Tuesday, April 03, 2007

What To Wear To Coronation?

What am I going to wear to Coronation? My friends Giulia and Hrodir are stepping up as King and Queen of Northshield the Saturday after Easter and she wants to do a late period reign (16th Century, for those who don't know what late period is. My friend Fina thinks anything after 1100 AD is late period) Hrodir does early medieval Rus/Scandinavian, so he's having a whole new wardrobe made. i have a couple of choices of late period garb to pick from. I would love to make something new. I've had plans for a Tudor for years...


I had planned to make a new Tudor dress like the one Princess Elizabeth (later to be Queen Elizabeth I) is wearing here. I have lovely cut velvet in black for the dress and sleeves, and gold brocade for the forepart and under sleeves, and red cut velvet for sleeve lining and the french hood. But it's too late to start that now. All this overtime in the past two months really cut into my sewing time. I suppose I could throw something together over the Easter weekend. I do have the farthingale and petticoat bodies already made. But really, I don't want to rush through $200 worth of imported cut velvet.


I do have an Italian gown similar to the one here. Mine is made of steel blue velvet. But I wore that
to12th Night, and I don't want to wear it again.


I could of course wear the late period Italian gown I made by hand for A&S many years ago. I've very proud of it, as you can see, since it's the pic I used for my blog. But I've put on quite a bit of weight since then, and sure, I could tightened the corset a bit more, but I want to enjoy the day, not die. Besides, the silk chemise (which isn't quite the right style for this gown) was lent to a friend who ripped it and did not return it. She says she will replace it. Yeah, I could sew a new chemise, and I've been planning to, but, like I said I want to enjoy the day.


I could stick with an earlier period and wear a dress that is truly sumptuous. The silver and purple silk brocade was gifted to me by Tarrach and Fina, who were King and Queen of the Midrealm a few years ago. I turned it into a Byzantine gown. I have more to do on it, like a band of pearls and embroidery on the sleeves, and pearl temple pieces hanging from the head, but I might be able to work on that over the weekend.
Or I might just re-invent an Early Tudor gown (around 1520 or so) that I made several years ago. It's black linen with gold silk embroidery on it. I could take the zillion hooks and eyes that I sewed on to close the front with and put in laces instead, and add large square turned back sleeves and a solid, pleated skirt. I already have a early version of a french hood, and a corded corset/petticoat. It's a little early for what Giulia has in mind for her reign, but it's already mostly made...
Decisions, decisions...

1 comment:

Daye said...

I have no idea what I am gonna wear either.