florentine

O.K. here's the deal... I'm french and for that reason, this is my first attempt at an english diary, so I apologize in advance for any misspelling or questionable terms that I may use here. I have a pretty poor english vocabulary in the costume field.

I've been fantasizing on the Giovanna Tornabuoni portrait all my life so basicaly, that's the dress I'm gonna make. However, I need the underdress for the Lady Clare project among other things, so i'll have to compromise !

I was tired of browsing in and out folders to compare the gowns in Ghirlandiao's paintings, so i decided to display them all in the same painting ! I plan to make the gamurra (dress) in a plain russet or burgundy crêpe wool like fig 3 and the giornea (overgown) in a golden brocade or jacquard like fig 6 (i don't know what fabric i'll use for that yet) . The front of the dress will ressemble that of fig 1.

I plan to make at least 3 sets of sleeves to go with it. the first set will be in the same burgundy fabric as the dress. I'll inspire myself apon those of Heather Glista's or those of Jennifer Thompson who is trully an inspiration to me. You should check out her web site, her amazing diaries and of course, the featured attyre at : http://homepage.mac.com/festive_attyre/new.html

The second set of sleeves will be made of brocade yet, burgundy, like those on the Tornabuoni portrait. I'll add corded lozanges and the faux slashes. I may even add pearls or beads in each lozanges as I did for my blue portuguese dress. The third set of sleeves will be the same color and fabric as the mantle but in the fig 3 style with either lader lacing or birbari bows. I'll probably make a few more sets in different colors and styles also. I'm not really fond of sideless overcoats like fig 5 and fig 6, they tend to fall back all the time. So I'm gonna go for the one on fig 3 but without the waistline adjustments.

The bodice is done ! Finally, I decided to give the bodice a "V" openning instead of a straight one. It brings up the lacing effect on fig 5 and it's definitely more like the vision I've always had of the front lacing on the portrait of Giovanna. Since the waist line is so high, I still had to make the skirt open somewhere so I went for side lacing like in this painting .

I've been studying florentine pictures for a while now, and i've been wondering how the bodices could get that rounded shape and yet, never crease under the breast line. I came up with a simple answer ; Breast taping! It's pretty plausible. You can clearly see the effect and difference on the pictures. This way, the only little creases that I get, is from the side lacing of the bodice. I use a band of around 4 yards of light and sheer cotton about 8'' wide, you can use linen if you want it to be more period.

I also went for the birbari bows and i decided to let them show on the outside, even if it gives it a more masculin touch. I have attached gold metal danglers to the end of the strings. I'm gonna use the birbari bows as well on the sleeves to give it a sense of continuity ! Here's how it looks when it's flat. The drawing defines where it's suppose to lay before it's sewn in the front.

So that you can understand something to the sleeve's pattern, I didn't cut it all right away. I left you a guideline so you can figure out what goes where. It will attach on the side of the arm, not under. I also attached the skirt to the bodice. I didn't bring the lacing rings all the way down, I left a 5'' openning so that I can tuck my hands in... It's verry cold down here in Canada, it has nothing to do with the Italian weather ! I wear 3 layers of skirts underneath. That gives me the puffyness that I want for the dress. And of course, you can see my new camica... Are those sleeves puffy or what !!!

A fiew people have been E-mailing me, asking about how breast taping is done. Here's the thing; You can either squish your breast to make it flat or push them up, so they're firmly supported...

You could criss-cross once out of two and go over the shoulders like in ancient civilisations (than the bandage would need to be longer). But in my case, my italian gown and camica's cleavage is low and in a straight square line. If I'd criss-cross, the bindings would show. My great grandmother (and my grandma as a teenager) used breast binding most of her life and she did it the way I do, like on my picture.

It has to be really tight to be efficent and you have to start in the middle. The edge of the fabric (musn't be stiff) must be under your arm (left side if you're right handed). The first wrap is the most important it must be tight and hold perfectly the edge in place. While you do the second wrap, it's than that you'll decide if you want them flat or supported ;

If you want to flatten, you'll direct the bandages over the breast, make it tight and then roll by going down (the rounded shape of the breast prevents the fabric from slipping down.

If you want your breast to stay highly supported than, after the first middle wrap, you'll direct you bandages half-way under the breast and pull tight (they'll go up by themselves !). You go ahead with another turn under and then you finish by rolling up(don't tighten too much or you'll flaten them !). Tuck the edge in an opening. You can attach the edge with two ordinary pin if you want to be period or you can use baby diaper pins. My great grand mother was using the metal triangular pins for elastic-bandages... And there, you're all set.