There are many, many theories about bliauts. I have a few myself. However just to stick with the question... is there docs on the horizontal lines on the bliaut ever being a separate piece from the garment?
Some say yes. Some say no. I used to be in the "probably no, but it is vaguely possible" camp... until Nancy's photos showed me something new. look at the photo called PDRM0061in the Chartres collection. Look at the belt knot, then look just above the belt knot. There you will see a repeating decorative pattern, that resembles trim, either woven or embroidered. Now... notice that the "trim" appears to lie flat and follow the curve of the body, lines above it run in the horizontal direction, lines below it run vertically. To me this is really starting to suggest a separate layer. Could be. Can I be positive, not yet, but I am intrigued. Could this be the "corsetum" mentioned in the English inventories of the early 1300s, which was fashionably "behind the times" - or an ancestor of that garment? Are the two even linked at all? Some folks might postulate that the trim is a product or a decoration to highlight construction of the garment. Covering the joining of a bodice to a skirt... Personally I find that theory to be too speculative for me, and not in keeping with examples of garment shaping of the day. But some people do advocate that style of construction. I'm going to go back to pondering this question... but I am considering a move to the "possible, quite possible" camp on this question. Mari / Bridgette > http://www.flickr.com/photos/maddnancyphotos/ > > Nancy _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
