Trossfrau part 2

Feb 17^th

So I never did finish talking about what’s going on in the outfit I want.  I’m pretty sure I want the dress to be squared-necked, open in the front, closed with hooks and eyes, and to have the usual guards at the neckline.

I’m not 100% sure of what I want the skirt guards to look like.  Part of me is leaning towards the ever popular stripes of some sort around the bottom, part of me likes the “no frills” no stripes look of the girl above, and part of me wants to go for the triangles similar to the skirt right next to the woman with The Jacket.  I’m kind of liking the triangles the most right now, especially since I’ve never seen them before and they would go far in my “quest to be slightly more unique”™.  The main body of the dress would be in this dusty, cadet blue wool that I have plenty of from High Fashion Fabrics that my lovely ex-roomie bought me for my birthday years ago.  I want to do the guards in some combination of red and orange, but a darker, more burnt orange, and a slightly blue-red.  Depends on what I can find out there in the great wide world.

I’m not crazy fond of that particular hat, simply because it’s so plain, but a few feathers could spruce it up, and it’s a wonderful look at the top of a hat.  I’m tempted to make a variety of hats to wear with this look, but it’s one of those things that’ll wait till the inspiration hits to see what kind of hat(s) there will be.  At the very least I want a caul of some kind to keep the hair in check.  And a wide brimmed red something to keep the sun off.  And something with lots of feathers… and something small and cute… and maybe one of those wulsthulbes… and maybe… and maybe… and maybe….

(I like hats, can ya tell?)

I’d love a pair of wide-mouthed shoes to go with this outfit.  I don’t really care for the ones that are slashed, but want a pair that are wide and plain, with an ankle tie or buckle to keep them on.  Most of the styles I’ve found on the internet run around $70 or more, so I’m kind of hoping that I can find someone that can teach me how to make them, or is willing to barter for them.  To go along with these fantastic shoes, I want to make linen or wool hose, and I really want to try to make a vertically striped one for those awesome mix and match moments.

As far as other accessories go, I’ll need to find a belt, a pouch, and I would love a square canteen like that.  Has anyone seen that?

Part of me wants a high-necked smock, and part thinks the low is more appropriate.  Time to go count the smocks… Back soon….

So I’m counting smocks, and I’m willing to co-mingle rich and the not-so-rich, but I’m only counting secular woodcuts, not religious images.

High-Necked-23

Low-Necked-14

Jacket-26

I found someone wearing a jacket AND a high-neck smock, I could do it if I wanted.  (p. 237)  Second image of someone wearing both (p. 1388)  Third image of both (p. 1543)

So my rough counting has revealed that high necked smocks appear more often than low necked, but some form of separate neck and chest covering.  I decided to mostly stick to lower class, but I came to this decision part of the way through volume 1, so it’s not completely accurate, but it’s good enough.  I still can’t decide whether or not I want the higher neckline or not.  I want to try smocking, but I can always try it on an apron.  I think I want a lower neckline, simply because I want the opportunity to display the vast tracks of land.  I can always come back later and make a high-necked smock later, but I think the lower neckline works better on younger women, and I want to make the most of being in my twenties while I still have a few years of it left.

So now that I’ve decided that, it’s time to get someone to help me draft a pattern.  I’m debating the idea of doing the sleeves in a raglan style, but I think that’s really only necessary if you want the “falling off the shoulders” look that’s rather common with the high-necked smocks, but doesn’t appear to be as common on the low necked.  I think I’ll pattern in a shoulder strap and run the guards over the shoulder strap and perhaps over the sleeve if necessary.  I think the guard on the bodice needs to be about 2” wide, which is an aesthetic choice based on the size of the guards in the images.  I want to do the guards around a square neckline in both front and back, although there are a few images of V-neck backs, and rounded scoop-necks.  Although these two styles would be a step on the “quest to be slightly more unique”™, I’m more fond of the square necked styles and that’s why I choose it.

I think Idonia will pattern me if I can find time to ask her.  Getting the pattern made is the next step.  After the dress is patterned I can make the smock, and then work on The Jacket can begin.  I’ve already got the blue wool for the dress, and the white linen for the shift.  I’m hoping to find a pretty silk brocade, but would be willing to settle for something cheaper if the pattern and colors are right.