Hi all - New member here. ;D
I'm working on some renaissance and medieval-inspired gowns to wear for equestrian use and curious if anyone has any information on equestrian dresses? Are there any other companies selling something like this? Anybody else into this stuff?
Here's one of my last creations:
(http://www.yourdressmaker.com/hosting/equestrian.JPG)
http://elizabethan-portraits.com/Elizabeth16.jpg <-QEI shown wearing a dress on horseback, side saddle
What little there is is, like all other outfits of this era, divided up by country. What they wore in England was different from in Italy. In Italy, I recall reading that the ladies wore pants like men (of which we have extant examples) with their pair of bodies and rode the horse just like a man would. It's hard to say if they actually wore a gown over this while riding a horse or if they just went sans skirts.
What a gorgeous photo! I don't have any great deal of info to add, but as a former rider, think this is a wonderful idea.
http://hoocher.com/Diego_Velazquez/Queen_Isabella_of_Bourbon_Horseback.jpg
http://a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/41/deef6efc98e856ccbee8060c15f092ad/l.jpg
http://www.barbarastrawson.com/images/bootcamp-img2.jpg
Most art pieces depict side-saddle, or astride in a full skirt. It wasn't until later times that a woman's riding habit was designed.
Appears to be astride:
http://universidadypatrimonio.net/img/NEWSLETTER/2011-74/4680d320c6.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_IMCsoHEmcok/RbOYwAe1_uI/AAAAAAAAApw/IYu4MqI_Lio/s400/Queen+Elizabeth+I+Spanish+Armada+1588.jpg
HRM the Queen (Elizabeth II) rides formally in a side-saddle habit, but in breeches when just out for a hack. Women in the past had been known to don a pair of man's breeches under their skirt and ride astride, but usually when traveling hard and at a fast pace.
Oh! This is particularly lovely!
http://gallery.e2bn.org/assets/0708/0000/0025/100_9126_mid.jpg
Not Renaissance, but of interest still:
http://www.historytoday.com/sites/default/files/ridinghabits.jpg
Marga
For you I would make a split skirt and wear matching pants under, or take a page from a Knights Tale and make a pair of pants that the legs are so wide it looks like a skirt and then wear the fancy over skirt over the pants..