The decoration of foreparts

[Rowan MacD]

    From what I have found thus far online and in books, the forepart (either attached to a petticoat or as a separate pinned down piece) can get pretty elaborate.  My question is: How much?  How much is too much?   
    I have a plain gold silk detachable forepart that is just begging for decoration.  What would do you use?  Ribbon? Lace? beads? bows? Appliques? 
   So far I have just sat and stared at it, waiting for inspiration. 
   The over skirt is black and gold patterned jacquard, and I plan to adding a black velveteen or twill guard to the bottom hem and front edges. 
 

[isabelladangelo]

Time and place?   If you are talking about a 1560's early Elizabethan, that's different from an Italian or a Henrican Tudor or a later Elizabethan.  What may look fine for one era, will look overdone for the next.

[gem]

I'm pretty sure she's asking for her Margo Elizabethan. 

[Rowan MacD]

I'm pretty sure she's asking for her Margo Elizabethan. 

Yes I am 

   Isabella-I had no idea there were so many different styles..thanks!
I have actually made 2 foreparts, but the other is an embroidered Dec fabric and I will leave that alone.
   I have seen everything from plain to seriously blinged up foreparts on just about every style and era gown at faire, I have no idea what would be practical (or correct)   
 

[Margaret]

As Isabella said, time and place are important as is your character's social station.  Of course, all this really depends on how Historically Accurate you want to be. 

If you want something pretty and not HA at all, get your Bedazzler out and go to town!     Kidding!  No Bedazzlers on the forepart!!!  LOL!  Really - if you are not concerned about HA, then do what you want.  As little or as much as you want.

If you want to go more toward the HA...  If your forepart has a pattern in it already:  look at accentuating the pattern with pearls - a very "in" thing.  The amount of pearls you use would depend on how much you could afford (or, more accurately - your character could afford).  If your forepart is a plain fabric, take a look at trims to use as embellishments.  I have seen 1" trim set in a lattice pattern that works out very well.

Seriously blinged out foreparts do take more care.  You need to have an extra stash of beads (or whatever bling you put on) because some of it will fall off and need to be replaced.  Cleaning is a bigger issue as well.  They need special dry cleaning and that can get pricey. 

For my upper Middle Class chicky, I have done some decorated with trim only and some beaded.  I have liked both for different reasons, but in the 'ease of care' area, the one done with the trim is less fuss.

[Anna Iram]

Something like this:

http://www.festiveattyre.com/feature/yr5/week183.html
Or this

http://www.festiveattyre.com/feature/yr5/week205.html

Are nice examples of trimwork on foreparts. I think your own variation of these beautiful creations would look great with your gown, Rowen.

[Rowan MacD]

   Thanks! That's what I was looking for...


 I'm trying not to look at this project with 20th century eyes.  In the 16th century, they had some interesting ideas about what 'went together' pattern wise.  

[isabelladangelo]

20th Century eyes?  Well, I guess most of us here were born then.  LOL!

Since I still don't know what era you are looking for, these are from the 1560's-1570's.

http://www.elizabethan-portraits.com/Wentworth.jpg  <-Very heavily beaded but in a geometrical pattern.  There are a ton of silks that are pre-beaded that look like this making it an easy thing to cut out and sew up.

http://www.elizabethan-portraits.com/ElizabethValois.jpg  <-It looks plain at first but it's actually a lighter damask.  If your fabric is patterned, go with a less detailed damask front.

http://www.elizabethan-portraits.com/ElizabethFitzGerald.jpg  <- A wonderful looking damask

You start seeing embroidered foreparts around this time but they really don't hit their height for a couple more decades.   

My advise is to go with either a cut velvet or a damask forepart.  You can sew it as a front to a petticoat skirt and throw it in the washer when faire is over.  You can't do that as easily with a beaded or heavily decorated forepart.   

[gem]

Rowan, in your Margo binder there's a whole page showing various trim positions. I'd take that page out and trace it, then go to town with colored pencils until you find something that looks good with what you have on the bodice.

Have fun with it!

[operafantomet]

In the first half of the 16th century, fine brocades and damasks seems to have been most popular in the UK. The fabric was usually repeated in the lower sleeves, either as an underkirtle, or as a forepart and loose sleeves. Like young princess Elizabeth:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3d/El_bieta_I_lat_13.jpg/458px-El_bieta_I_lat_13.jpg

In the second half of the 16th century, the "opposite T shape" came into vogue. That is, one or two vertical lines down center front, continuing horizontally around the hem. This was done for the main dress in large parts of Europe, and only the "opposite T" was visible when an overdress was worn. As here:





The same decoration was adapted into foreparts, both in England and elsewhere. A very effective way of decorating a forepart is to have two rows of wide trims, contrasting that of the forepart, "framed" with a narrower trim. If you have a tad of patience and a lot of trim, you'll get a striking and very period look. One example (though this one is probably a full skirt rather than a fore part):

[Rowan MacD]

 Thanks Gem, I'll see if I can find it. The first couple of passes through the binder,  I didn't see anything but a paragraph saying that anything goes.  No pictures or diagrams.  I will check the back.


Keep the history lessons coming everybody...I love this stuff!

[gem]

Ok, hmmm. It's in there *somewhere.* I colored a couple of them in with Photoshop when I was planning an ensemble a couple of years ago:




***
Anea, I absolutely *love* that peacock blue doublet gown with the dark bronze skirt! You have GOT to stop posting all these tempting portraits!!  (Also, I am terribly curious about what's going on with that calf-length pleated coral overskirt behind her. What's up with that?!)

[Anna Iram]

Rowen, I went back to '"in progress" and took another look at your gown. It's really coming along.  Ncely done.  I do think you might want to go with the more classic and simple inverted "T". Some of the "livelier" patterns, such as the ones I posted, (could not for the life of me find a simple design like Anea's) might be too much with your pattern and bodice embellishments. As Gem said, though, play around, though. If I can find any more examples I'll post them for you.

[operafantomet]

Anea, I absolutely *love* that peacock blue doublet gown with the dark bronze skirt! You have GOT to stop posting all these tempting portraits!!  (Also, I am terribly curious about what's going on with that calf-length pleated coral overskirt behind her. What's up with that?!)

Like you need an excuse...

I have a photo of the full painting. It comes from an art museum in Copenhagen, and it's how a Flemish early 17th century artist depicted a feast in an Italian villa. There are all kinds of awesome outfits and people in the painting - female musicians, nurses, courtesans, children, servants, noble women... But the outfit you pointed out is really odd. I can't tell what's going on there. Alas I didn't take a solo picture of it, but here it the full thing:


"A feast in an Italian villa", ca. 1620, Sebastian Vrancx (Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen)

[Rowan MacD]

Ok, hmmm. It's in there *somewhere.* I colored a couple of them in with Photoshop when I was planning an ensemble a couple of years ago:




***
Anea, I absolutely *love* that peacock blue doublet gown with the dark bronze skirt! You have GOT to stop posting all these tempting portraits!!  (Also, I am terribly curious about what's going on with that calf-length pleated coral overskirt behind her. What's up with that?!)

Found it!  It was back in the Appendix on page 125 or so....Hubby loved going through them.  He keeps coming back to the inverted 'T' also.  I may do that in black velveteen, I have trim that will work too.....


  On a related note: I finished cutting out the overskirt last night (also finished the front edges).  Holy Moley-That is gonna be heavy!