Need Help with French Elizabethan-Period Gown!

[Squire_Kit]

Salutations all!

I am playing a French Countess in the year 1579 for the Tennessee Renaissance Festival. Although I am renting the costume from another cast member, I've been given permission to alter, add to, and embellish the dress. Since I am new to being a noble, I could use some fresh, but seasoned eyes on my costume. Here it is!





In the meantime, I have a few questions....

Hair: I'm debating what kind of hairstyle would go best with this outfit. (I'm familiar with the type of Elizabethan hairstyles there are - padded, hair rats, etc.) What do you guys think? A thing to keep in mind - my hair is very fine in texture. I'm leaning towards something like this....

(Bess's hairstyle on the right)
http://www.costumersguide.com/elizabeth2/purple17.jpg
http://www.costumersguide.com/elizabeth2/lettice4.jpg

With large curled stands hanging down in front like this....




Jewelry: I've got the 2 necklaces you see in my close-up photo. Past that, I'm not sure what else to do. (I will have a large, multi-strand pearl & gold girdle with a large multi-faceted pewter fleur-de-lis on the end.) However, I don't have pierced ears. It really makes the costume look a whole lot better when I wear pearl clip-ons, but I don't know if my ears will take wearing clips for 8 hours a day. Any suggestions? Would rings on my fingers be appropriate? If so, what kind?

Ruff: Are there any supportasses out there for someone on a budget? I have a beautiful ruff, but since there's no support, it's a bit floppy. Is there any way to support it besides the supportasse, or is that the only way?

If you happen to think of anything else that would add to making this costume look more authentic/elaborate, tell away!

[Adriana Rose]

I think that you look great as is.

but that's not the point of the topic

The rolls are the best that would look good with the hat. If you are having trouble getting it to take any shape you have to curl it like in curlers to give the hair some umph to hold on to the style. And like I have said before with enough extra hold hair goo and pins any type of hair will stay put.

If you want some good how to's there is you tube. Dont just stick to the period stuff the silhouette is the same as allot of the style from the 1940's.
You also have to look at the prep time that went into those 'dos. ( also the shelac that went to holding that last one the Kira has up)

[Rani Zemirah]

Maybe you could find a beautiful pair of screw-back earrings.  They're not as painful to wear as clip ons, and they look more like posts.  



From what I've read, neither clip ons or screw backs were around during the Renaissance, the screws being patented during the 1890's and the clips in the 1930's, but I doubt seriously if anyone will be looking that closely at your ears... and if they are then they deserve a sharp rap on the head with the flat of your fan!!!  

[CenturiesSewing]

Some slightly later images from Omnium Poene Gentium Habitus and  Habitus Variarum Orbis Gentium:

http://www.elizabethan-portraits.com/FrenchNobleWoman.jpg      -1577

The 1581 section

http://www.elizabethan-portraits.com/FrenchNobleWoman1.jpg

http://www.elizabethan-portraits.com/FrenchNobleWoman4.jpg

http://www.elizabethan-portraits.com/FrenchNobleWoman7.jpg

http://www.elizabethan-portraits.com/FrenchNobleWoman6.jpg

http://www.elizabethan-portraits.com/FrenchNobleWoman5.jpg  -1582


The gown is not bad, the white lace across the front is a bit distracting as I'm not seeing it show up anywhere else on the gown? (Just my opinion however) But rather then beading the gown, I would focus on accessories.


Ideas:
Wrist ruffs, so few people bother to wear them.
If you have the time can you make a necklace or two to match the girdle?
Some rings to show your wealth. (You're a Countess, gotta have some bling)
A fan!
Some gloves to wear or carry and offer as a fine favor.

In looking at the links above I'm only seeing one instance of earrings.

For your hair I would dress it in very small puffs, just to fill out the curve of your headdress and frame your face.
Nice tutorial here, http://www.extremecostuming.com/articles/twoelizabethanhairstyles.html

If you have Patterns of Fashion 4 there is a pattern for a ruff supporter 1590-1610, that isn't made of just looped wire. It needs to be tied or pinned to the gown. Or you can try the period method of a very strong starch or a more permanent method of a thin mixture of white glue and water painted on the ruff to give it more body.

[operafantomet]

The gown is not bad, the white lace across the front is a bit distracting as I'm not seeing it show up anywhere else on the gown? (Just my opinion however) But rather then beading the gown, I would focus on accessories.

I agree about that detail. It was the first that caught my eye, and in some way it doesn't quite seem to belong there. If a trim was used horizontally on the bodice, it would almost always go around the whole neck opening, over the shoulder straps and in the back, as well. And it would more often than not appear on the skirt hem and/or central front split. I would consider replacing the current white trim with one matching that used on the skirt. It would immediately give you a more unison and period look.

I also agree about accessories rather than additional beading. Accessories does wonders!

[DonaCatalina]

I personally would try to trade that white lace out for some of the same trim that is on the over-skirt guards.

[Squire_Kit]

Thanks everyone!

I'll have to humbly agree to disagree on the white lace trim. I very much like how it looks, as it pulls in the lace from the ruff (which is hard to see in the pictures. Here's the lady I'm renting it from in the gown, so you can see it in better lighting and with accessories! I'll be using the same girdle.)

http://www.chiptalbert.com/coppermine/displayimage.php?album=152&pid=28304#top_display_media

As for accessories, I do have a few - a basket, a sketchbook (as my character is an artist), ostrich plumed pen, pencil (wrapped), a feminine-style tankard, oval ornate plate. I also have a modest fan out of various types of white and brown feathers. I just need to re-glue the bottom part together.

Rani - I'll definitely look into those screw-ons. I like that they're adjustable!

CenturiesSewing - Thanks so much for those photos! I looked everywhere (well...almost. ) online for pictures of French noblewomen and I couldn't find much. I do like the idea of wrist ruffs. I'll have to look into that one.

I'm definitely interested in rings. Just not sure what kind would be appropriate (or how many to use). I'll also have to see how I draw with them on, so I don't normally wear jewelry. (Ooo, a challenge!)

[Adriana Rose]

Rings! I found some really cute and renaissanceish rings at Claires. Fairly good prices too

[Anna Iram]

Forever 21 is a good place for inexpensive jewelry also. Look for cabachon type stones rather than faceted stones as we wear today. Also they were often worn at the second joint of the finger as well as to the knuckle as we do now...though that would seem uncomfortable to me. They can be small or large single stones.

As for the earrings, there is something called ear cushions that can slip over the clip on earring and cushion your ear. 
The dress is lovely, by the way. Love the color.  I agree it doesn't ne ed more than the right accessories
..

[Rani Zemirah]

In the better lighting the lace does tend to stand out less, and I would imagine it was just the flash which made it look so much more prominent in your first photos.  I do like the gown better without the partlet, as well.  It's beautiful, and with the girdle and all you accessories it will be lovely on you, and you will be radiant in it!  

[Cilean]

Hi!

Can you bead? I would suggest doing some beading on the bodice of that gown, it is screaming for it!!


WhatAgain Beaded and gold thread, you would look awesome!

http://www.needlenthread.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/tulip-carnations-embroidery-pattern.gif


This would be fabulous beaded and it would look smashing as well! stylized-pomegranate
http://www.needlenthread.com/2010/11/hand-embroidery-pattern-another-stylized-pomegranate-design.html

What about this one?

http://www.needlenthread.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Quatrefoiled-Rose.gif

It would not take very much time, and it really does make a difference!!!


Cilean

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

After looking more at the photos of the gown, it could use  more pearling depite it all. The trim down the skirt and hem would look fantastic with 6mm white pearls. Perhaps in places on the sleeves as well to give more of a higher ranking Noble look.

Accessories, definetely!

[LadyStitch]

If I could figure out how to get that pattern onto fabric I think it would look amazing on the front of a dress, especially the Rose one.

[amy]

I made the most simple of supportase for Sarah's large open ruff by taking a coat hanger wire and white embroidery floss and casting it on like you would when starting with a knitting needle.   That covered the ugly wire completely and made it look hand embroidered.  You could even thread beads on to it at that point or go back and stitch a few sparkles or spangles onto the wire.   I didn't bend any filigree but just made it arch up the back of the collar like a rainbow and stitched each end into a little pocket made with bias tape on either side of the neckline.    Hard to describe but really simple to make.  I hope that made some sense.

[gem]

Well, Amy, how 'bout a picture?  (Um, particularly if she wears it with that fabulous hat you shared in the other thread.)