Status: Wearable

Year finished: 2007

To Do:  Remake underkirt as it was used to finish my Mina Gown (it is 2020 and I still need to do this…

Updates since last photo: Gold bands on goller (shoulder cover) realigned and bottom border added.

Inspiration: Herman tom Ring’s portrait of two girls, Braunchweig

In July 2007 I was elevated to the order of the laurel and so created another gown for the ceremony. I chose another of my favourite portraits of sisters from Muenster. I made my gown from red silk taffeta and black cotton velveteen.

I have had photocopies of Max von Behn’s Die Mode since I was at university in the early 1990s. One of these was of a girl painted by Ludger tom Ring. The specific portrait that inspired this work though is by Herman tom Ring and is of two sisters from the region.

The skirt was completed and hemmed top and bottom before being roll pleated into the bodice. The bodice was also finished as a complete garment prior. This allows the skirt to fully hinge at the waist and there is no excess bulk in a waistband or inside the bodice hem. This makes the skirt and bodice sit well and is much more comfortable as there is no ring of bulky fabric pressing in at the waist.

The underskirt and skirt were both made as rectangles. I usually use a gored skirt for my Cleves/Cologne/Nijmegen gowns and a circle based skirt for my Swiis/Saxon gowns however this style is most matches the effect of finely pleated unshaped panels. Especially with the use of multiple bands of different colour on the skirt (outer as here or underskirts as in the more common style of the time and region)

The bodice required a degree of extrapolation and interpretation based on woodcuts and portraits of the region and local areas. I also referred to many other portraits to uncover other details of the gown hidden by the aprons and goller (or Kleyrn). My gown neckline extend vertically up and curves closely to the neck. My earlier attempt at the style had a square neck and this may be a possible alternative. However I did find evidence of the style I wound up using in my gown above.

My gown is fully lined in black silk, a kind of faille, including the bodice and sleeves.

All stripes were hand sewn and shaped by pressing of card templates cut to shape.

There is a set of stays worn underneath based on the Dorothea stays, though they are a little later date than the portrait, and a panel of red silk pinned to that.

Over this is worn a linen undergoller to which the neck ruff is pinned.

My pearlenhaube (pearled cap) was created from overdyed brocade and has a pattern of hexagonal cells in large bugle beads and pearls overlapping. In the centre of each pearl cell (or the connections of each gold cell) there is a small bee bead, as it seemed appropriate for the shape. The overall shape is a D where the curved edge is pleated into a few inches in the back and the straight edge frames my face. This give the smooth shape around the face but allows the slight bagging at the back.

After the pearl design was in place I sewed long gold bugle beads that alternate. As a nod to humour I have added gold tone metal bees in the center of each cell, not very visible here.

The haube is lined before the gathers. The gathers then are made by using several threads at a time and they are what cause the haube to fit to shape. The front of the haube is straight and the gathers start on the curve which in this case starts just above the ear.

I also made a Krantz (wreath), but I styled it after what we do in the SCA. The original portrait includes soft pearled kranzten.

I need to create a new underskirt as I used the petticoat for another project.