But that's O.K., the accurate hairstyles were pretty...
minus the high horns, I hate those! Period sources indicated that not
all women liked them either. There is one book written by a Venetian woman
named Moderata Fante in 1591 that fictionalized an exchange between the
"Queen" and two of her ladies where they discussed the hairstyle.
There is quite a bit of interesting discussion out there
about the Great Corset Cover debate. The gist of it is if the fabric
underneath the ladder lacing is in fact a chemise or a stomacher or
a false corset cover -- assuming there is a corset at all! Here is my
2 cents:
- There is indeed a corset under there. It's true that
Venetian (and Italian in general) clothing adopted the corset later
than England, France and Spain. Judging from the smooth lines of even
the largest women's torsos, I do not doubt that corsets were widely
adopted in upper class fashion by 1560 or so. That's not to say they
were always worn, modern costumers have achieved similar lines using
heavily boned bodices and period portraiture occasionally displays
a breast curve. But it is very likely that at least the more formal
gowns took corsets by now.
- Given a corset, there is almost certainly a real
chemise or smock underneath the corset. Venetian drawings show sleeveless
smocks much like modern slip dresses, and it could be this or a full-sleeved
version underneath the corset. I believe it makes sense that if a
full chemise is worn over the corset then either a very narrow chemise
or sleeveless smock would have been worn under the corset.
- I am perfectly willing to believe that women could
have worn either a full chemise or a false front over their corset
and directly behind the ladder lacing. The portraits could be displaying
both.
For this gown I postulate that the decorated panel behind
the ladder lacing is exactly that. It matches the decorated partlet
which is a separate piece from the chemise. So I will wear my chemise
underneath my corset and make a corset cover (sort of a stomacher) from
a stiff white backing and the same bronze-colored chiffon as my partlet.
I could also make the cover and partlet from some silk chiffon I have
on hand, but I love the look of the bronze chiffon with the red dress.
And that matches the portrait better anyway.
I am trying to make this gown out of fabrics already
in my stash since collecting fabrics is getting pretty silly when I
refuse to make them into something. The below are all fabrics and accessories
I already have:
- Red and gold woven brocade. It's a cotton brocade,
which would not have been made for one of these gowns. They did use
cotton but not for gowns, certainly not court gowns. However, I favor
cotton brocades for their washability and the fact that they last
forever. And I love this pattern.
- White chiffon for the shoulder puffs
- White chiffon for the veil... maybe. I love veils
and the Venetian ladies certainly wore them, but possibly only outside
and this dress is for an indoor event. I may do it anyway.
- I'm not sure about the wrist ruffs. I have a pair
already but they're ivory and wouldn't match the white puffs. I'll
think about that one... although it occurs to me that I have an older
white pair that might all right with some repair.
- Bronze poly chiffon for the partlet and corset cover.
I think I'll trim that in some gold trim I have since it's decorated
in the portrait. I don't have the time or talent to do major gold
embroidery over light chiffon, but the trim will be pretty and close
to some portraits.
- Pearl jewelry as in the portrait.
- Hair -- I do have long hair but am not entirely sure
how to twist and curl my hair so it frames my face. I like it, I'm
just not sure how to do it. I think I'll set my hair on thin hot rollers
to make it curl and then put it back in a braided bun. And I also
have a human hair fall that's seen better days, but I think if I wash
it and condition it with hot oil I may be able to save it. Then I'll
braid it and add it to make a fuller jeweled bun.
What I don't have and wish I did is a gold beaded girdle.
They're so pretty and so useful for all sorts of noble costumes of this
time period. So that too will be an experiment. I have seen sashes on
some gowns of this time period, but those gowns are plainer.
August 11, 2006
Today I am planning on actually doing some sewing. (!)
In the meantime, I have posted a page
of Venetian portraits using Google Picasa, which is a pretty cool
little program.
August 24, 2006
Yesterday I finished the bodice, which was the big deal
with this gown. 
You
can't see a lot of it in this picture because the gap is so wide and
I don't have the laces in, but note the wide-set narrow straps and the
points. I'd never done the open Venetian bodice before and was concerned
with getting the fit and construction right. I'm pleased that the bodice
turned out as well as it did. I was worried about the back point looking
bizarre by curling or folding up, but once the bodice bottom edge was
turned up and fitting properly over my hips it was fine. I added cable
tie boning too to the back point and that was a good thing. I also added
cables ties to the front edges and front bodice panel. I'm definitely
corseting, but the extra bones help to keep the bodice fabric straight.
I still need to finish up and stuff the sleeves, cartridge-pleat
the skirt and attach it to the bodice, hang it for hemming and do the
corset cover and partlet. 
In the picture to the left you're looking at the back.
Note the distinctive Venetian back point.
For the chemise, I don't have any suitable white linen
or cotton on hand and will have to venture forth and find some. (They
would have used linen but I sometimes go for a pretty figured cotton
instead.) I have silk chiffon on hand but don't want to sacrifice it
for a chemise that won't be seen save for its decorated top edge (maybe).
The shaped shoulder straps look good and should stay
on my shoulders given the weight of the skirts that will attach to the
bodice. The concern of course is keeping those narrow and wide-set straps
from falling off one's shoulders. There are a few portraits where that
is happening but that's not the look I'm going for. I shaped them into
a gentle crescent moon shape that angles in towards the bodice. Thus
the top edge of the strap sits just shy of my shoulder point, while
the edges of the straps attach to the bodice farther away from the armscye
to exert a gentle pull on the straps. I'm a little concerned about tying
on the sleeves and how the straps will take that, but the sleeves are
snug (almost too snug) so there won't be a lot of pull on the straps.
Because I wasn't sure of the fit and construction, I
cut the straps separately from the bodice. I might keep doing that,
it seems to be easier than trying to shape them as part of the bodice.
Let's see, what else... I still have to cut the top
edges of the skirts to correspond to the front and back points of the
bodice. I'm going to eye it and call it good since cartridge pleating
is pretty forgiving. I'm such a lazy seamstress: I don't pad the pleats
and I can't be bothered to measure the running stitches for the pleats.
Somehow it all comes out looking right anyway. Since my bodice is all
the way open down the front, instead of tapering to a close at the waist,
I'll have to do something to the skirt so I can get into it. I am planning
on cartridge pleating all around the skirt except for the very front
edge, keeping about 5-10" of the skirt top unpleated. The theory
is that with the bodice on and laced, I can just box-pleat the smooth
edge that sits just under the corset points. If it wants to go south
for the winter (i.e., opening and gapping) I can add hooks or snaps
to the box pleat keep it snug. I suppose I could lace it, but we'll
see.
August 25
Well shoot, I've run into a problem. It suddenly occurred
to me that I don't have a clue h
ow
to attach the skirt with a wide-open laced bodice! Where does the front
edge go? If it were a separate skirt there would be no issue of course,
it would merely attach to the waistband and sit at my natural waist.
However, the paintings sure look like the skirt is attached at the waist
and follows the points on both front and back. If you are closing the
ladder laced bodice at the front point, which is a common style, once
again you don't have a problem. You just sew the top edge of the skirt
to the bodice all around, leaving a 10" gap in the skirt. Once
the bodice is on and laced closed the skirt folds over on itself and
sits all nicely pleated. It's also the way to get into a skirt with
a bodice that closes at center point.
They did have a way to do this, you can see it on the
right. But I don't know how... unless the skirt is attached to a binding
strip instead of straight onto the bodice. This would allow the skirt
to be pleated all around to the binding strip, which acts as a waistband
around tghe center front. It still seems bizarre though, sitting as
it would below the natural waist. I suppose it could be attached to
a rigid corset cover, though not a chemise since that would have had
to be taken out to wash.
