The chemise or shift is an authentic pattern from around 1600, made of very light cotton batiste. The long sleeves are cut very wide to allow them to puff out between the gown's slit sleeves and decorated with white tulle lace. Not absolutely period because they would rather have used reticella, guipure or bobbin lace (at least to my knowledge), but hey, neither is the polyester jacquard ;) At least I'll be able to put everything into the washing mach... no wait, again I won't, because of the pearl embroidery I'm planning. Anyway... The neckline is very wide and can be adjusted with a drawstring. No frills or lace here because the standing collar will be put on separately.
The bodice consists, again, of two layers of sturdy fabric with sandwiched-in boning. Heavy boning at the front to achieve the typical flat renaissance chest, only a few bones at the sides and at the back to keep the shape. The tabs are half-ovals, pearl-rimmed, as is the neckline and the sleeves. The sleeves are long and narrow, showing the lace of the chemise. The slits at the shoulder are lined with pearls and let the chemise peep through. I hope the sleeves are long enough to provide enough fabric... The shoulders are additionally decorated with fake bows, just to add some more stuff.
The jacquard overskirt and the petticoat are sewn together and close at the front, hidden under the stomacher. The thus two-layered skirt is tied to the bodice with satin ribbon and shows the front of the petticoat. The petticoat is made of two different fabrics. One plain light-grey for the parts that won't be seen, and one shiny silvery fabric at the front that is embroidered with pearls. To keep the overskirt from slipping back and showing the plain fabric part, it's tied to the seam of the petticoat with two satin bows.
The standing ruff is a long, heavily starched piece of tulle lace, cut to match the shape of the neckline and supported by a wire supportasse. Both are carried by a piece of brocade filling in the back neckline. The whole construction thus is detachable and the dress can be worn with or without the ruff.
A venetian flag fan completes the whole ensemble. The handle is aluminium, the flag part is cardboard covered in the matching grey brocade, rimmed with pearls, topped with a pearl ornament and I had a single silver tassle left that also went onto it. One homeless piece less in my overflowing collection of might-need-it-for-something-one-day-stuff ;)
And to round the whole thing off I made matching jewelry: five rows of white crystal beads with a snowflake-pendant for the necklace, a matching bracelet (that will hardly be seen because of the long sleeves, hadn't thought about that!), and earrings with little crystal drops.
The tiara was the mad idea of one evening too many spent sewing. The thought was that a fluffy skirt like this and that huge ruff can do with something that would otherwise be too top-heavy: a tiara resembling icicles. So off to buy chandelier crystals and make myself the ice queen of the ball! :D
As always, good pics still to come... ;)
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