Author: kendra

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A Small Epiphany?

I’m not sure how many of you follow the debate over whether or not Venetian Renaissance women wore corsets or not, but it’s something I think about way too often. I just found an image that’s making me think! Look at the following images, all hosted at the fabulous Realm of Venus, showing women wearing ladder-laced bodices with decorative partlets tucked over or under the camicia/shift and into the bodice — sheer partlet, could be over or under, sheer tucked over, sheer, could be over or under. Okay, now look at this Bordone portrait at Sotheby’s and use the zoom to get a really, really detailed look at the center front bustline.

Call me crazy, but what I see is a decorative partlet tucked OVER the camicia/shift and into the bodice — but when I look at the center front opening (under the ladder lacing), it looks like the partlet is either VERY CAREFULLY measured, finished, and pinned/attached so that it EXACTLY aligns with the top row of lacing, or it is tucked OVER the camicia but BEHIND some kind of false-camicia-front. Or the artist decided to tidy things up. What do you think?

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Fabric Shopping Fabulousness

So while I was heavy into trying to find my dream fabric for my upcoming 1584 Venetian dress (musn’t sew! must pack!), and trying to find online fabric stores that I hadn’t previously heard of, I came across Fabric Whore. In addition to having a great name, it’s the best, most comprehensive listing of online fabric stores that I’ve found. In particular, two that I wish I had heard about earlier: Design Diva and Fabric Guru.

In other news, I am in Packing Land, with movers coming Friday. Then it’s off Friday night to the Central Coast Renaissance Faire (aka SLO). THEN I can finally start unpacking, and start thinking about sewing…

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Looking for Hair/Makeup Models – Costume College

I am once again looking for hair and makeup models for my 18th century hair/makeup demo class on Sunday, 2-5pm at Costume College. You’d need to have hair that takes a curl and is at least shoulder length, and be willing to show up to the class with your hair already rolled (either sleep in rollers the night before and leave them in, or do hot rollers before class and leave them in). I would style you either in a 1760s small pouf, or a 1780s hedgehog; at least one of you will get makeup done as well, possibly both. Let me know if you’re interested!

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Lumieres Summer Pique-Nique

On Saturday, Lumieres held it’s seemingly annual summer picnic, again at Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland. It was just what I’ve been craving — running around a park in 18th century costume and being generally silly! Of course, it happened smack dab in the middle of packing to move, so I was exhausted, so wasn’t quite up to my usual silliness… There were a lot of very lovely gowns, including Sarah’s new black & white stripey (kill! kill!), Cynthia’s new indienne print en forreau, and Teresa’s new indienne print overgown… and many more! We had a gorgeous picnic followed by lots of socializing and a reading from the Sheridan play The Rivals. What more can you want from a summer afternoon?

I wore my green zone anglaise, seeing as I haven’t worn it in forever and have been over-wearing all my other 18th century dresses. I thought briefly about wearing my new mourning francaise, but realized that I want to tweak a few things before wearing it but didn’t have any time, and didn’t want to set myself up for that frustration when you put on something in a hurry and it isn’t right.

Photos!

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unCommon Threads Online Exhibit

I just came across a nice online exhibition on wedding dress at the Missouri Historical Society: unCommon Threads: Stories of Missouri Brides.

In other news, I WISH I WERE SEWING… but I’m moving, which is a very large undertaking. The bad news? All my sewing stuff has been packed up for a while and won’t come out until about Costume College (sniff!). The good news? I’m going to get a REAL sewing room in the new place! Yay! I’ll try to keep things interesting around here in the meantime, but sadly I won’t be able to get back to any projects until early August.