arasaid (pronounced
arisayed) which is a chemise type dress with no waist or belt sewn into
it. Then, several yards of cloth, usually a tartan as that's what they
wove, were folded in half length wise (if you had a 60 inch length,
36 inches wide, fold to make 30 inches by 36.) Then wrap the 36 inch
width around the waist with the 30 inch length running waist to ankle.
It would come around the front with the 2 ends meeting in the front but
not overlapping. With a belt, attach to the body and bunch or pleat it
up across the back. The belt would go in between the folded piece. The
underside of the fold was pleated and the top would then be brought up
across the back and attached at one shoulder to act as a wrap for cold
weather or as a carrying pouch when pulled around the shoulder to the
front or for a baby carrier. The loose chemise would carry you thru
weight gain/loss and pregnancies with out needing to be re-fitted. And,
like the kilt, it was a one size fit all garment and could be passed on
from one person to the next. Plus, it required the minimum of sewing.
Pretty smart. You all might like to go to the Tartan Museum in
Franklin, NC. Yes, there is such a thing. It is in the city building.
It's pretty neat and does a good job at tracing the history of tartans
and the kilt. I can't remember if it covers womens clothing or not."
--
Dale A. Loberger
The WoodSmith of Mulberry Meadow
(and husband of Susannah Eanes)
------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 20 Dec 1996 09:05:24 -1000
From: "Carol E. Newby"
Subject: Re: Silhouette forms
There is a company called Pure Whimsy with an on-line catalog. They have
a book called _Make Your Own Body Form Instruction Booklet_ and they say
that this method is used by costumers and the form will cost less than
$30 and will be done is under 3 hours. The booklet is $12.00. I haven't
ordered it yet 'cause we're in the process of buying a house, but as soon
as we are moved in I'm getting it and can then "review" it for anyone
that's interested. The catalog page is on the web at:
http://www.purewhimsy.com/p0000075.htm
Carol
------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 5 Jan 1997 20:06:41 -1000
From: Maggie Pierce
Subject: Re: bodice-dress
In a message dated 97-01-05 18:51:13 EST, you write:
<< a while back I requested help finding documentation for a dress that was
basically a front lace bodice with skirt attached worn over a linia
sometime
out of wool. I have seen it numerous times in the SCA and someone was going
to send me paperwork but I haven't seen it and have lost the name.There is a
running battle if this is period (somewhere.sometime) or a SCA Myth costume.
Like barbarian women in g-strings and pasties with swords! (UGGGGK).
Thanks
Morigianna
>>
Nope, this is a perfectly legitimate 15th-16th century Irish gown. The dress
laces completely closed, and is essentially a square waisted (as opposed to
pointed) bodice with a skirt gathered or pleated to it, which opens in the
front. The pictures which document it are from Lucas de Heere and from John
Derrick's Image of Ireland, both primary sources. I probably have to take
the credit/blame for intriducing this gown into the SCA in Caid. Where it
has gone from there is something over which I have no control:)
Here is the note from the Clan MacColin costume notes (amply documented) on
women's garb:
"Our available illustrations, save one, of this garment show it on town
women and women of chiefly estate. The waisted Irish dress is a bodice and
skirt combination of the same fabric. The upper part was made like a bodice,
and presumably served the same purpose. Sleeves were probably detachable.
They are shown in the illustrations to be very narrow and fitting close to
the arm and tied or buttoned at the wrist. If they completely enclosed the
arm, they were open along the bottom seam to accomodate the billowing leine
sleeve. The skirt was split up the front to alow a panel, an underskirt, or
possible even the leine to show. Some of the front corners were cut very
long, then brought up through the belt to show off a lining or left loose to
provide occupation for train bearers."
The "save one" is the Derrick wood cut showing a woman having her house burnt
down by native troops, demonstrating the barbarity of the "mere" Irish. The
remark abour train bearers refers to a comment in Walker (1798) who says his
grandmother remembered in her youth having a gown with a train so long it had
to be born up behind her.
Some of the work which contributed to the MacColin notes was mine.
Hope this helps!
Maggie Countess of Southampton
------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 7 Jan 1997 19:00:01 -1000
From: Maggie Pierce
Subject: Re: bodice-dress
I wouldn't make the dress in any plaid at all if an authentic look is your
goal. I have one (count'em) one reference to a "tartan petticote" which as
we know might mean an underskirt, and I have done that myself. But I was a
much younger costumer when I did .
An airisaid (AIR-a-said) is a better answer, which you can do with just a
couple of yards of 54-60" plaid (pretty much no recognizable modern sett is
period). Belt it at the waist so it hangs a little shorter than the skirt,
and let the other end hang over the belt. Then bring one corner up to one
shoulder and tuck the other into the belt. If it's too warm or too
burdensome, you can bring both up both corners and tuck them into the belt,
but the first way makes a very graceful and charming look which is not
strictly documentable. The most authentic method is to bring the top half up
over your head and/or pin over both shoulders at the breast. Does that all
make sense?
I'll probably get some correction on this (Hi Regina!) but it works for me.
Maggie Countess of Southampton
Mairghread-Ros FitzGarret of Desmond, OL (Caid)
------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 13 Jan 1997 04:51:53 -1000
From: "J.G."
Subject: Simple Cloak Pattern
Hello all:
I dont know if this will work.. I have made a pattern for a cloak the
way I make my cloaks. (sending it as an attachment hope you get it
entact) I realize for most of you this would be too simple but i would
like your oppinions on not only my pattern but my directions... please
keep in mind i do not put exact measurements because everyone has their
own stlye and preference and i make each one of mine different...
this is a pattern for a pretty full cloak. yet not a compleat circle
one... I used to make those from a pattern and they never turned out.
thank you for your opinions and comments in advance i know you all will
be objective with out being crewl :)
have a good day...
Shae [email protected]
PS. the attachemnt was saved in Windows 95 Micrografix windows draw it
is a .DRW file (incase you needed that information :)
Directions:
measure from top of your shoulders close to your neck to the floor (or
as long as you want the cloak) take that number and double it.
this is how long you need your material, you will need 60 inch material.
fold the material in half so it is 30 inches wide then fold its length
in half.
measure your neck all the way around take that number and ... looking at
the top right of the pattern start from the right corner of the material
and measure from the edge to the left across the top.
now this is where you start to cut the edge and the neck. the curve for
the neck is only about 2 inches down from the right corner.
cut the neck and the left side and the bottom... cutting through all 4
peices af fabric.
Now carefully take the 2 middle peices of fabric on the left edge of the
cloak and pin them all the way down, neck to the floor. now this is
your back seem. sew it together
you are almost done...
cutting out the hood: the size of your neck (you measured it above) is
the size of your neck/collar (bottom of the hood) you decide how tall
and deep you want your hood... now cut it out and sew the back together.
Attaching the hood: line up the back seems for the cloak and the hood
and pin them together with right sides together now pin the corners of
the hood to the corners of the cloak now pleat all the fabric in between
(use PINS) this way you dont pleat from one side and get it all out of
wack!! :)
Now sew the hood and cloak together
------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Jan 1997 05:16:51 -1000
From: Kelvin Wilson
Subject: New costume publications
There have been some very good costume-related books published here in
Holland in the last few months and I thought perhaps out there, amongst you
all, there might be a interest in them:
Wijnand van der Sanden wrote "Vereeuwigd in het veen" on bog bodies
(colour, 200 pages, with many pages on costume and personal decoration).
This was the catalogue of the once-in-a-lifetime exhibition on all of
Europe's bog people (with about every bit of clothing recontructed and on
display!) in the Silkeborg Museum, Denmark. The book has also been
published in the ENGLISH, German and Danish languages.
Published by De Bataafsche Leeuw in Amsterdam.
Then there's Dr. Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood of the Textile Research Centre
in Leiden who wrote two books accompanying an exhibition on veils of the
world. They are "For Modesty's Sake?" (192 pages, colour, ISBN 90 5613 017
X) and "Veiled Images" (a collection of old postcards, 84 pages, b/w, ISBN
90 5613 015 3).
I had a professional interest in a few of the above. For instance, I
painted a reconstruction of the clothing from a Bronze Age bog body (male)
from the Netherlands, with him dressed in a woollen undergarment, calfskin
cape and sheepskin cap with the tail dangling at the back. Besides that
though, they are just simply beautiful books..
Bye everyone,
Kelvin Wilson
------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Jan 1997 05:16:54 -1000
From: Mrs C S Yeldham
Subject: 16th century pictures
I said I check some picture references, but have lost the specific people,
so I hope you don't mind fairly details answers !
Firstly, on the question of black ribbons on early 17th century women's
pictures near the neck.
As suggested, I had another look at the Elizabethan Icon and I think there
are two categories (uses) of ribbon worn. Firstly and most commonly, black
ribbon (could be finger-braided cord) supporting a piece of jewellry which
is sometimes visible (No 232, Lady Elizabeth Pope), sometimes attached to
the centre front of the gown and sometimes disappears into the cleavage at
the centre front, which is the most common arrangement - No 250, Anne
Vavasour, 254 Mary Sidney etc.
I don't see any black edging to the fine white partletts worn - occasional
use of lace as an edging but thats all. See 346, Frances Hurst(?) - the
ribbon is crossed in a way that makes it very unlikely its a partlett
edging.
There are about 4 or 5 pictures in the book which have another use of
black ribbon, and interestingly they all follow the same pattern of outfit,
which is quite unusual. They wear a white lacy 'coif'/headgear which comes
down over the forehead, the polychrome embroidered jacket, and a loose gown
which is picked up over one arm. The ruff is the flat lacy one which goes
straight out from under the chin, and is occasionally worn by men, but is
quite unusual - fine black ribbon or cord is used to hold the ruff shut.
Some of these use two ribbons, one for the ruff and one as above for
jewellry, as in 309. Mary Scudamore is of this type (which I'm fond of as
I did a version of the jacket once - its an unusual design of embroidery
for the polychrome style of jacket.
Occasionally they also wear a kind of 'bed-jacket'of fine white stuff over
their shoulders, and with this evidence, together with the fact they are
often seated, and Arnold's opinion that the polychrome jacket was informal
domestic wear (it is very rarely shown in portraits) I think these are
'informal' domestic portraits, which are unusual in themselves.
In summary, as regards the ribbons or cords, the usual use is to hold a
piece of jewellrey, which may or may not be seen at the cleavage. It is
occasionally seen holding a particular type of ruff shut at the neck in a
bow. It may be used for other types of ruff, the 'plate' type but if so it
cannot be seen under the ruff and I would suspect white ribbon would be
used so you didn't get a 'shadow' effect, and possibly to stop dye bleed.
BTW in looking through the Dynasties exhibition catalogue, no 134, Unknown
lady from 1605-10 is wonderful, and unusual - black and silver coffee table
style gown with false sleeves, the skirt is open at the front showing a
multi-coloured sea scene (?) petticoat. You can see the jewellry suspended
on the ribbon at the low neck in this one - its a small gold piece.
Servants - I said I'd check a picture I remembered, which is in the
Dynasties exhibition catalogue which turns out to be the Brown Brothers by
Issac Oliver from 1598. The three brothers are in black, and there is a
fourth man, at the edge of the picture who is probably a gentleman servant
(carrying a sword). He is dressed in grey and white stripes with grey
canions, black cloak and hat. No livery sign I'm afraid!
On wearing period clothes - The only thing I can suggest is a disclaimer
at the beginning of arranging anything for anyone to the effect that period
clothes, especially gentry class and above, are not comfortable in the way
modern clothes are, and they are not intended to be! You just have to get
used to them. If you have said this at the beginning, then you would be in
a stronger postion to tell people to wait and get used to an item that fits
'properly' and then decide whether they want alterations. Mind you, you
would probably lose trade. Most modern clothes only fit where they touch
anyway, but 6" give at the waist! That's just silly!
Caroline
------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, 19 Jan 1997 13:58:47 -1000
From: Chris Laning
Subject: Re: "Accuracy"
I'd recommend looking through the archive files; I think they're still
available through a list member, Eric Praetzel. His Web page address is:
http://ece.uwaterloo.ca/~praetzel
The direct anonymous ftp address is:
ece.uwaterloo.ca in pub/jpeg/hcostume
(try it with "h-costume" if the above doesn't work . . .)
These are the archives for 93, 94, 95, 96. Unfortunately, each year's
archive is in a single, ZIP-compressed file. At some point it is hoped to
return the archives to a searcheable format.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 14:01:36 -1000
From: Carole Newson-Smith
Subject: Re: Bronzino book
Reply to: RE>>Bronzino book
From: Diana H.
>Carole Newson-Smith wrote:
>>
I just got a book today that I am pleased with and wanted to tell you about it.
>> It's soft bound with 8" by 11" pages, more pictures than text. Lots of
>> portraits, all are in color and my guess is that the color reproduction is pretty
good.
>> 80 pages, $US14.95 plus shipping.
>>
>> I ordered several books from Hacker Art Books in October. Two came the
next week and and the last one finally arrived today. If you are interested in getting
>a copy of this book or their catalog, call them at 212-688-2554, or go visit when
you are in town at:
>> 45 West 57th Street, 5th Floor
>> New York, NY. 10019
Could you recheck the number and let me know if it is the right
>one? I think I may be missing something.
The Visa receipt I have shows the phone number as 212-688-7600.
Try that.
The actual book title is
The Library of Great Masters
Bronzino
by Alessandro Cecchi
(U.S.) ISBN 1-878351-52-4
Scala/Riverside Book Company, Inc.
When you get your copy, take a look at " Noli me tangeri" on page 23. The
woman, who is attempting to touch Christ, is wearing a garment that appears to be
some sort of strapless bodice (pair of bodies?) on the outside of her dress.
I wish I was more knowledgeable on what sort of undergarents women wore in the fourteenth
and fifteenth centuries. Can anyone point me toward that
information, specifically for English and Italian ladies' undergarments in that time
period?
Carole Newson-Smith
Cordelia Toser in the SCA
------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 09:34:54 -1000
From: Elizabeth McMahon
Subject: Bodices, c. 1570
I also just started an internship at the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum
of Art, in New York City. Funny thing, but on a cart in the front of the storage
space, the other day I found a bodice or doublet (not severely curved, hard to tell)
from 1570-1580 waiting to be put away.
This being my primary field of study for many years, I hurried to check
it out, and found a number of (to me) surprises: This bodice had a row
of small, round buttons up the front, with a row of narrow trim in either
side of them, but these were striclty decoration. The item laced up the
back. It is a dark chocolate brown in color, and made of a voided velvet
(ie, some parts have a pattern in velvet, but the ground is a flatter
texture.), in a pattern small and curvy enough that I'd have associated it
with the early 17th C. instead. (As to this, the registration card for
the piece had very little information on it, and none on why the above
date had been assigned or by whom. Just as a guess, though, I'd bet Janet
Arnold had been involved. On other 16th-17th C. pieces in this
collection, she has been heavily involved in such decisions. The bodice
in question is also very similar in style, namely the shoulder rolls, to
the doublet shown on p. 43, pl. 304. of her _Patterns of Fashion:
1560-1620_, so I'm hazard a guess that she's seen it.)
The doublet has a high (3+"?) collar, that would have spread under the
chin, not sat straight along the neck. The outer edge of this collar is
wired, with wire only a little lighter than coat hanger wire. The collar
is interfaced (not clear whether flat lined or just interfaced) with linen
that looks to be about suit weight, but more closely woven. The seam
allowances on the collar and again, at the waist, are all pressed one
direction. At the waist, they go into the body of the garment. (The
waist is finished with trapezoidal shaped pickadills, like the doublet on
p. 80 or Arnold.) At the neck, if I remember correctly, they go into the
neck.
The garment is lined with black satin, which actually has a finish
more like cotton sateen that shiny silk satin, but I'm not sure if this is
due to the age, the finish, or the weave. The collar shows evidence of
support stitching, such as pad stitching, in the interfacing layer, and
the seam allowances are catchstitched down, but not as neatly as my
tailoring teacher would have specified :) Interestingly, the seam
allowances at waist and neck are covered with a narrow (say 3/8-1/2"?)
band of the lining fabric. This may mean the lining was stitched in
these seams with the outer cloth, in one pass, and then the hulky big seam
allowance was bound over to finish the inside of the garment. Or, who
knows.
The fabric of the outside of the doublet more or less resembles the voided
velvet Arnold shows on p. 39, pl. 272 of same book. The fact that the
outer fabric is brown now could either indicate that it all was back
originally, like the lining, or that it was originally made brown. It's
sort of the color of dark chocolate, which would be pretty. The trim on
most of it (will have to look again, but was pretty understated
application: along neck edge, along both sides of CFront, along edge of
pickadills at waist) was metal thread lace, probably with a lot of silver
in it, because much of it is blackish now.
The other distinctive thing I remember is that the center front was boned,
and so were the front side seams, and the center back. I don't remember
what the seaming pattern was as dise and back, since the item is too
fragile to move a lot (the neck edge shredded some when I looked at the
collar). But I did flex the boning to see what it was: it had a lot of
movement, so I think it was whalebone. The closest modern equivalent to
the amount of movement was probably feather boning or possibly the
slightly stiffer rigiline. You could also use spiral boning for about the
same effect. Unless you were wearing a well cut garment under this one,
(possibly boned, possibly just cut and tailored well), this one would only
provide basic support and shaping. But cut of simpler cloth, it would be
appropriate casual wear worn alone over a shirt, for someone well to do.
I do not think a garment such as this would have been worn alone over a
shirt.
Off the top of my head, that's what I remember of the garment. I have not
yet taken the opportunity to measure it or photograph it, but I will. As
I said, it was very fragile, so I did not want to handle it a lot without
also having camera in hand to take full advantage.
I would comment here on the issue of "To close Cf or close CB" that this
garment has a decorative front closure and actual CB closure, the doublet
on p. 43 in Arnold has an actual button front closure, and Jane
Ashelford's _A Visual History of Costume: The Sixteenth Century_, shows,
in plates 93 and 102, two men's doublets that obviously button up the
front. Pl. 93, a full length protrait of Sir Martin Frobisher, c. 1577,
shows him wearing two doublets. The top one, which is open, ties up the
front. The one underneath it has a row of buttons, but it is unclear
whether it actually fastens in the front or not. Pl. 102, a full length
portrait of Sir Jerome Bowes, c. 1584, shows a doublet with buttons down
the center front, but also clearly shows the buttonholes that the sit in.
Another note on boning. I use rigiline a lot because it's easier to
handle than spring steel, and it feels more like real whalebone. (Note
that this doublet, if dated correctly, also pushes back the date for
whalebone use from any of the sources we found in an earlier discussion.)
I do find, though, for items that will be washed (Sorry, I'm a practical
re-enactor when it comes to field clothing), the plastic fibers begin to
lose their alignment and poke through garment edges. I find that using it
in a twill tape casing helps. And yes, I do find that items get a curve
in the CF, but I bet whalebone did too, which is why you need a stiffer
busk in such items as corsets. At least with rigiline, I can easily steam
the stuff back into the shape I want it. For anything like a late 16th C.
corset, I use spring steel down the CF where a bodice goes below the
waistline, and rigiline or spiral boning for the rest.
The other cool things I've found in the storage space are the late
nineteenth C. gowns. They're my next research project.
Beth McMahon
Grad student, with obviously too much time on my hands this vacation
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Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 05:34:02 -1000
From: Elizabeth Young
Subject: Italian 1530
I am looking for a larger, colour reproduction of a portrait shown in
Boucher's 20,000 years of Fashion. It is on page 220, number 429. I am
interested in making a dress similar to this, but it is a very small
reproduction and hard to see.
Please, if you know of any other books that have this portrait or ones
of similar dresses (I like the neckline and sleeves in particular),
please give me the book information (author, date, etc.) Our local
library is very small and I shall have to interlibrary loan the books.
Oh - the portrait information is "Attributed to G. de Carpi: Portrait of
a Lady, c. 1530. Frankfurt, Staedelsches Kunstinstitut. (Photo
Bruckmann-Giraudon)"
Thanks!
liz
[email protected]
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Date: Sat, 1 Feb 1997 05:34:42 -1000
From: "Sharon L. Harrett"
Subject: Tudor - Era Sleeves ca.1530-1550
Greetings to all;
I have a Q. regarding the cut and attachment of the sleeves shown on
Tudor portraits of this time frame. Well, actually more than one. Anyone's
help would be appreciated.
1. Is the sleeve attached to a sleeve head or is it only attached at
the underarm and back of the bodice? (can't find any seamlines in the
portraits)
2. Is the seam up the back of the sleeve as in earlier periods or
had it moved to the underarm by then?
3. Just what is the flat pattern shape to use to get those lovely
turnbacks that show the linings and hang properly?
I've experimented with several patterns and have not been satisfied,
so am asking the experts.
thanks in advance,
Sharon
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