If you could make garb to match a portrait........

[gem]

IIRC, she was admiring the green, but I can't even imagine trying to find that fabric. Although there are some Amy Butler prints that actually might work--especially if you tea-dyed them to take down the brightness a little. Hmmm...

Well, in fact, check this out:



It's all cotton, and doesn't have the drape of the gown in the painting, but maybe if you lined it...?

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

This one is for Lady Renee!  I found a really nice large image of Kate Elizabeth Bunce's "The Keepsake," which she posted about last (?) year:



The link takes you to a version that's even bigger!

Thank you, Gem.  I think you know how much I love this picture!   

[gem]

More new images of old favorites!

A museum in Madrid has my beloved Caravaggio's St. Catherine on display this summer, and has produced a gorgeous new high-quality image of it.



I have this painting in at least three books about Caravaggio, and I had no idea that the drape behind her was blue.

ETA: Hee! I just looked at the first page of this thread, and saw my first post about St. Catherine--and the image I posted back then has been replaced by the new one!

[DonaCatalina]

I love the gold embroidery on her chemise.

[gem]

I know! Isn't it spectacular? 



We're talking about it right now on my blog. 

[DonaCatalina]

I'd like to copy this outfit if its history wasn't so creepy.
Don Carlos

[Lady Kett]

Why is the history creepy, Dona? My google-fu is not coming up with anything.

[DonaCatalina]

Don Carlos fell down a stairway and broke his neck. Since he was a raving lunatic as well as heir to the Spanish Empre, there are some who believe that he was murdered by his keeper on the orders of his grandfather Carlos I. Murdered while wearing that suit.

[Lady Kett]

Agreed, creepy! Thank you Dona.

[Devangelon]

An interesting look..Hmm..


Look at the interesting sheer sleeve! Would the sleeve under it be her Chemise?

[Magpie Flynn]

An interesting look..Hmm..


Look at the interesting sheer sleeve! Would the sleeve under it be her Chemise?

Love the color and stripes of the first, not sure about that intense ruff.

Possibly a blackwork chemise? the sleeves look fairly form fitting, would there be room to fit chemise sleeves underneath? regardless, its a spectacular look.

[Adriana Rose]

I like her head piece. I wish I could get a better image of it.

[DonaCatalina]

I am not so keen on the 17th century Spanish ruffs either. But I do believe the bottom image shows a blackwork chemise with sheer sleeves over it.
There are several Elizabethan portraits with outer sleeves that are so sheer you almost have to go see the actual painting to see them.

[gem]

I've seen several portraits with those sheer oversleeves--but I've never seen anyone recreate them. Does anyone know a costumer who's done it?

[operafantomet]

I've seen several portraits with those sheer oversleeves--but I've never seen anyone recreate them. Does anyone know a costumer who's done it?

I haven't seen anyone making such sheer sleeves for 16th century dresses, but I've seen some make it for 1860's dresses. It's the same concept, really, with removable lower sleeves of sheer material -  but of course, the 1860's dresses doesn't have chemise sleeves underneath. Here's some examples of extant and newer dresses with sheer sleeves:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24031486@N08/5753270694/
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cGSIjSMcp8Y/TcK_115RR0I/AAAAAAAABUU/vHpFp1MfJDE/s1600/sheer%2Bpainting.JPG
http://kathleencrowley.blogspot.com/2008/09/autumn-colors.html