What doth this fabric mean to be when it groweth up?

[gem]

Good gentles, help me brainstorm! 

Today I found something I've been searching for for years--just the right fabric to make some fabulous Mud Garb! (I'm tired of my rain cloak, and I never want to wear it.)

It's a bronzey/copper geometric damask, and it really does look like all of these colors, depending on the light/which side of the fabric you're viewing. (Sorry for the distracting wrinkle! I think it sat on the clearance table at Hancock for a while.)

No flash:


Flash:


I have 4.5 yards, which is enough to make a basic dress, tho' I am definitely not averse to combining it with other things (I have some wonderful solid black microfiber raincoat fabric in my stash, too). 

I don't know what I want to make, but I do have some requirements:

--It has to cover my front (so not, say, a zimarra or similar) because we bring our dogs to fair, and that's the part of me that gets muddy. Yes, that's mud on my face.)

--It can't be too complex/elaborate, or I'll never get it made. And it also has to be "unstructured" enough that I can toss it in the washing machine without fear.

--I think I'd rather have something more dress-like than coat-like. Definitely not another cloak.

--I've generally been leaning toward historical styles the last few years, so I'm kind of drawing a blank on fantasy/fairwear ideas for this fabric, but I'm definitely open to them!

Ok, good folk--start hurling the mud!!
Gramercy!

[isabelladangelo]

I'd say early 16th C Italian.   The bodice is very simple for these with a raised waistline making it easy to move (And eat!).   I normally call this style my "sports bra with a skirt" because that's all it really is.  Make it lace under the arms (means a bit of hand sewing but you'll be happier later) to give even more room.   I wear this style all the time at Pennsic because of all the dust and mud there.  (Most of my dresses are linen because it also gets HOT at Pennsic.   95f in acetate is not fun)   You can add sleeves or an apron to change up the look (they did wear aprons with the "fancier" fabrics too).   And yes, you can throw it into the washing machine the second you get home.   

[Lady Kathleen of Olmsted]

Excellent suggestion, Isabella!!!

That fabric is way too beautiful to get muddy.

[Lady Rosalind]

Definitely cries out to be an Italian gown!

[Rani Zemirah]

Some wonderful suggestions here, but whatever you decide... you should box up the scraps/remnants and send them to ME!!!  It would be lovely mixed into the patchwork side of my Nomad cloak (which is still seeking a couple more amazing fabrics to complete it)!  So if you have enough left over for 2-4 13"x13" squares (even if they have to be pieced together from smaller squares) I would oh-so-happily take them off your hands, after you have figured out what this is asking to become.   

It's lovely!