Valentino's Renaissance Collection

As I am trying to develop more historically accurate garb for SCA events, I came across Valentino's
fall collection inspired by the Renaissance--tied on sleeves, Elizabethean collars, Harlequin treatments, velvets, brocades, puffed shoulders--amazing!!!

http://aeworld.com/fashion/fashion-women/trends-women/a-poetic-renaissance-collection-at-valentino-haute-couture-fall-2016/

Regency Femme and Her Baby Carrier

I am researching Regency riding habits so that I can make my own. The Regency era was one of the few historical periods that featured empire style lines rather than the wasp-waisted fashions of other periods--a distinct advantage when one does not have a waistline so much as an equator. I thought you might enjoy the following fashion plate from Vernet's Journal des Dames et des Modes, 1805, that illustrates what the well dressed femme does with her baby.

Icelandic Costume 1880 to 1920

Here's the last major category of Icelandic costume for women--the skautbúningur and the kyrtill which were worn late 1800s and early 1900s. Photograph is from Wikipedia.

You can access more information and photos about Icelandic National costumes at http://buningurinn.is/thjodbuningar/

Norse Women Attire 1000 to 1100 AD

This is my best attempt to create garb for what a Norse woman would wear around 1000 to 1100 AD.

I am wearing an apron dress. I took off my turtle brooches and beads since there is always a good chance I could get my weapon tangled up in such adornment. Blessi and I are riding in front of historically accurate Norse tents used while traveling as we participate in a SCA tournament. I am carrying a quintain lance, which is medieval not Norse.

The second photo shows Blessi in the saddle blanket I made him based on the Lewis Chessman knights.

In my survey of historic Icelandic riding attire, I am still missing one major costume style. I'll have to look for public domain pictures of folks riding horses.

Historic Icelandic Church Attire 1840

Here's what Icelandic men and women wore while riding to church around 1840. The women, in riding chairs, wear faldbúningur, a style worn from the 1600s to mid 1800s. The women are wearing two types of hat; the one with the curved top piece is unique to Iceland. The men wore pantaloons or breeches. Source is an engraving by Paul Gaimard, found on Wikipedia.

Icelandic Farmer Attire 1911

Here is what a working Icelandic farmer wore about 1911. The farmer is bringing in hay from the fields. The photograph, called the Hay Train, is from Cornell University, Frederick Howell Collection.

Icelandic Riding Habit circa 1908

Got into another discussion about traditional Icelandic riding attire. Here is a watercolor of what the well dressed Icelandic woman would have worn around 1908. Photo is from Mrs. Disney Leith's book Iceland.

Regency Riding Habits

Here are examples of Regency riding habits. I especially like the plate that features the-tie-the-rider-to-the-saddle tack.  When looking at fashion plates of regency outfits, you can tell a riding habit from a general outdoors outfit because the model carries a riding crop even if she is not pictured with a horse.










One of my planned sewing projects is to make a Regency riding habit.

Finesse of Wool Designations

Lana, laine, wolle, and ull are important words to know. Why, because these all mean wool in
Italian/Spanish, French, German, and Icelandic/Norwegian respective. I haunt thrift stores looking for premium fabric for my sewing projects at budget prices. Here is find from yesterday--fine weave, 140s wool made in Italy. This 2.5 yard of 66 inch wide material cost me $6. Just enough material to make a Victorian riding jacket.

The 140s refers to an international designation representing the fineness of the wool. Per Wikipedia, "The International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO) defines the S number by correlation to maximum fiber diameter. For example, 80s must have maximum fiber diameter of 19.75 micrometres or finer and 90s, 19.25 micrometres or finer. This scale continues to the 210s at 13.25 micrometre or finer. Thus each step of ten (as from 80s to 90s or 90s to 100s) corresponds to 0.5 micrometre less in allowed maximum fiber diameter." In other words, the higher the number the finer or thinner the wool. In my thrift shopping, I found a small piece of 150S wool fabric made in Australia that was so thin it was almost see through.

Regency Spencer Jacket

Ha! I finished my first Regency piece of garb--a Spencer jacket based on McCalls pattern 7493. What is nice about this pattern is that it has some historic sewing touches plus the directions are easy to follow if you have some sewing experience.

I used a fabric that kind of looks like velvet, if you don't get too close, to work with. Covered buttons were quite period. Notice that the period Spencer sleeves are made of two pieces and have a built in curve to them; they are fitted, very long, with a gathered cap. 

close--the intent was to have a washable piece. I would recommend using a lighter weight fabric, a light wool or silk or cotton, since the thicker material is harder to sew with when gathering sleeves and making pleats.
 

In the back, shoulder seams don't appear at the top of the shoulder but down a few inches on the back--note the kind of keystone shape to the center back piece. And I love the peplum in the back.
If I wanted to, I could wear this jacket with a period white muslin or cotton dress and it would be a riding outfit suitable for riding over grass. (Not fond of the docked tails on the horses.)

Thanks to Anissa/Alexis' help, I have selected a lovely lavender gray wool for a full riding outfit. Eventually I want to make the outre Regency riding outfit with the funky hat that is shown with this post--must be based on some sort of period military uniform.

If you are interested in Regency fashion, there are some great

on-line resources. Here are a few of them:
http://candicehern.com/regencyworld/riding-habits-overview/
https://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/…/regency-fashion-d…/
http://www.victoriana.com/Regency-Era/
http://pemberley.com/janeinfo/ppbrokil.html#gencloth

Princesses, plackets, paper, and pleats

Princesses, plackets, paper, and pleats. Oh shirr, let's not forget the godets. While reviewing examples this type of collar so I can learn how to cobble together my own chemissete with shirred neckline for under a Regency riding habit, I came across this painting of Queen Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz by Wilhelm Ternite, 1810 (Source: Wikipedia).

 Many Regency habits were inspired by the military uniforms of the time. I love the shirred collar on this chemisette (which is made like a dickie to fill in the neckline of the dress). I was lucky to find a modern pattern that

includes a shirred neck.

The Sewing Workshop Collection has a pattern "Chopin Bouse" which incorporates a shirred collar and cuffs. I love SWC patterns because they offer stylish patterns with explicit directions for advanced tailoring techniques. For example, if you need to pin up a lot of hems, make a cardboard template in the shape of a ruler that is 1 inch wide. Then you can fold up the material over this template, press, and pin --which saves time.

Here's a SWC tip for easily making a shirred collar. Use a paper template for the final shape. Pin material to paper, adjust gathers, and pin to fabric backing for collar. This is such as easy way to evenly distribute the gathers and keep them in place when you stitch. When done, you rip the paper from the material. I used regular paper for a normal weight cotton but you might want to use thinner paper for finer material or even a dissolvable stabilizer so you don't rip out stitches when removing the paper.