[h-cost] The fit of 17th century stockings?
Stockings in 17th century are more likely to be baggy. Specially if without clocks so don't need to show off pattern. Woven or knitted, expensive silk stockings didn't have as much stretch. In paintings such as Van Dyck's they're oftentimes deliberately wrinkly and that's meant to be attractive, not a sign the wearer was too poor to buy good stockins or too lazy to pull them up! Sometimes the gusset is shown in the side of the shoe so it's not over-romanticising the garment for artistic effect. Sewers and knitters of cheaper woollen ones still tried to follow fashion even if at a distance. They'd aim for a good fit, but not the skin-tight svelte fit of modern stretchy machine-made pantyhose. It's generally unfair and patronising to assume that past craftsmen and artists didn't know what they're doing. Often it's true they used certain methods because they didn't know anything else. Eg some oil paintings discoloured because that artist or their paint supplier hadn't been taught how to grind and mix the paints correctly so the colours fade and distort over time, or they only knew how to create certain effects by using colour glazes and varnishes removed by overcleaning in the more recent past. But oftentimes they knew exactly what they were doing, experience and sensible deduction frequently highlight why. It's also mistake to view period fit through modern eyes. What we find attractive and commonsense isn't guaranteed attractive and commonsense in period. Very quick and ungrammatical as I'm going out! ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
[h-cost] The fit of 17th century stockings?
Hi Shapely ankles and calves were sexy...You can get nice tight shaping with knits...be careful if you have high insteps to leave enough room to get them on... Ta Carol (and I haven't forgotten Mara...) ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] The fit of 17th century stockings?
On Apr 4, 2009, at 5:05 PM, Chris Laning wrote: I'm working on a project that involves constructing some mid-17th- century stockings, and my own expertise (such as it is) is really only with earlier centuries. So far, the results I seem to be getting suggest that either (1) these stockings are *supposed* to be loose around the ankle and instep rather than closely fitted, or (2) the instructions were written by someone who really didn't know what he was doing! Both are possible, of course, but since I haven't studied 17th century fashions at all, I don't have information that would enable me to tell. Insights from people more familiar with this era would be very helpful -- backup evidence even more so ;) There are some wide elements to the clothing — big boot tops, for example. But illustrations of stockings and shoes show them as smooth fitting as most other eras. Is this an ideal, though? I've seen 18thC paintings that show baggy ankles, but it may depend on the style vs realism of the paintings. What I've seen in late 17th/early 18thC stockings is that they are a more boxy shape than mid- to late-18thC. I doubt foot shape would change that much over 50 years. Many early knit stockings are densely made and/or fulled so the fabric is not as stretchy as we are used to with modern knits. they don't stretch for the smooth fit that we expect in modern socks. -Carol ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
Re: [h-cost] The fit of 17th century stockings?
It depends on the material they're made of. I have made and worn both knitted and fabric stocks. The knitted ones have much more stretch, so can be tight about the ankle. The fabric ones can't be really tight around the ankle, even when cut on the bias, otherwise you just can't get your foot through them to put them on! I recall seeing drawing with ties on the ankle of the fabric stocks to pull them in after they're on, but don't remember where off the top of my head. Glenda. -Original Message- From: h-costume-boun...@indra.com [mailto:h-costume-boun...@indra.com] On Behalf Of Chris Laning Sent: Sunday, 5 April 2009 7:05 AM To: Historical Costume Subject: [h-cost] The fit of 17th century stockings? I'm working on a project that involves constructing some mid-17th- century stockings, and my own expertise (such as it is) is really only with earlier centuries. So far, the results I seem to be getting suggest that either (1) these stockings are *supposed* to be loose around the ankle and instep rather than closely fitted, or (2) the instructions were written by someone who really didn't know what he was doing! Both are possible, of course, but since I haven't studied 17th century fashions at all, I don't have information that would enable me to tell. Insights from people more familiar with this era would be very helpful -- backup evidence even more so ;) OChris Laning clan...@igc.org - Davis, California + http://paternoster-row.org - http://paternosters.blogspot.com ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume ___ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
