I'll give it a shot (Bjarne can correct me where/if I'm wrong):
A white bride Bridesdresses have hot always been white. It was first at the end of the 18th century, that the white bride with veil and garland became fashionable. Until then you always got married in your best clothes. There have never been any firm rules for, what a bridesdress should look like. The cut of the dress, fabrics, colour and length followed the fashion of the times. From the end of the 18th century white has dominated bridal fashion, at least for those that could afford it. This custom has remained until our times, also in periods where the white colour wasn't fashionable in other dresses. Among peasants and the common townspeople a black bridesdress has been the most common. It was not just a question of economy, but also of tradition. In that part of the population white did not belong: white was for the posh. The fashionable white chemise dress of nettle cloth - fabric of nettle fibres - has probably been worn by the baroness Eleonora Sophie Rantzau (born 1779), when she in 1797 got married to the county count Preben Bille-Brahe, Hvedholm. Description of the garment The dress consists of skirt and bodice. The skirt has a coarse white embroidery at the bottom. The very short bodice is lined and has an internal lacing in front. At the back the fabric is pleated at the waist. The front parts are gathered at the waist, go up over the shoulders and meet in a point on the bakc, where they form a collar-like [besætning = decoration???]. The skirt is tied in front. The sleeves are half-length and lined. The skirt is long and with a train at the back. Dress, white [moll = ?], Museum number W.8.h Nettle cloth, i.e. fabric of nettle fibres. White, with white embroidery. Skirt, Length at the back: 135 cm Skirt, length at the front: 113 cm Hope this helps, Lena --- On Thu, 18/12/08, Aylwen Garden <[email protected]> wrote: > From: Aylwen Garden <[email protected]> > Subject: [h-cost] Translating Danish pattern instructions > To: "Historical Costume" <[email protected]> > Date: Thursday, 18 December, 2008, 11:17 PM > Dear h-costume > Is there anyone here who has translated the pattern > instructions for > this regency gown at > http://tidenstoej.natmus.dk/periode1/dragt.asp?ID=8 > or is able to help me with translation? > > Bye for now, > > Aylwen Gardiner-Garden > > Earthly Delights Historic Dance Academy > music ~ dancing ~ sewing ~ patterns ~ books > 1480s - 1890s : Renaissance to Victorian > Upcoming Events: > Christmas Carol Ball 20 Dec 2008 > Back from the Beach Ball 17 Jan 2009 > Jane Austen Festival 16-19 April 2009 > http://www.earthlydelights.com.au > _______________________________________________ > h-costume mailing list > [email protected] > http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
