Amphorae

Volia! As promise, here's the design for the new Italian outfit. I'm currently trying to decide between two pairs of cotton/silk/wool stockings; a cream pair and a blue pair. I like the color of the blue ones and they are lighter for the summer since they are silk, but then the cotton/wool ones could be dyed to a color and don't feature the anachronistic clocking on the heel. Decisions, decisions. The fabric for the gown will be mostly these three:-  The underskirt will be heavily pleated in the grass-green linen, with the simpler sleeve version in the same. The more intricate sleeve will be done in the striped gold and green taffeta with faux chemise puffs between the slashing. The overall fabric of the gown, though, will be the embroidered tan linen (which is why the portraits of the patterned gowns was so important to me). I also have some gold and green trims set aside, but we'll look at those later. And shoes? Well, those are notoriously hard t...

I threatened a while ago to make an Italian Renaissance costume and even though that perpetual Elizabethan project is nearing its end I shall proceed to do just that. My husband and I have an upcoming event in a few weeks, so naturally now is the perfect time to cram in two new projects (one costume for him and one for me). To start with I always like to do a little lot of research.   Always a good start; this painting, as it shows slightly different styles being worn at the same time, and a little of the underskirt. The Preaching of St. John. 1520. Note the all-over pattern on this gown, combined with the top of the chemise showing, the partlet at the shoulders, and the tightly-fitted lower sleeve. I love how the waist is just slightly higher than the natural waistline. Proof that this style of sleeve can be tied on as well as set-in. It features the same trim placement as in the first pictures as well. I'm thinking of doing two sleeve options; one like th...

My last trivia question went unanswered:- "What famous philosopher's skull was found to be missing in 1819 when his coffin was opened nearly two centuries after his death? (Hint: the skull itself, now found, has had an interesting history all its own)" The answer was Descartes, as in Cartesian Philosophy. I highly recommend the book 'Descartes' Bones' by Russell Shorto, which details not only the philosopher's life, but the meandering journey of his body after death and the spread of his ideas up to the modern era. It's a fascinating read, and far more entertaining than one would expect. Let's return to questions of fashion with this next one, shall we? Some Victorian mothers, frustrated by their daughters' attempts to loosen (or altogether escape from) their corsets at night during corset-training, took to doing this to prevent them being able to untie themselves.