| one-of-a-kind custom designs for weddings, dress-up, and fun by Laurie Tavan, needle ninja |
Designer's Note:
This gown is modelled after the skirt and bodice patterns of this historical piece.
May 2009
silk damask, silk dupioni, linen, wool
application: Renaissance reenactment
Red and Gold Trained Gown
For this gown, I started with a good length of extraordinary silk damask by Luigi Bevilacqua. It's unbelievably rich, vibrant, and showy - a perfect material for my knighting into the Order of the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem. The shimmering ruby and gold fabric is just the icing on the cake - the complete outfit consists of: a blackworked chemise (re-gauged and fitted with a new blackwork band, pair of bodies and petticoat, Florentine bodice and trained overskirt, smocked silk sleeves, ornamented zibellino, and a jeweled girdle. All of these pieces were constructed as separate pieces, so they can be re-used in other configurations. Add a silk net or partlet for more modesty, or remove the trained overskirt for a more practical yet still exquisite dress.