Fitted Red Medieval Gown

Here are the best of this morning's shoot!  It was freezing cold and overcast, with the snow about to start, so we didn't dither over location and just got as many images as we could in about 7 minutes.  The even, grey outdoor lighting gives the gown a pink cast, which I never noticed indoors!  It was originally a sandy yellow linen, dyed with cherry red, brown, and purple to get the current color.  Many thanks to my patient and business-like photographer, my little sister Molly, for braving the cold with me!  <3

My research suggests that the horizontal 'pull lines' across the torso are historically accurate- I even included them in the rendering!  Without darts or princess seams, all the fitting comes from the center back, center front and side seams.  

Close-up of my bronze coloured glass buttons.  It takes a little while to get into this gown, fastening all 24 of them!

Attempting to look serene and medieval

These were a pain to make, but they feel so satisfying when they go through the button holes with a little 'pop!'

Here you can see where the godets meet the side seams, at hip hight.  I cheated them back a little, with more fullness in the rear, so the gown hangs nice and slim from the front but still has a surprising amount of volume at the hem

Despite being made in such a rush, I call this gown a success!  It's extremely comfortable, and fits nice and snug, though the low shoulders don't allow for a great deal of horizontal mobility.  I'm not despairing over that, as running around with my arms over my head wouldn't look too historical anways.  Not bad, for three weeks of work~