The Dress
A doublet style dress in
the Spanish style featuring reproduction fabric, and curved hanging sleeves,
worn over bodies and small farthingale. Accessories include an Elizabethan
style bonnet, ruffs and separate sleeves.
The fabric used for the
dress is a silk/rayon reproduction from Sartor and is based on an extant fabric
in the Metropolitan
Museum Phoenix
 |
| Queen Margarita on Horseback. Valasquez 1634-35. |
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| Isabella de Bourbon, 1635, Valesquez, Museo del Prado,
|
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Late 16th C Spanish Silk. Metropolitan
|
The pattern for the gown
is based on the Woman's Silk Doublet and the Simple Trained gown of wool in
Juan de Alcega's Pattern Book Published in 1598 (p15) (please see photo in
attached album). The basic bodice pattern shapes were achieved using Margo
Anderson's Elizabethan Ladies Wardrobe, which was adapted to reflect the shape
and proportions in Alcega. This involved:
o curving the centre back seam,
o making a 3 piece collar by extending the collar
section on the doublet back and fitting the two front collar pieces
o adjusting the bodice to fit.
Approximately 6 hours were
spend on fitting the doublet bodice over the bodies.
Following the fitting
process, the interior shell of the doublet was lined with wool felt and pad
stitched to give stiffness and a curved shape to the bodice. Pad stitching was
using the sixteenth century to help shape garments and contributed to the stiff
look of the garments of this period. Janet Arnold had the opportunity to
examine the interior of a number of garments and has included sketches of pad
stitching in her book Patterns of Fashion
(See photo in attached album).
Initially, the pad stitching
was done by hand, however, the repetitive nature of the process did not agree
with my hands (arthritis) and an alternative process was found. By curving and
stretching the fabrics as they were machine stitched together with a wide zig
zag stitch, an approximation of pad stitching was achieved (See photo in
album).
After the bodice was
shaped, hook and eye tape was applied as a centre front closure. Tape was used
rather than the more historically accurate individual hooks and eyes as a
matter of convenience. However, the tape also adds an additional
stiffening/strengthening layer along the bodice opening, helping to eliminate
any stretching over time.
The bodice is lined with
gold dupioni silk, seams machine stitched and then hand sew in into the bodice.
Careful positioning of the dress fabric ensured that the patter was aligned on teh
centre back and centre front seams (although this wasn't necessary to be
historically accurate, it appealed to my modern sensibilities and did not
result in any wastage of fabric). All seams were hand basted and then machine
sewn. All finishing, including hems, attaching sleeves and wings, and applying
trim, has been done by hand.
The handing sleeves have
been made using Margo's Elizabethan round sleeve pattern, because it closely
reflected the shape and style of sleeves in extant portraits. The back seams were machine sewn after hand
basting and trim was applied by hand. The Hanging sleeve is hand basted to the
finished bodice under the shoulder wing.
The skirt is entirely
based on Alcega's pattern and gives a distinctive backward tilt to the skirt,
and quite different to the skirts on my other Elizabethan dresses, which are
based on rectangles, cartridge pleated into the bodice waist. This reflects the
differences in silhouettes between Spanish and Elizabethan styles.
The Skirt is closed by way
of contrasting ribbons tipped with aglets as is commonly seen in Spanish
portraits of the era. Upholstery velvet has been used for the guard at the hem
to protect the dress fabric. The particular fabric was selected because it best
matched the dress fabric in both the shade of black and the sheen.
The skirt is lined with
cotton drill to further protect the fashion fabric. Drill was chosen because it
doesn't stretch and is harder wearing than the dupioni selected for the bodice
and sleeve lining. It was common practice in the 16th century to use plain or
lower quality fabrics in areas where it wouldn't be seen.
All of the seams were hand
based to ensure the pattern aligned and then machine sewn due to time and
physical constraints. To be more historically accurate, construction would have
been undertaken by a lady and her Ladies in waiting, with some details possibly
outsourced eg lace. Trim, lining and finishing has been done by hand.
I have taken great care to
line up the pattern where possible. the angled sections of the skirt are not
completely aligned, but the pattern is not jarringly interrupted. this appeals
to my modern eye. Judicious positioning and cutting of the pattern pieces
minimised any fabric wastage. In period judicious piecing of fabric would have
made use of every possible scrap of fabric.
The foundation garments
Bodies
The bodies are a hybrid in
style between the Dorothea bodies described and patterned in Janet Arnold's Pattern of Fashion and the Tudor Kirtle
in Ninya Mikhalia & Jane Malcolm-Davies's The Tudor Tailor. The Dorothea bodies supplied the shape required
for a nice flat front of the Spanish gown while the kirtle pattern supplied the
ease and convenience of side lacing- the ease of side lacing for someone who
dresses without the aid of a maid cannot be understated and has the added
benefit of allowing for some fluctuation in weight.
To achieve a combination
of comfort/flexibility and a smooth front, a combination of spiral steel and
flat steel bones were used. the flat steel bones were used in the centre front
to act as a busk and to support the lacing at the sides, while the more
flexible steel bones were used in areas that required more curving or movement.
Both the kirtle and the Dorothea patterns have an absence of boning across the
bus, which I find comfortable.
The bodies have been
constructed from two layers of suit weight linen and a top layer of red taffeta,
bound in black satin bias binding. Eyelets have been machine sewn with a round
eyelet stitch. The bodies were designed as a 'demo' version to see how it would
wear, but several years later I am still wearing them without any adjustment.
Historically, boning would
have been from whalebone (baleen), reeds or even rope or cording, all of which
are recorded in wardrobe accounts. However, I had a stock of steel boning on
hand and decided to use what I had instead of making another purchase.
Farthingale
The farthingale is
approximately 12 years old and was made following the pattern and instructions
from The Tudor Tailor, with the
exception of using flexible curtain wire for the hoops because it can be worn
to drive.
The Accessories
Ruffs
The dress is worn with a
neck and wrist ruffs. The Ruffs are constructed by applying purchased lace to a
finished band of linen and cartridge pleated to a neck band. The ruff is
heavily starched and set to form the 'figure 8's'. Once set, the ruffs can be
worn repeatedly without loosing shape.
The Hat
Spanish ladies are often depicted
in portraits wearing small bonnet syle hats. The bonnet has been made from
wired buckram and covered with velveteen. The top of the crown has been padded
with wool felt to give a more rounded appearance. All fabrics used were
available in period. The hat is finished with a small broach and jaunty
feathers.
References
Juan de Alcega Tailor's Pattern Book 1589. Translated
by jean Pain and Cecilia Bainton. Originally published by Ruth Bean Publishers.
Janet Arnold Patterns of Fashion; The cut and
construction of clothes for men and women c 1560-1620. 1985. Drama
Publishing.
Nina Mikhalia & Jane
Malcolm-Davies The Tudor Tailor:
Reconstructing Sixteenth-Century Dress. 2006. Costume and Fashion Press.
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