Before
embarking on the black velvet Tudor gown project, I spent all summer
wearing gowns I had made from modified Simplicity patterns. But I
wasn't content. I had a specific vision of how I wanted my clothes to
look.
At SCA events, online, and among
friends, I researched and discussed costuming techniques. I bookmarked
every interesting website I came across. Every time I saw someone in
an outfit I admired, I'd try to engage them in conversation. Many were
all too happy to share their sewing experiences, and offer advice.
I also managed to snatch a few hours
with various costuming books, courtesy of some costuming friends I
found in SCA. I would love to actually own copies of these treasures,
but let's face it, books are expensive. I was already planning to
spend an ungodly amount on fabric, and if I could manage to borrow
books from friends who already owned the titles, I was content to go
that way.
Janet Arnold was a major name, and I
was able to glance through some books by that author. I could see they
were fantastic, but a little late for the period I was doing. I'm sure
the moments I had with her pages influenced my work, but I failed to
document it.
I
watched for gowns I liked at events, and took note of the details. I
re-watched all my favorite movies - Lady Jane, God's
Outlaw (the story of William Tyndale), Elizabeth, Ever
After. Something that became clear was that, to my eyes, black
was the most "real" looking. It looked less like a costume
and more like clothes. That could be Hollywood influence showing
through, but I decided to go with this timeless color for my first
serious gown.
The more people I talked to, and the
more articles I read on the web, the more opinionated I became. Some
common techniques used by Elizabethan costumers didn't make sense to
me. One was the usage of square panels for the skirt, instead of
trapezoids. I was told again and again that the secret was using
enough yardage, and cartridge pleating it to the bodice or a skirtband.
However, I didn't like the results at all. The dresses tended to look
like tubes that clung to the ankles, rather than spreading and flowing
like the gowns found in the paintings.
So I watched for other options. I
wanted to be historically correct, and I just couldn't believe the
styles I was seeing in the pictures were made with square panels.
Finally, I found what I was looking for. It was a bit of a stretch,
but Cynthia Virtue posted
information on the Mary
of Hapsburg gown (a garment that is still in existence from
1520-1530). The piecing diagram showed the skirt was made of a full
circle, not square yardage. That was the beginning. I have since
determined, after flipping through various books and talking to all
sorts of people, that the skirts I'm trying to make were round. They
may not have been pieced exactly the way I'm doing it, but the silhouette
is close.
Another
idea that seemed problematic was the usage of straps on a bodice. For
English Tudor, with the long, hanging sleeves, straps seemed superfluous.
In the paintings, the sleeves appear to be attached directly to the
gown at the underarm, but most costumers build bodices with straps,
and then try to sew sleeves into the armholes. The results look awkward
to me, and I determined early on that I would skip the straps
altogether.
To see the paintings I used as style
guides on this particular gown, Click here
For months I lived, breathed and dreamed Tudor fashion. And it
wasn't hard. I just allowed myself to become obsessed, and spent
every spare moment browsing every resource I could get my hands on.
Eventually, I felt confident enough to
design my own pattern. I've always loved sketching dress ideas, but
now I began drawing in earnest. This time it wasn't just fantasy - it
was the outline for a real gown.
So, enough research... Let's see what came
of it! Click here.
Getting
Started - Undergarments - The
Gown - Accessories - Paintings
- 12th Night
