The Armour Archive

So I've trying to get my girlfriend into SCA stuff for a while now and today I was met with great success. She's not into history much or fighting or anything of the like, but today she went to her first event with me and had a really good time. She's interested now in maybe getting some period garb, but neither of us has any clue what to look for in terms of what she likes. So I humbly request any pictures you folks have of period dresses, including dates and locations of origin if you know, so that we can begin getting her garbed up (and hopefully even begin thinking of a persona). She said to me on the ride home "they were really surprised when I told them that I only have one name," so I'm crossing my fingers that if she sees a dress she likes, can find a pattern for it and manages to make it, that she'll be inclined to build a persona around it and participate more. Thanks!

Do you have any idea what period she's thinking of?
Here's a shot of one of my 14th C gowns http://tworavens.org/gallery/main.php/v ... 0.jpg.html

happy hunting
Adrielle

Have you considered looking at period sources at all? That might yield some clues.

If you're not fluent with period sources, I have found costume books which give a clear 'timeline' in line drawings helpful for people who don't know anything about historical clothing. A couple you could try:

A Pictorial History of Costume by Bruhn & Tilke
This one has traditionally been very popular with SCA folks, as the garments are lovely romanticized Victorian costumes than strictly by the book historical reproductions. I noticed that the fellow on the cover of the Meridies newsletter this month was wearing a copy of the '15th C. Archer' plate from this book.

What People Wore by Gorsline
Pretty simplistic, but good for getting a sense of the styles in each period.

The Complete History of Costume by Racinet
More detailed and a bit stylized, which sometimes makes it harder to determine what the garments are really meant to look like.

Fashion in Costume 1200-2000 by Nunn
This looks like a complete take off of another costume book whose name escapes me (it's been a while since I looked at costume books). It's good because it has a bit of text to explain the drawings, and the figures are not posed and static. Or maybe that's not so good for someone who doesn't know what they're looking at, but I think it gives a better sense of what the garments look like as they are worn.

Patterns for Theatrical Costumes- from Ancient Egypt to 1915 by Holkeboer
Very simple drawings along with patterns (some of which work and some of which don't)

Costume: 1066 to the Present by Peacock
Drawings are very simplistic and a bit weird for my taste, but I've had customers send me copies from this book to copy, so I know some people like it.

You should be able to find any of these in your local library, along with others.

Gwen

This is another excellent one, probably #1 on my list-

The Evolution of Fashion: Pattern and Cut from 1066 to 1930 by Hill & Bucknell

Well, no, we haven't a slightest clue what period shes interested in because neither of us knows anything about period dresses. That was why I just wanted folks to post whatever pics they have of ladies in their dresses, just so we can browse and start to get an idea.

In her words, "Something fitted. I don't want to look like a nun or like I'm wearing a tent."

Thanks for the sources Gwen! We'll look into those once we've narrowed down the search a bit more for her.

Off the top of my head, I'd say go with 14th century and a cotehardie. Fitted, relatively simple, and looks great.

There are now some good merchants on-line that show period clothing and patterns. They even advertise on AA. Here are two. Watch the little banner ad at the top of AA for others. Good Luck.

http://www.historicenterprises.com/cart ... list&c=102

https://www.revivalclothing.com/index.a ... ategory=26

Here is another place to look for ideas and patterns.

https://www.reconstructinghistory.com/index.php?

AvM wrote:Off the top of my head, I'd say go with 14th century and a cotehardie. Fitted, relatively simple, and looks great.

And can be dressed up more by adding a sideless surcote. Very elegant and, if you don't mind me sayin' it, sexy.

12th century is also very elegant and fitted. A bit simpler to make than a cotehardie, and comfortable.

Here are some pics I found on the web, just to give you an idea.
http://medievalweddingdresses.ideasforweddings.net/making-medieval-wedding-dresses/bliaut-pattern/

The idea of looking at the costume books is to get an idea of the sort of style she might like.

Black Swan Designs wrote:This is another excellent one, probably #1 on my list-

The Evolution of Fashion: Pattern and Cut from 1066 to 1930 by Hill & Bucknell

That's the book I used when I first joined the SCA and used it exactly as Gwen describes -- to browse the periods and pick one based on asthetic preferences. It came in handy at the time. Great handy! I second the recommendation for someone who is brand-new to the concept of historical costuming.

When I joined the SCA, I wanted to do Elizabethan because I was looking at pictures in books. I saw what I really wanted to wear on my first event when I saw a real person (!) moving (!!) in 14th century clothing, and I still turn my head after garb of that style, even now that I am wearing it myself.
Your girlfriend might want to browse through the galleries of living history groups - they say which time their clothes are from, and she´ll get to see how the period looks when it´s well done and researched (no offense meant, I don´t want to say that you can´t find that within the SCA - it´s just that nobody writes a date onto a dress, and periods mingle at events! ). A large collection of living history groups can be found here:http://moas.atlantia.sca.org/wsnlinks/index.php?action=displaycat&catid=353

Here's a guy-hint: Tell her how hot she looks in a dress.

I'm always amazed and disappointed how dresses have gone out of style. I think they really accentuate a woman's figure.

14th century stuff is awesome. Some of the dresses look like they are spray-painted on!

Steve

Steve -SoFC- wrote:Here's a guy-hint: Tell her how hot she looks in a dress.

I'm always amazed and disappointed how dresses have gone out of style. I think they really accentuate a woman's figure.

14th century stuff is awesome. Some of the dresses look like they are spray-painted on!

Steve

+1

Steve -SoFC- wrote:
14th century stuff is awesome. Some of the dresses look like they are spray-painted on!

Steve

Many did in period too, Steve. A clergyman railed not long after the Black Death in England that women's dresses had gotten so very tight they had to wear fox tails under their skirts to keep from revealing every detail of their, um, ass-ets.

(Please note that the clergyman mentioned them UNDER skirts and this is in NO WAY documentation for the tacky habit some people have of wearing animal tails attached to their rings belts as a method of accessorizing).

Gwen
(hoyden Countess)

LOL. That must have been itchy having a fox tail in your butt crack! LOL

And I wonder where they hung it when not in use since would would smell like...well...ass? LOL

Wilhelm zu Eltz-Kempenich wrote:So I've trying to get my girlfriend into SCA stuff for a while now and today I was met with great success. She's not into history much or fighting or anything of the like, but today she went to her first event with me and had a really good time. She's interested now in maybe getting some period garb, but neither of us has any clue what to look for in terms of what she likes. So I humbly request any pictures you folks have of period dresses, including dates and locations of origin if you know, so that we can begin getting her garbed up (and hopefully even begin thinking of a persona). She said to me on the ride home "they were really surprised when I told them that I only have one name," so I'm crossing my fingers that if she sees a dress she likes, can find a pattern for it and manages to make it, that she'll be inclined to build a persona around it and participate more. Thanks!

What's her body type? Not that I've ever seen anybody look bad in a properly fitted supportive gown...

If she's interested in 14th or 15th century, I have a full set of instructions for fitting, patterning, and constructing a dress here:

http://www.mathildegirlgenius.com/Fitti ... uction.htm

I tried to explain it for all levels. If she's a very beginner, it might help to have a sewing buddy help her out. Naturally, everything that I show being done by hand can also be done by machine.

I'll go out on a limb here and say body type almost doesn't matter. Due to the smoothing, corset-like effect of the dress, you can be a svelte little thing like Countess Gwen or a hundred pounds overweight and you still look damn good to me.

My wife went to someone's cotehardie class up north somewhere and she said something to the effect of, "You know you're getting your pattern right when your husband can't keep his hands off of you." She's right.

Steve

Steve -SoFC- wrote:I'll go out on a limb here and say body type almost doesn't matter. Due to the smoothing, corset-like effect of the dress, you can be a svelte little thing like Countess Gwen or a hundred pounds overweight and you still look damn good to me.

My wife went to someone's cotehardie class up north somewhere and she said something to the effect of, "You know you're getting your pattern right when your husband can't keep his hands off of you." She's right.

Steve

Absolutely.

That said, it's more about whether a woman is an apple, a pear, or a tube. Any woman who is a pear is going to look good, easy peasy. An apple or a tube can also look good, but it's going to be more important where the gores are placed. If a woman doesn't have much of a waist, but instead has a pronounced belly, a higher gore can look better. There are also different tweaks you make depending on the size of the chest.

Also, while almost every body type looks great in a 14th-15th c. fitted dress, some body types also look absolutely splendid in other periods. Oy! Did *I* say other periods? Check my temperature!