Tiger Lily's Threads

This past September, seeing my friends enthusiastically prepare for Pennsic, along with my own growing interest in early historical events, strongly motivated me to join my local Society for Creative Anachronism (S.C.A.) chapter, or Baronny. Having previously focused on other periods, I became eager to explore the 14th to 17th centuries, with their rich culture, fashion, etc. As a result, joining this chapter required creating a simple yet fashionable medieval wardrobe. I decided to go with a Kirtle: a 14th-century fitted gown, made from lightweight worsted wool, but also could be made with linen. Examining several extant examples, it could be decorated with an embroidered border, striped with a contrasting color, two-toned, or left plain. Because this is my first, I decided to stick with plain and accessorize.  CONSTRUCTING THE KIRTLE To begin with, I had to settle on the type of fabric. As previously described, the historic options were worsted wool or natural linen. Where I live...

When you look at a painting, there's always going to be some gorgeous outfit that inspires you to recreate it, right? I felt just exactly that when I came across James Tissot's painting, "The Bridesmaid." How could I describe this silk ensemble other than that it absolutely needed to be replicated? The Silhouette, the soft cornflower blue silk that really pops in the foreground, and the ruffles galore.! So, without hesitation, I got to work on making one for myself.                                                                                                    BODICE After studying the gown's features, I decided to start first on the most challenging part of the project (at least for me): the constr...