It could be that the wearer is pregnant and it looks like the stomacher
and maybe the bodice is cut to allow this. Probably laced so, which the
surcoat would cover any gaps in the stomacher/bodice lacing. Or it could
be she is wearing the latest fad in stomachers. During the 15th century,
there are portraits, brasses, and drawings where high-waisted gowns not
only made women look pregnant(see the Antirfoni{sorry
spelling!))Marriage but women are often depicted posed as if they were.
Pregnancy was a desirable state to be painted in as most women who could
afford to be painted were pregnant.Since women couldn't just whip out to the mall or buy a prepproduced pattern, they adapted what they had in their wardrobes. Colonial Williamsburg has a three-piece ensemble that could be worn before, during and after pregnancy with drawstrings and adjustable lacing. Cindy Abel _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
