Nevermind

and on second thought, scratch all of the new garb below.  I have a hoop skirt mostly made, and new chemise that is wearable... but I can't afford to make the rest of it.  I'm going to figure out how to make a new bodice since none of the ones I have fit, but the court garb... was a vain hope.

I should have known better than to think i could have nice things too.

just... nevermind.

Project: German court garb

New Project time!


It's time for me to have court garb.  I'm tired of being the shabbiest dressed when we're out and about at faires, so to hell with it.  Goal for this summer: to have court garb that matches J's by the annual trip to Bristol (3rd weekend of July).

Must match this lovely specimen of human

The main problem with this is that the above outfit was made in 2005 or so.  Before J and I had even met.  And if anyone knows a 20-something year old who will buy an extra 6 yards of fabric just because his (hasn't met yet) wife will want garb that matches his in 7 years, please introduce me to him.  After rummaging through the assorted fabric boxes, we've found about another yard of the purple used for his doublet and scraps of the other fabrics.  Clearly, not enough.  Side note: perhaps, after 5 years of living together and 3 years of marriage, it might be time for J and I to sort, clear, and combine our fabric stashes. 


**Fabric**
Step number 1) find fabric that matches, or is at least close enough.  This has been... difficult.  The main brocade/ jacquard used is actually quite a bit darker than it appears in the photo above.  Near as I can tell, they just don't make that color anymore.  I can find the exact same fabric in dark blue, yellow, red, and cream... but not plum purple.  And it's mostly plastic, so I can't even dye it.  This is an ongoing search.  Currently, I'm on fabric samples 4 and 5 for the main fabric.  At this point, if I can match color, even if I don't match pattern I'm using it.  Or I'll order an extra couple of yards and we'll make him a new doublet.


To make it even more difficult, the trim fabric (on his sleeves and pants) has disappeared entirely.  It was a gift from a friend of a friend of a friend originally, so who knows how old it is.  I'm really not even trying on this one.  I've found a trim we both think is close enough, so I'll just use that.


The silks were remarkably easy, so at least 1 thing is going right.


**Design**
First thing of the outset: What everyone thinks of as "german garb" from this period is specifically Saxon garb.  and f*ck that noise.  If i wanted a clown outfit, I could spend a lot less money on it and have something that would still look better on me.  If saxony is your cup of tea, go for it, have fun.  But not me.


J's character above is/was Ludwig IV, landgrave of Hesse-Marburg from 1567-1604.  Specifically, this garb was for 1565, before his father's death.  Normally, I would just go to town working from portraits of one of the guy's two wives... but they're so minor that they don't even have their own wikipedia pages. I'm looking for northern German garb, but of a woman who can and has travelled to at least France.  Fortunately, France and England were where all the interesting things were going on with court clothing anyway.  I'm expanding out my appropriate years... because I can and because I'm not on cast nor in SCA, so I can do whatever I want.


I'm matching the sleeves, picadils, and epulates from J's doublet flat out.  We're still discussing the neckline.  The style that will look best on me is the fairly deep, square neckline:

 Portrait of the Artist's Sisters and Brother, Sofonisba Anguissola, c. 1555

This has the added benefit of being fairly easy to stick ice cubes down the front and back to cool me off.  The high collar, doublet style bodice is coming in to style for most areas... but I don't care.  I'm compromising with a high collar partlet.


The classic split skirt seems to be in vogue in some parts of europe (England, Italy) and not in others (Holy Roman Empire/Germany, France).  

Mary, Queen of Scots, Unknown Artist, c.1561-1567

Erzherzogin Maria (1551-1608), Herzogin in Bayern, Gemahlin von Erzherzog Karl II. von Innerösterreich,  Cornelis Vermeyen, c.1577 

Once more, I like it, so I'm going for it.  I think somewhere I have information on who to do a split skirt that you can have open or closed, but I'm not sure it's worth finding the information or the engineering feat.

so, the plan:
purple brocade/ jacquard bodice, square neck, picadills and epuplets.  slashes and puffs in gold and red silks.
purple overskirt, trimed in gold silk with ribbon trim.
1 red silk sleeve w/ ribbon trim, 1 gold silk sleeve w/ ribbon trim
red silk underskirt, trimmed
blackwork linen chemise

That's not so bad... right?  I should have a picture of what I want up next.  I'm having trouble getting it into digital format.