What to do?

[frualeydis]

Having toyed with the idea of giving or throwing away my old 16th century clothes from 2001-2002 that don't fit me anymore I decided that no, I like them too much to do that, I should try to remake them instead. Especially since none of them have been worn more than three time, most of them just once.
So I decided that I should try to remake this dress for the upcoming St. Egon event (which I haven't registered for yet, bad Aleydis!).
It is made in the old, non-period way with separate bodice and skirt so that has to be rectified, but how? I can either take away the back lacing (it's too big so I will take it in somewhere anyway) and make a front opening bodice and keep the open skirt. or I can do this:



In which case I still will have to take it in which probably means new lacing holes.

In any case I will have to move trim on the front I think, or have you seen any period examples of this trim placement (it can be anywhere in Europe, but on this style of dress of course).
I've got at least ten metres of that trim so that is no problem.

Comments

[emoni.livejournal.com]

Please keep it open in the front, it is so much nicer. Or you could just give it to me ;D

[operafantomet.livejournal.com]

You mean how the trim is on the bodice, with a non-open skirt? There's many north Italian dresses ca. 1520-1570 with such arrangement of trims, or showing similar styles (if I've understood you correctly):

http://www.festiveattyre.com/research/florentine/flor18.html
http://www.festiveattyre.com/research/florentine/flor30.html
http://www.festiveattyre.com/research/secondflor/secflor13.html

I've also seen Venetian and Milanese dresses in this style, would you be interested in specific portraits, or weren't this what you were looking for?

[chigrima.livejournal.com]

Eleonora of Toledo's burial dress also have a similar trim placement, it's in Jane Arnold's Patterns of fashion.

I am torn. I really like open skirts, but I also like the simple elegance of this dress then you turn the skirt around. So I'll go against the currents and suggest you close it.

By the way, and have now read Stureskjortorna and thanks for the tip! It was an excellent read. We'll start a small shirt-sewing group here in Styringheim and help each other out. :-)

[frualeydis.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, I thought I had seen it, I was just finding it weird with trim that didn't continue on the skirt.

/Eva

[clothsprogs.livejournal.com]

If I were you, I'd make it fornt fastening, leave the skirt open up the front (it's very pretty open or closed, but I like the look of it open)and add some trim up the centre front opeining

Teddy

[bracke.livejournal.com]

Du ska inte sitta i våran ena soffa med den klänningn.....om du inte är här för att spionera förstås :). ( Vi har likadant tyg i soffan...) ( fnissar!) Fast det är ett vackrt tyg! Och det passar bra till 1500-tals kläder.

[jillwheezul.livejournal.com]

I'm kind of torn on what to advise. The fabric is so wonderful that it is very nice to see the pattern on the front bodice displayed so nicely. Does the bodice trim cover a seam? I really like a front closing bodice for dressing over the back closing bodice any 'ole day as they say in the southern US :) If the trim didn't cover a seam, I think I would convert the bodice to front opening and mmove the trim next to the opening. But if there is a seam under the trim, I'd leave it as is and keep the back opening. I like the skirt both open and closed. If I were to leave it open I'd consider adding trim down the front opening (rats, can't go back to the original picture to see if you had it on the front), and even consider adding a second row of trim next to the first to give the trim more weight and importance. If I planned to wear this under a ropa as an undergown, I'd close the opening but maybe still add a second layer of trim around the bottom of the skirt. I also think a black forepart might make a bolder statement if you are leaving it open.

[frualeydis.livejournal.com]

No there's no seam under the trim. If I choose front opening I will add trim along the edges and move the side-front trim so it points toward's the bodice's point.
But I stil can't decide, as you said, it's very nice with the unbroken front too. I wonder what, if any of them, goes best with the sleeves seen on the lower photo on my web site.

/Eva

[jenthompson.livejournal.com]

Oohh... I love the closed skirt! I would make it have side lacing and leave the bodice trim just like it is. It's a very mid-century Florentine look (so of course I'm biased!).