Showing posts with label renaissance costume. Show all posts
Showing posts with label renaissance costume. Show all posts
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Veils for Medieval Women
During the medieval period, women usually wore more than one layer of clothing at a time and accompanied their ensembles with a veil. A common medieval veil popularized in pop culture is the "nifel," a tall conical hat with a veil attached to the top point, but women wore many different styles of veils. According to costume retailer Medieval Women's Clothing, married women wore their hair in a tight, netted bun beneath a tight-fitting cap with an affixed veil. Single women would either wear their hair down or in loose braids beneath a loose veil. I will simply introduce some information about the veils for the Medieval women and you can have a reference if you are interested in this fashion topic.
About the couvre chef: The couvre chef was a veil first worn by French women during the medieval period. Couvre chef is French for "cover head." The veil was worn at the top of the head with various head pieces and draped down the shoulders. Couvre chefs were generally made of delicate fabrics, such as silk in light colors, and wealthy women would have their couvrechefs embroidered with gold or jewels. Anglo-Saxons sometimes referred to the couvre chef as a "headrail." By the 15th century, couvrechefs became less fashionable, though they were still regularly worn by women in the lower classes.
About the Goffered veil: The goffered veil, also known as a nebula headdress, was worn by women of all classes. The goffered veil is a short, ruffled veil that was usually made from linen and crafted with ornate pleats or embroidered latticework on the edges. The veil was worn pinned near the hairline and draped over the top of the head, and can be found in many famous paintings of the period, including "Portrait of Margareta Van Eyck."
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
How to Dress for A Medieval Wedding
First, Ask the bride and groom what period and nationality of costuming they're going for, and how strict they're being. Medieval can be anything from 900 (kilts and loose gowns) to 1600 (neck high corsets and hoop skirts). If you show up in an Elizabethan gown and everyone else is sporting basic tunics and pants, it will look silly.
Second, Once you ascertain what sort of costuming period you need, do a little research. Find out if it will be cheaper to make it (if you have the skills for that) or cheaper to buy it online. If you are making costuming for you and your family, look into patterns that will let you make an outfit out of the same cloth. Then you can buy in bulk, cheaper. Also, you'll be able to spot your family easily in the crowd despite strange clothing you're not used to.
Third, Once you have your costume, look up articles online about how to wear it. Men: Don't tuck in your shirt, strap a belt across it. And wear the belt under your belly, if you have a belly. It just looks silly when someone tries to girdle in their gut with a leather strap. It should go where your pants belt goes. Ask someone who does medieval re-enactment or a friend who is a history buff to help you try on the clothing. Some things that look like they go on easily don't. Corsets lace in the back, belts wrap around you twice, and men look very silly if they tuck in their shirt, since the shirt has a billowy loose bottom.
Last, wearing comfortable shoes. One of the best parts of medieval clothing is that you can wear loose pants or skirts that hide your shoes entirely, and medieval clothing never, ever had high heels until well after the Victorian era. Do not, under any circumstances, wear a traditional gown with heels. You'll be very off balance, more likely to fall, and look ridiculous.
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