I will have a silk smock

[frualeydis]

I will probably not buy any socks during the coming month. First I bought silk organza from aclisto and then today I bought three metres of white blouse weight silk for a smock for the Tudor gown.
Why silk? I hear you asking, linen seems like a much more period choice, it was certainly more common. But silk is so nice and soft and silk was at least used for chemises earlier. If you look at this picture it I think it looks like it's made of silk and not linen (at least in a good quality reproduction), the creases are too soft for a linen fabric which is densely woven enough to be that opaque. Unless you intentionally break the linen fibres by submitting it to dry tumbling linen doesn't look so soft and I'm quite sure they didn't do that in period, they wanted their linen crisp. I contemplated cotton, sheer hand woven cotton from very fine threads can be had for approx. 12 $ at a swedish on line store, but since cotton was even more expensive than silk I chose silk instead. The cotton was too sheer anyway.

BTW, the portrait I linked to above is one of my favourites and I think she looks a little like peronel, though she certainly is prettier than lady Guildford.

Comments

[sorchekyrkby.livejournal.com]

Personally, I prefer the prep sketch Holbein drew of Lady Guildford -- she's smiling in that one and seems much more human. :-)

Silk!

[merastra.livejournal.com]

Hm... I'm no expert but the chemise in the picture of the Lady Guildford looks a bit "crunchier" than I'd expect silk to be. On the other hand, your crinkled green silk bliaut looks similar to this chemise.

I used to want a silk smock too until I heard from marymont that they are very warm. It's much too warm here for that (during renfair months). I envy you that you can get a way with it. It makes sense that if it's cool enough for them to wear Tudor fashions, then those that afford it would have a silk chemise as well.

[aclisto.livejournal.com]

Well there are many documentable references for silk undergarments so I don't think its a big deal. Did you receive the package ok? Do you like it?