Hi Kathy,
It sounds like your listing of garments is about right, although I call a
waistcoat a doublet. I am not as familiar with the Italian styles, but I
have done a few men's 16th c. garments in the past few years, English and
German (who so loved those cuttes and slashes). You may get more info on
the slashing and cuttes from those who do German fashions. There is a group
on yahoogroups, and the people there are very helpful (and some were on
here, but not sure if they still are).
Some observations, fwiw. The fabric to me appears to be a sueded leather,
velvet or even a fulled tight weave yet fuzzy looking wool (similar to
today's heavy coat wool). My reasoning is that on the upper thigh, it
appears more to be a reversed embossing where the pile has flattened along
the decorative edges and is shiny there while the design and main material
is matte in appearance. I don't know if they could do a reversed emboss
back then, so that's just speculation on my part.
If the fabric is leather or a tight, fulled wool, cuttes are easily done
with no fraying of the edges.
If the fabric is velvet, then the edges might not be finished. Many
articles of pinked and slashed garments in Janet Arnold's Patterns of
Fashion book shows obvious fraying. What can minimize fraying is cutting on
the bias, or glueing the edges if you really want (like Fraycheck, although
that *will* change the look of the fabric). It may be that the sleeves and
breeches were created on the bias to allow the slits to be vertical, yet
still minimize the fraying, and allow for a comfortable, yet relatively
tight fit, and allow for good movement, something a soldier would want.
The jerkin is obviously slashed to show the doublet underneath. There may
be a third slash that cannot be seen because of the angle of the model.
However, considering the right slash (from the viewer) is showing the
buttons of the doublet, I am inclined to think there is a third slash
further right showing off more of the cut work of the doublet underneath.
You can sew the lining to the fashion fabric of the jerkin to prevent any
fraying, or sew them in sections for a similar effect.
I am wondering what the bump on the side of the codpiece really is. It
breaks the line of the jerkin's edge. I also wonder what the shiny thing
above the codpiece is as well.
On the small slashes of the sleeves and breeches, from experience I know
that when a garment area is cut in that manner, it will naturally open up a
bit more, giving the look of being bigger than the bands that aren't cut.
It is my suggestion to have one piece of material, and alternate between
cut bands and uncut fabric, instead of sewing larger cut bands onto uncut
bands. However, the best thing is to experiment with this yourself, and see
what you think is best.
And definitely stabilize the collar area of the jerkin, padstitching the
foundation fabrics to the main fabric. I did that for my husband's doublet,
and it really gets that collar to stay upright and proper looking.
Good luck, and keep us informed on your progress. I would love to see your
final garments.
Kimiko
At 08:29 PM 7/4/2005, you wrote:
I have someone that has requested me to interpret this
painting into real costume:
http://www.wga.hu/art/m/moroni/port_sol.jpg
Portrait of a Soldier
<snip for space>>
Kathy
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