I couldn't make up my mind worth a crap about the English vs. French gowns. I didn't think my Marilyn Monroe-like figure would
ever remotely look good in a French gown, but to my delight, I was wrong! (Might have to do with switching meds and losing a lil bit of weight! Yeaaah!)
I had started the summer off making a lightweight summer 16th century corset, made of plain muslin and lightweight plastic boning (the kind you get in a small roll from Dritz). It was actually fairly supportive without having to be made out of coutil, which I usually use to make my corsets. Sad thing is, the muslin was too wimpy for the grommets, and my grommet tool was sticking because it was old and worn, so it ended up that the tool stuck so badly that I had to rip it out. Needless to say, I need to get a more expensive one that will last (it was from Wal-Mart). My husband was gracious enough to put in the grommets in the expensive coutil one that I had to remake.
I always get my corset supplies from
http://www.corsetmaking.com/CMSpages/CMShome.html . They are a little expensive, but I think they all are. They are, however, fast on shipping. The only things I can really complain about is that they only offer one type of wooden busk and it's too long for my torso, so I'll have to have my husband to cut it and sand the edges so they will be rounded. Also, their lacing is really cheapo nylon or something and it got shredded going through the grommets, so now I have to keep a lookout for a cotton kind. I thought since I'm small, I would need the shortest kind, but it's really not good for anyone because even I can't use it - my husband has to completely pull it out when I get in/out of it. My Victorian one has lacing that hangs way down. Can't win.
I'll admit, it really is weird having a corset that opens in the back only. There's no front "emergency" exit, as it there is in the Victorian kind. However, I think this center wooden busk is much more supportive. I like it a lot, surprisingly enough.
The only thing that kinda upset me, historically speaking, is I found out that ladies really didn't wear corsets till later in the 16th century. I found an
awesome set of videos about a costume presentation in England from last year. They undress one of the ladies so that you can see what they wore under and how it all works together. It has almost answered all my questions, and now I have a clear picture of what to do and what not to do. Not that I can afford to do everything exactly like they did (Texan autumn is nothing like Tudor England weather) so at least I know what I plan on doing "wrong" so that I won't die from the heat.
Here's the link. Be sure to enjoy the other videos. There's about a dozen of them!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZk9zLSzfPo
Margaret Tudor with plenty of tiny little pearls. After, all, the name means pearl in Greek!
Great detail in the sleeves, neckline, and hood. Too bad the whole gown wasn't showcased.
Anne's gown shows great detail around the square neckline.
Glad I'm not the only one with brown fuzzies around my head. She looks really cute, even though the dress is of a lower class than the other ones. Shows I could wear a belled-sleeve white chemise if it got too hot. But I'm not sure about not attaching the sleeves, since they are so heavy.
One of my favorites. Love the fluffy false sleeves.
A good example of the puff-and-slash undersleeves.
Not a very flattering painting. I would've had the painter's head chopped off for this one! But a very nice gown, much like mine will be. Not a big fan of the gabled hood, though.
An English gown, but notice the French hood with the coif's ties showing.
Ah, this one is my favorite. I think mine will be closest to this one, minus the fur.