Italian Renaissance Vocabulary

[operafantomet]

I'm guessing I'm not the only one being confused by the various terms used in Italian dress research... There's so many words, and so much overlapping in use. I know there exists various websites explaining the terms (most taken from books), like this:
http://www.florentine-persona.com/glossary.html

But I'm a visual person who needs to see pictures of what is described. So I've tried to gather a few much-used expressions and describe them in words and pictures:

http://aneafiles.webs.com/glossary.html

The site is only at it's beginning, and it's mostly Florentine fashion it deals with (though much applies for general Italian Renaissance fashion), as it's mostly Florentine fashion that has been dealt with in books. There's more I want to add, especially some stuff typical for Venetian style. I hope to develope it as I go, so to speak. Are there any other terms you gals think I should add? Suggestions? Ideas?

[sealion]

I can't get the first link to open.   But I like the second one.

[sealion]

There's also the glossary at Kat's Purple Files.
http://katerina.purplefiles.net/Glossary.html
(No pictures but it does include a few more terms.)

[operafantomet]

I can't get the first link to open.   But I like the second one.

I'm glad!

The first one worked here the other day, but now it seems the site had gotten a hang-up or is offline... Too bad. Thanks for that other link! Nice to have it online (I rented the books at the library, but I have to return them... eventually...).

[gem]

Operafan!  That site is wonderful--and I'm thrilled to see something new to me: tie-on pockets in the Renaissance!  I love my tie-on pocket for my 18th C. garb; I am *so* going to make one out of something luscious now and wear it to Fair.

[operafantomet]

Operafan!  That site is wonderful--and I'm thrilled to see something new to me: tie-on pockets in the Renaissance!  I love my tie-on pocket for my 18th C. garb; I am *so* going to make one out of something luscious now and wear it to Fair.

Yes, isn't that just too cool? It'll make life so much easier... He-he. I really want to make something similar to the yellow one with black trims (because it's so different from most embroidered 18.th century version), but I love the turquoise-with-gold pockets as well.

And there's another one I didn't post in the glossary site (but which I have in the Florentine gallery), which I think shows a stripy one with buttons:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/firenze3/allori1589pitti1.jpg

Oh, the possibilities.... 

Seems like the florentine-persona site is back online now as well.

[operafantomet]

Operafan!  That site is wonderful--and I'm thrilled to see something new to me: tie-on pockets in the Renaissance!  I love my tie-on pocket for my 18th C. garb; I am *so* going to make one out of something luscious now and wear it to Fair.

Yes, isn't that just too cool? It'll make life so much easier... He-he. I really want to make something similar to the yellow one with black trims (because it's so different from most embroidered 18.th century version), but I love the turquoise-with-gold pockets as well.

Quoting myself.... I just couldn't resist it anymore... I'm currently in Rome, have been here app. two weeks, far away from my sewing "stash". One day I walked into Rome's fabric shop district (without knowing, I swear!!). And a saccocchia seemed like the ideal project for one with limited stash and no sewing machine... I used a mustard/golden silk duchesse and black velvet ribbons, and it is (for obvious reasons) all sewn by hand. It almost looks early German in style, but it's closely modelled after the Florentine Allori painting.



It's not quite finished, but almost. I need to iron it, and I also need to finish the top, but I'm looking forward to actually using it! As for the pattern - it's rather simple:

1. Used a round lunch plate to draw the bottom half, and drew sloping vertical lines to form the top
2. Cut two identical pieces
3. Made a deep split (almost halfway down) in one of the two pieces
4. Made a supporting line around the split, and added button hole seam around all edges
5. Attached a velvet strip in the bottom, splitting the top end slightly to fit around the bottom of the split
6. Attached the right side velvet trim, around the split, and folding it to the side
7. Repeated this on the left side
8. Sewn the two pieces together
(9. Ironed the seams)
(10. Finished the top)

ETA: My main reason for posting is that I've updated the glossary site quite a bit, with a few new terms, fuller descriptions and some new photos. As usual, feel free to suggest what else should be there!

http://aneafiles.webs.com/glossary.html

[operafantomet]

Have updated a tad more, with different girdles and belts (see "cinture"):

http://aneafiles.webs.com/glossary.html

[DragonWing]

That saccocchia your making is gorgeous.

Now do you have any history on Men's fashions of the day?  I think that would be wonderful for us men who sew. Just a thought.

Your meticulious research on such things is amazing and I have learned many things from your postings Oprafan. As well as from others here on the site.

Thanks for the wonderful information.

[operafantomet]

That saccocchia your making is gorgeous.

Now do you have any history on Men's fashions of the day?  I think that would be wonderful for us men who sew. Just a thought.

Your meticulious research on such things is amazing and I have learned many things from your postings Oprafan. As well as from others here on the site.

Thanks for the wonderful information.

I'm sorry that I missed this post! Thank you for your very kind words. I wish someone would make a similar site for men too... I don't think I'm up to the task, at least not yet, but it certainly SHOULD be one. Bella at Realm of Venus has a lovely Venetian gallery for men, though:
http://realmofvenus.renaissanceitaly.net/wardrobe/wardrobe.htm

I dug up this topic because things have happened since last time I posted. First, the site has moved, as Geocities decided to close their service last year. But I've also updated the sites, with new info and new pictures:

GLOSSARY: http://aneafiles.webs.com/glossary.html (new pics, new info)
SACCOCCIA: http://aneafiles.webs.com/saccoccia.html (quite a bit new info)
FLORENTINE GALLERY: http://aneafiles.webs.com/renaissancegallery/tuscany.html (tons of new pictures)

[operafantomet]

I've put together a page about extant Italian dresses, here:

http://aneafiles.webs.com/renaissancegallery/extant.html

The red Pisa dress and Eleonora di Toledo's funeral dress is of course there. But there's also a small dress belonging to a young girl, a Florentine house dress from the mid or late 16th century, plus various other fun stuff. I've tried to match the garbs to portraits or paintings, as far as possible, and was thrilled to find a portrait matching the red Pisa dress almost perfectly!

[Lady Isabella]

Wow awesome information!

[gem]

Wonderful, Anea!!  I (of course!) especially love the "house dress."  I have been looking at this pale, grey-green diamond-woven fabric at a local fabric shop for *years* thinking it would make fabulous garb. 

(Must hurry up and finish corded corset so can begin on Italian gown!!)