The lovely 16th century Saxon court gowns, made popular by Lucas Cranach, his son, and his workshop, are a study in feminine charms. They are curvy and luxurious, emphasizing the swell of the breasts, flattening the midriff, and creating gracious, flowing lines to the ground. The Saxon court gown is also one of the more complicated German styles to create,… (more…)
German Saxon court gowns of the first half of the 16th century, made famous by painter Lucas Cranach’s ladies, have one particularly defining feature: a plastron (brustfleck) with a decorative band at the top and a laced-over bottom (usually white, but not always). I’ve been studying this style for more than a year, trying to work out the construction. After… (more…)
I get asked about the guards on German dresses with a fair amount of regularity. I distinctly remember the good gentle at Gulf Wars who saw me from a distance in a German dress with a double guards at the bottom and yelled out, “Love your dress! How did you do your guards?” First, what are guards? Guards are the… (more…)
Up to this point, the hosen (German slashed trousers) worn by Gregor have been my most challenging project. I have no qualms about admitting that I went through several incarnations before finally getting it right (or, at least, good enough for daily wear without ripping). I’ve made him two good pair of hosen to date, which he essentially wore every… (more…)
I’ve researched the 16th century German leder wams, also known as a leather doublet or vest, commonly word by Landsknecht soldiers. I’ve draped a pattern for a leder wams, using my son as a model for the step by step photos. I’ve made a full-size, full-leather leder wams for my man Gregor, who has now worn it many times to… (more…)
After months of research, I’ve successfully managed to create a lovely “goldhaube” (golden cap) that looks like the caps seen in the many Lucas Cranach paintings of 16th century Germany. During my research and trials I had many people contact me to ask about it, and I’m happy to share what I have learned. In addition to the pattern, instructions,… (more…)
After many experimental haube (coif) mock-ups, talking it through with Lady Antoinette, and feedback from the GermanRenCostume Yahoo Group (especially from Katherine), I have a preliminary pattern for the goldhaube: The haube band would be sewn to the straight side of the haube itself, which would start at the top of the head (a bit back from the hairline) and… (more…)
I’m stumped. I am not quite sure how to make my gold silk haube (what some call a goldhaube). I’ve been studying paintings, drawings, and woodcuts for close to a year (see my post on goldhaubes for more background). Here are my observations of the gold haube: 1. No visible gathers in any period depictions (i.e., not a simple, gathered… (more…)
German women are well known for their braids throughout history. But did you know German women of the 15th and 16th centuries augmented their own locks with false braids (zopfe)? Take a look at any number of paintings, drawings, or woodcuts of women with large braids or lumpy caps and you’ll begin to see that these ‘dos were not done… (more…)