With the help of my lovely assistant, Janey (currently seen modeling my absolutely excellent "Henchwoman" shirt (thanks, lynn!)), this article will fulfill a need that does not exist (because drea already wrote the article on it, but I was having fun with my parent's digital camera, and am now trying to use most of the resulting pictures), which is to say, it's all about what goes on under all the stuff you can see.
Picture one is just janey hanging out and being casual before the shoot. (Note: I am not drinking now, now was I when I took the pictures. I'm actually like this without help.) Picture two shows the basics of Elizabethan underthings: A chemise, corset, and overskirt. This is suitable as your sum total of underthings for lower classes (more than enough for the lowest of the low, in fact). Underpinnings get a little more complicated for the nobility. Picture three has the addition of a farthingale. (Yes, that's the one I wore last year, and the year before. And Yes, I am aware that the fabric is not period. In fact, I can think of few fabrics that would be less period. I suppose it would be worse if it was, say, nylon instead of cotton, but that wouldn't holdup nearly as well. I hate making farthignales. It's mind numbingly dull. I hate making tucks in a-line skirts, which is technically what making farthingales is all about. (Or is it? Alcega says make tucks, and that's been accepted as canonical truth, but the wardrobe warrants in QEWU mention bents being held down under ribbon. That's exactly what I did in this one, not out of any inherent sense of authenticity (I didn't have a copy of QEWU when i made it, and I thought the tuck thing was how it was done because that's what I was told by people who sounded very convinced about the whole thing), but because it's *just*bloody*easier*. Never underestimate the power of laziness.)
Anyway, picts 4 and 5 are petticoats. The first is a red to peacock blue changeable silk with trim in pepto-abysmal pink satin ribbon, edged with gold cord. (Why is that color called peacock blue, any way? I peacocks are not predominantly blue.) The second is made from highly synthetic (but extremely lovely, in a period kinda way) fabric from jo-ann's.... There was apparently an extreme trend for sari-wannabe fabrics this spring, which I thought was great because they were great costume fabrics. Not sure I would ever wear them normally, though. Since this petticoat fits over a bumroll, I had to make the back longer than the front (which is par), but since the fabric had two distinct stripes (one at the top and one at the bottom of the skirt), and I wanted it to look nice all around, I shortened the front by taking a tuck right above the band, which is hidden by trim. There's more trim at the bottom of the band, and a row of fringe. (Highly period, but not recommended if leaves are a part of your venue. Will I ever learn?). the bumroll was put on under the petticoats. Someone described these as 'pretentious petticoats'. I rather like that. Nothing says 'too rich for my own good' like pretentious petticoats... Well, except maybe for being an open catholic at court, which the character was.
After the underthings, the skirt then bodice of the underdress are put on (picts 6&7), then the safeguard (that the red skirt lookin' thang), then the jerkin. In case you're wondering, yes, it's hot in there. I mean, if it's hot *outside* the dress, of course it's hot *inside* the dress......
