16th century headdress, fiction and fact

I found this when I was looking for images suitable for my 1520’s gown project. It had nothing to do with it, but it was too good to pass on.

Pretty door knocker, c. 1500.

Source; Wikimedia Commons

And what must be the same kind of headdress, the extant version.

Ladies head dress from the grave No.31 (1525) in Geiterkinden Church. Now in Kantonsmuseum, Basseland

Resarch for a 1520's gown, part 4; resources

This is a list of books, articles, and blogs I have read, so far, and found useful. It is by no means a finished list, and I will add on it as I continue my research.

Books and articles

Dahl, Camilla Dahl; “Huffer till Theris Hoffueder: Sen-renæssancens Kvindehuer, ca. 1560–1630,” Dragtjournalen 2, no. 3 (2008): 21–52, pp 39–46 [n Danish. About caps and hats for women, with some references to the earlier 16th century)

Dahl, Camilla Luise; "Klædt i rigets borgerdragt. - stand, status og national identitet udtrykt i borgerskabets dragt i reformationstidens. Danmark-Norge og Sverige" [In Danish. About the clothing of townspeople in Denmark, Norway and Sweden in the 16th century.)

Johnson, Caroline, edited by Jane Malcolm-Davies and Ninya Mikhaila; The Queen's Servants: Gentlewomen's Dress at the Accession of Henry VIII, Fat Goose Press Ltd (December 1, 2011) [Focus on the English court with patterns and sewing instruction]

Blogs and web pages

16th Century German Costuming 

Costumekullan [A fellow Swede who also are making clothes for 2020]

Dragter på epitafier og gravsten i Danmark. [In Danish. “Clothing on epitaphs and tombstones in Denmark” spanning 16t-18th century. Lots of pictures!)

Elizabethan Costume Page [Huge collection of links, several of the useful for the early 16th century too.]

The Friesian Frock Girl 

The German Renaissance of Genoveva

Katafalk 

Detail from "Blodbladsplanschen", a depiction of Stockholm's Bloodbath. The original was made in 1524, but was lost in a fire in the 19th century. This is from a 17th century copy.

Resarch for a 1520's gown, part 3; what money can buy

I can’t make shoes so I will have to buy them. Here is a number of links in an alphabetic order to
places to purchase shoes. The only one I have personal experience of is Harr, which I’ve always been
very pleased with, but they are also pricey. I want good shoes, but I also don’t want to spend a fortune
on what I probably won’t use much. It’s also unlikely I will end up buying shoes from the USA as the
postage combined with taxes can double the cost.

Andy Burke

Armor Arena

Foxblade Shoes

Harr

Native Earth

SPQR

Pilgrim Shoes

Revival Leather Goods

Taberna Historica

I will also need some bling. The lady in my painting is wearing a gold chain around her neck, a
diamond-shaped brooch, and four rings on the visible hand. I think it’s likely she is wearing rings on
the other hand too. I’m not aiming to find jewelry which is exact replicas, but I want it to work for the
period.

I haven’t found any online shop for historical jewelry who sell this kind of heavy chain, but a quick
search on Etsy provided me with several suitable chains, so I don’t think it will be too hard to find a
suitable chain.

Armour and Castings have a few nice diamond shaped brooches.

As for rings I have found a Swedish company;Historiska Fynd who makes historical reproductions in bronze, which makes them rather inexpensive.

15th century:

16th century

Resarch for a 1520's gown, part 2: the other necessary clothes

The 16th century is a completely new period for me sewing-wise, but it was actually one of my first costume-loves, and I’ve always wanted to go there. I think I have a basic understanding of the period, but I still have a lot to learn. And I have a whole wardrobe to build! I mentioned Katafalk’s blog in my last post, and I will reference here several times because she’s worth it. She’s a brilliant Swedish seamstress and she has several excellent tutorials. I have, for example, found her post How to Frau, very helpful as it in a very pedagogic manner goes through the necessary layers and clothes.

I’m planning to build my wardrobe the sensible way; inside and outwards, so the first garment I’m going to make is the smock.

As you can see she is wearing a high necked, pleated smock which what looks like whitework around the neck. You can see similar smocks on many portraits of the period. At least I think they are smocks and not partlets.

For example, this portrait of Margareta Eriksdotter Vasa looks similar, but her gown is extremely low-cut, so it seem more likely it’s a partlet we see here. I include this because Margareta Vasa was Gustav Vasa’s sister, and the portrait is dated to 1528. It may have been painted in Lübeck, but at this point, Gustav Vasa was still unmarried, so Margareta was the most important lady in Sweden, and it’s likely her clothes reflect what was fashionable in Sweden. However, even if I the clothes I aim to make belong to a well-to-do woman, I’m not trying to be royalty.

Source

Woman with a Carnation by Lucas Cranach the Elder

Ursula Ligsalz, c. 1528

I’ve found two tutorials for a high-necked smock, one by Katafalk and one by Genoveva von Lubeck. I’m going to use Katafalk’s.

As for stockings and hose, I’m going to sew a pair. I’m fairly certain you could get knitted stockings at this time, but I’m not very good at knitting, so sewn ones it is. I have found a tutorial at Melanie Schuessler’s webpage.

I’ve never seen any references for stays this early in the 16th century, and ladies seen in profile are often quite curvy. But I definitely need some kind of support, and the answer to that is an underdress or kirtle. The Queen’s Servant by Caroline Johnson, edited by Jane Malcolm Davies and Ninya Mikhaila talks about clothes at the English court in the early 16th century, so right time, but the wrong place. I still think the notes on kirtles have relevance for a wider area, and I will use the instruction in the book on how to construct it. The book mention kirtles interlined in the bodice by one, or for larger ladies, two layers of canvas to provide support, which I will do. I have not decided on fabric and colour yet. The Queen’s Servant has found that silk sateen and black was the most popular choice at the English court, and I’m tempted to use that. As I mentioned in my last post black and silk satin was in use at Gustav Vasa’s court, but I don’t know if it was used for undergowns. And I don't know how far down the classes the material went.

Three paintings which depict possible undergowns or kirtles.

Source

Source

Melancholy by Georg Pencz, 1545

The lady on my pictures is wearing a short shoulder cape, a gollar, in the same fabric as the gown.

You can see this garment on a lot of pictures, Like here, for example.

Part of an altarpiece in St Knud's Church in Odense, Denmark, 1510-19

Jakob Seissenegger

It’s possible this short cape could was a way for women to distinguish themselves as decent women when they didn’t wear a long cloak. In Denmark in 1522 prostitutes were forbidden to cover their hair and wear “kåber” (cloaks), and in 1529 the same law came in place in Sweden, though the term there is “kragekåper”. I’m aware I’m making assumptions here, but “krage” means collar, so I think it isn’t impossible “kragekåper” can mean a very short cloak. (Klædt i rigets borgerdragt by Camilla Luise Dahl)

And as Katafalk has a tutorial for one, I will use that.

Then we come to the cap. And I admit I have no idea how it’s constructed. Or rather, I have ideas, but I don’t know how close to correct they are. Input is most welcome!

You can see a very similar cap here.

Probably by Jacob van Utrecht, early 16th century.

And a somewhat similar one here:

In the style of Barthel Bruyn the Elder, 16th century

I assume it is actually in two parts. Or three. An inner cap, caul or forehead cloth which sits tight around the head. Then the wearer’s braids are would like some kind of pillow(?) at the temples. And then another cap or possibly wide band is placed on top of it. Women n at least Denmark wore caps with a wide band placed on top of it, so I think it may be what we see here (Huffer till Theris Hoffueder: Sen-renæssancens Kvindehuer, ca. 1560–1630 by Camilla Luise Dahl)

I’ve no idea what it looks like from the back. I would love to recreate this cap if I can only figure out how it was plausibly made. In any case, I think the inner cap may be similar to the one Genoveva von Lubeck has a tutorial for.

Another alternative is to make a wulsthaube with a veil. Katafalk has tutorials for it here, here and here, as has Genoveva von Lubeck, Amie Sparrow and The Fresian Frock Girl

Regardless of what kind of cap I make, I can also go for those nifty wide brimmed hats you see so often. Genoveva von Lubeck have a tutorial for that too.

The next post will be about the things I cannot make myself, shoes and jewelry.

And if you are interested in another take on the same problem, check out Costumekullan who is also planning a Swedish 1520’s outfit.

Resarch for a 1520's gown, part 1: the gown

Busy as I am sewing my Victorian wardrobe, I still have plans for the future. And as I was recently reminded of how practical a blog is to keep track oofresearch, this post is posted now for future references.

In November 1520 and event happened in Stockholm which can be seen as the starting point for modern Sweden. After years of political struggles ,the Danish king Christian II was crowned king of Sweden. In the days after nearly 100 people; noblemen, clergy and townsmen were executed in what became known as Stockholm Bloodbath. Many of their female relatives was imprisoned and brought to Denmark. The claim had been made that Christian had the body of former regent Sten Sture the Younger and his son taken from their graves and mutilated and burnt. There is also a ghost story which says that if it rain the night of the anniversary of the massacre, the rain will turn into blood at the square Stortorget were the executions took place. Perhaps not so surprising Christian II is known as Christian the Tyrant in Sweden.

One of the purposes of the massacre was probably to scare the swedes into submission, but it backfired with a vengeance. The nobleman Gustav Vasa, whose father had been killed in the massacre, led a revolt, which ended with him being crowned king of Sweden in 1523, starting te Vasa dynasty which ended when Queen Kristina, his great-great granddaughter abdicated in 1654. Gustav Vasa, like his contemporary Henry VIII, initiated a reformation, making sweden protestant which it remain today. He also had several wives, but only three to Henry’s six, and none of them was executed or divorced. He also had better luck with sons; three of them became kings of Sweden.

So, after this history lesson, you can probably guess that in 2020 the 500th anniversary of all this takes place, and there will very likely be several historical events. Which means I need an outfit which could plausibly have been worn in Sweden in 1520. Unfortunately, there aren’t many pictures of Swedish women from this period, but as Sweden had strong economical and political bonds with Denmark and what is now Germany, I decided to looks at pictures from those areas as well, choosing a time span of roughly 1500-1540.

And fell in love with this one.

Detail from an altar piece at Noedeby Church, Denmark

It’s dated 1500-1520, but I think the date is closer to 1520 than 1500. I usually don’t copy clothes, but this is so pretty I can’t resist. It’s part of an altarpiece, but given the difference between the kneeling man and woman compared to the middle painting, I’m fairly convinced this is an actual portrait, probably of the couple who sponsored the painting.

It may have been painted in the Netherlands, or possibly just by a painter from that country, which is the wrong place. So I looked around to see if I could find similar gowns the area I'm interested in. And I found several with a similar silhouette, but usually fancier in style.

A rare Swedish example

Dorotea on an altar piece in Näs, Västergötland

Young woman from a chandelier Southern Germany, Swabia Early 16th century

Young woman in Basel by Hans Holbein the Younger

Pernille Krognos, ca 1533, Magleby Church, Denmark

The epitaph of Ide Munk in Valloeby Church, Denmark, ca 1545

These gowns look very similar to the one I want, minus the gollar.

Detail from The Fountain of Youth by Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1546

I think it’s plausible to say this is a style which could have been worn in Sweden. As for construction, I think it looks like it’s closed at the front. As the top of the sleeves are hidden by the gollar, I think it may have a pouf there, but there are completely plain sleeves too. I haven’t decided what I want yet. I plan to use wool, even if silk or velvet are other possibilities.

I have some information about clothes worn at Gustav Vasa’s court, which of course is later than 1520. Black was the most popular colour, and velvet the most popular fabric, though silk satin was also in use. Seam allowances was 0,5-1 cm wide, and the seams generally pressed down or outwards. They were sewn in running stitches, between 3-7 mm in width, or stem stitches. (from Vasagraven (1956), edited by Martin Olsson)

And what about extant clothes? What we have is very scant, and none for Sweden. The most famous one is the gown of Mary of Hungary, dated to 1510-25. It doesn’t look anything like the gown I want to make, although the back may be similar.

Source

There is also the gown of Anna Jaigellon of Poland, ca 1547. Again it doesn't look much of what I want to make.

Source

I will also need a smock, hose, a kirtle, headgear, gollar and jewelry. But this post is long enough as it is, so that will be in part 2.

To read:

Amie Sparrow Early 16th Century German Peasant Clothing

Drea Leed The Well Dress’d Peasant, 16th Century Flemish Workingwomen’s Clothing

Eva Andersson Clothing and perceptions of gender and body in medieval and early modern period

Katafalk Tutorial for an early 16th century German dress

Do you have any other recommendations for must-reads?

OMG, OMG, OMG, squee!

Today I received this:

A friend in Czechia told me about it earlier this year, and with her help got into contact with the university who had it published. You can’t buy it, but if you are researching historical clothes you can get it provided you send them postage. I wasn’t sure I would qualify, but clearly I did. There are a lot of pattern diagrams from the 16th- to the 18th century, for men, women, girls, horses(!), liturgical clothes and a few tents. The wool gown I made a few months ago comes from this book, and now I have so many things I want to make.

Like continuing on my late 17th/early 18th century wardrobe. I now have patterns for stays, riding habit and something I very much will look like the kind of loose nightgown you see on a lot of Swedish and Danish portraits from this period.

Unknown Swedish woman, late 17th century

Elizabeth Faltz, Sweden, late 17th/early 18th century

My old pet-en-l’air which is too small, basically has the same fabric as this one, only the pattern is smaller. Doesn’t it just beg to be re-made into it?

Christiane Marie Foss, Denmark, 1700-1709

I also strongly suspect that the riding habit I want to make will look very much like this one:

Hedvig Sofia, Princess of Sweden by David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl

 Also, there is the pattern for a riding habit from 1769 which includes the waistcoat. I haven’t seen an old pattern for that before.And, from the same year, patterns for two pair of stays, one which would look a lot like this one made up:

Late 18th century stays

You understand why I’m a bit incoherent of joy?

Also, I found a gown which looks very much like my wool gown on a Swedish painting.

Hedvig Sofia, Princess of Sweden, detail from a painting atributed to David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl, painted in 1697

A peculiar portrait

What do you think of this portrait?

Source

 

The lady in question is Katarina Gustavsdotter Vasa, Princess of Sweden. She was born in 1539, married Edzard of Ostfriesland in 1559 and died 1610. She was quite well educated and seems to have excelled in theology. She seems to have been a smart woman, having an influence both politically and religiously.

 

I find this portrait a bit odd. There is very little information about it and the date online is 1750! It certainly doesn't look like an 18th century painting, though it might be a copy from that time of an older painting. It is known that she was painted in 1556 when she was 17 and this may very well be it. I am certainly no expert on 16th century fashion, especially not German fashion, which seem to have influenced Sweden the most, but most German gowns I have seen from this period doesn't looks like this.

 

It is, however, her loopsided headband that I think looks really strange. Have you ever seen anything like it? Her hair seems to be scraped back into a decoarted cap, and then this jewelled band. My first thought was that it may hide a scar or birth mark, but a painter could easily paint that out. On the other hand, if she did have a mark of some kind, then perhaps it was her "thing" to wear something over it and it became part of her person style. Regardless, I think it is an unusual portrait. What do you say?

Source

Meet Pandora, a fashion doll of 1600

Livrustkammaren 77 (56:15) 260

I posted a picture of her some years ago, but now she is finally going to be displayed again at Livrustkammaren, the Royal Armoury, at least for a time, so I take the opportunity to show my favourite doll ever. As a kid I wanted her much more than I wanted a Barbie! She is attributed to a daughter of Karl IX, princess Katarina, and may have been made by her, or perhaps just owned. It sems quite likely that she was a fashion doll, made to show of what was fashionable. She is dated to around 1600, which probably made Katarina a bit too old to play with her, as the princess was born in 1584. The doll is also in a very good condition, which makes it a bit unlikely that she was used as a toy. Adorable she is, nevertheless! And my friend Caroline who provided the gorgeous pictures in my last post, has kindly let me use more the following pictures of Pandora as she was unpacked.

She has a body and legs made of wire and skin-coloured silk tread. The gown is made from purple silk, decorated with gold lace. The sleeves are made of red (now faded) silk, embroidered with goldthread and pearls. The muff is also embroidered in red silk and gold- and silverthread.

 

The first petticoat  is in, now brownish, cut and uncut silk velvet decoarted with silver lace. The second is in pink silk taffeta decorated with gold lace. Gown and petticoats are lined. She is just 16 cm tall and wighs 91 gram.

 

 

Her face is in pale silk taffeta with eyes, eyebrows, nose and mouth embroidered with silk thread.

 

The hair is real human hair in a darkish blond shade. The hairstyle is raised around the face, at the back it is pleated and pinned up decoratively. It is decoarted with a row a Pearls  at the hairline and a diadem of goldtread and Pearls at the hairstyle's highets Point.

 

Both dress and hairstyle are vey much in the style of the lats 16th-early 17th Century which makes me think that the hairstyle is quite authentic. This is very nice as one rarely get to see the back of heads on paintings and I have been wondering how there, sometimes quite high hairstyles, looked from behind. The only thing missing is a ruff, but she may have had one that has now disappeared.

A fashion plate from 1595. Apart from the headdress and missing ruff, the gown is very much in the same style as the doll's. There is even a muff!

 

Album Amicorum of a German Soldier, 1595

A range of hairstyle from the decades before and after 1600 which are quite similar to the doll's hair.

Jennet Parkinson by George Gower, 1580

Queen Elixabeth I by an anonymous painter, 1592

Unknown woman, previously thought to be Cecilia Vasa, princess of Sweden, early 17th Century