Dressing the Italian way

[operafantomet]

Still a work in progress, but I've tried to do a write-up on Italian 16th century style through the various layers and accessories they used. I still have a couple of items left, but the main stuff is included. In each category I've tried to add a picture of an extant item, as well as various examples from paintings, and also (if possible) link to online costume makers who's made the specific items.

As you can see, most items are listed as optional. This is because they might have come into (or gone out of) use in the 16th century, or there might be overlapping styles of garbs (the veste and the zimarra) which were optional even at the height of the fashion. For some of the accessories it also depended on the situation and the time of year. But some of it is advisable to wear just to make the outfit complete. That is, if you're into H/A.

More to come... In the mean time, enjoy!

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

[isabelladangelo]

Very cool!   

I want to say there was an English (?) traveler to Italy in the very early 17th century (1612?) who wrote about how even the nuns wore drawers in reference to how many women wore them.  I can't recall who or which book it was in.  I know it was one of those "Modus" manuscripts but I can't recall which one!

[Auryn]

This is awesome
thank you so much
the bf and I decided we will do at least one weekend this season as Italian period and this will be an indispensable tool.

Thanks for putting so much time into it

edited for question
- do you have anything similar for men in italy for the same period?? or a resource I can turn to?

[LadyFae]

As usual, your wealth of knowledge and the easy way you are able to share it with us amaze me!  THANK YOU!!!!!  I absolutely love learning about things such as this and you make for a fantastic teacher!  =D

[DonaCatalina]

Nice work. I can you see you put a lot of effort into this.

[Lady D1]

very impressive and informative.  Thanks for sharing.

[Tixi]

Wow - a steel corset? Ouch! Is that something people actually wore? Or was it more of a tailoring tool?

[Anna Iram]

It looks like the steel cage corset was meant "to amend the crookedness of the Bodie". 

Anea, I really enjoyed reading through your site. I've seen many of the portraits before, but didn't know what the different styles of dress were called, nor much of the anecdotes behind the fashions. Especially liked the pockets section. I'd heard of them , but not seen such good examples. These intirgue me, and I think if I do get the chance to make a gown this year I'm going to incorporate pockets into it. 

[operafantomet]

- do you have anything similar for men in italy for the same period?? or a resource I can turn to?

I'm working on putting together a gallery of extant 16th clothes for men. It doesn't explain in detail the various garbs used, but it compares extant pieces to portraits, and if possible I've also included a portrait of the wearer. Here:
http://aneafiles.webs.com/renaissancegallery/extantmen.html

I'm also trying to put together a gallery of male portraits from 16th century Italy, but it's much slower work... But there is already a lovely gallery of Venetian male portraits over at Realm of Venus:
http://realmofvenus.renaissanceitaly.net/wardrobe/wardrobe.htm

I also just HAVE to share the work of a LJ friend. He's making a slashed Bronzino doublet, and it's so gorgeous!
http://peteyfrogboy.livejournal.com/tag/bronzino

And yes, that steel corset was used for medical reasons, by growing teenage girls with a deformed torso, and also by women weakened by sickness etc. It's not something most women used! It was also padded and lined to be more comfortable, and with as many "holes" as possible to not be so heavy.

I am so happy you guys found this helpful! I'll try to finish up the site with some examples of jewelry, hairdos and accessories later on. If you have any suggestions of links I should add, feel free to tell me. I've mostly gone by the costume makers/researchers I know of, and I'm sure there's many I should have added...

[DonaCatalina]

The extant men is pretty cool, and just a little creepy.

[operafantomet]

The extant men is pretty cool, and just a little creepy.

Haha, really? Why?

[operafantomet]

Ok, http://aneafiles.webs.com/renaissancegallery/italian.html has been updated with:

*Jewelry
*Fans
*Hats
*Shoes
*Stomach bands