From: owner-h-costume-digest (H-Costume Digest) To: h-costume-digest@lunch.engr.sgi.com Subject: H-Costume Digest V4 #115 Reply-To: h-costume Sender: owner-h-costume-digest@lunch.engr.sgi.com Errors-To: owner-h-costume-digest@lunch.engr.sgi.com Precedence: bulk H-Costume Digest Tuesday, May 14 1996 Volume 4, Number 115 Compilation copyright (C) 1996 Diane Barlow Close and Gretchen Miller Use in whole prohibited. Individual articles are the property of the author. Seek permission from that author before reprinting or quoting elsewhere. Important Addresses: Send submissions to: h-costume@lunch.engr.sgi.com (or reply to this message). Adds/drops/archives: majordomo@lunch.engr.sgi.com Real, live person: h-costume-request@andrew.cmu.edu Topics: RE: Victorians Unbuttoned Re: Fitchets Bombazine Miltiary RE: Fitchets Re: fitchets Bonnet blank source(s) Re: Cowboy Boots for Dancing Rigiline Splitting Re: Cowboy Boots for Dancing COLOR NAMES: Transitional period 1460-1499 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 13 May 1996 10:12:24 -0500 (CDT) From: "SHERYL J. NANCE" Subject: RE: Victorians Unbuttoned >Does anyone know if the book "Victorian's Unbuttoned" is still in print? Any >sources? (Or opinions?) Karel, _Victorians Unbuttoned: Registered Designs for Clothing, Their Makers & Wearers, 1839-1900_ by Sarah Levitt is still in print. It is published by Routledge, Chapman & Hall in New York. Price is $34.95. ISBN: 0043910130 Any bookstore should be able to order it for your with the above information. HTH! Sheryl J. Nance ...one of the secret masters of Kansas City MO Public Library the world: a librarian. They p_sheryl@kcpl.lib.mo.us control information. Don't ever p**s one off. - Spider Robinson, _The Callahan Touch_ (Opinions expressed in this message do not reflect the viewpoint of the Kansas City MO Public Library.) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 May 1996 08:43:35 -0800 From: "R.L. Shep" Subject: Re: Fitchets Lethegirl@aol.com wrote: > > I believe fitchets are the two rectangular patches, possibly slits, in the > front of the cotehardie-type over-garment, possibly allowing the wearer to > reach a pouch suspended from a belt underneath. this is what I read in my > costume history class, but it's open to debate. > > -T. I find the following definitions: Cunnington & Beard - A Dictionary of English Costume 900-1900: "Fitchet - 13th to mid 16th c. (F) A French term for a vertical placket hote in the shirt of a gown" Calasibetta - Fairchild's Dictionary of Fashion: the same with this added "to enable (a) woman to rach her pocket, which was located in an undergarment." R.L. Shep ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 May 1996 12:39:28 -0400 From: Dale Loberger Subject: Bombazine After much consultation and help, I have finally gained some ground in my search for a modern alternative to bombazine. Thanks to all who wrote. We have found a 100% silk twilled weave cloth with a close, tight weave and a fine, soft hand but a crisp, tailored drape. It is from Exotic Silks in California and is offered in six colors plus black and natural for $9.65 a yard, 45" wide. They have a minimum 15 yard or $100.00 order. They also have a beautiful herringbone weave 85% silk, 15% wool cloth with a similar drape and hand that would be suitable for traveling suits, riding habits and the like, for $11.00 a yard. This one only comes in black and navy. I suspect from our research that this fabric would be the closest modern equivalent to bombazine were it not for the herringbone weave (which I realize sounds funny to you weavers out there). Both fabrics have a very subtle sheen visible only at certain angles, which adds a rich look. The specifics on ordering both follow: Item Description Item # Width Price/yd. 100% silk twilled weave (bombazine substitute) 17B 45" $ 9.65 85% silk 15% wool herringbone weave 16V 45" 11.00 Fabrics may be ordered from: Exotic Silks, Inc. 1959 Leghorn Street Mountain View, CA 94043 TEL: (415) 965-7760 FAX: (415) 965-0712 TOLL FREE: 1-800-845-SILK (7455) From my experience, Exotic Silks has excellent service and low wholesale prices on many hard-to-find silk and silk blend fabrics as well as pre-made items of interest such as purses, shawls, hand-hemmed hankies, men’s silk ties, vests, toys, ornaments and the like. A complete swatch kit is available for $20.00. Susannah Eanes, Mantua Maker and Fine Tailoring (Susan B. Loberger, Susannah’s Heirloom, Ltd.) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 May 1996 16:21:50 -0400 (EDT) From: dressage@norfolk.infi.net (Michael L. Klein) Subject: Miltiary I am looking for the following uniforms made: Russian Cossack's uniform (1894-1918) Soviet Army (with parade cap and also the ones in which they wear the garrison hats with, complete with tall black boos), Air Force (with the blue and white striped under shirt and the beret, talll black boots), I am also looking for a Russian Sailor's uniform (White and blue ones) as well. dressage@norfolk.infi.net ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 May 1996 15:37:04 From: Dawn L Vukson-Van Beek Subject: RE: Fitchets > Dameon wrote... >I haven't read any responses to my query about the medieval version of the >bustle, but I came across a reference to the "fitchets in the skirts" in a >description of the dress of a French woman of the late 14th century whose >skirt was particularly full beneath the waist. Unfortuantely, that is the >only reference to a fitchet that I have. So is the fitchet the "fox-tails >swede within ther garments to hold forthe for to hed ther arses," that >Douglas, monk of Glastonbury mentioned in 1343? No, Fitchets are two up-and-down slits mid-thigh or so on a cotehardie, used to reach the pouch tied inside the skirt and to slip the arm through to lift the skirt higher to accommodate walking (Some dresses were very long!). Dona Lucia Porzia Sforza di Firenze (also modernly known as Dawn) %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely. ...broad, wholesome, charitable views... can not be acquired by vegetating in one's little corner of the earth. Mark Twain, _Innocents Abroad_, 1869 Dona Lucia Porzia Sforza di Firenze, Barony of Nordskogen, Principality of Northshield m.k.a. Dawn Vukson-Van Beek vukso001@gold.tc.umn.edu http://www.tc.umn.edu/nlhome/g080/vukso001/lucia/casa.html %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 May 96 22:34:55 PDT From: Ches@mail.io.com Subject: Re: fitchets __.oO*Oo.__ >On Mon, 13 May 1996 00:55:36 -0400 Damion001@aol.com wrote: >>T. wrote: >> >><< I believe fitchets are the two rectangular patches, possibly slits, in the >>front of the cotehardie-type over-garment, possibly allowing the wearer to >>reach a pouch suspended from a belt underneath. this is what I read in my >>costume history class, but it's open to debate. >> >> >>That's very interesting. Unfortunately I do not have at the moment a >>glossary of costume terms, so I'm not able to find the definition that a >>costume book would give. But the ordinary dictionary defines the fitchit as >>both a European polecat, and the fur of it. So you can see why I would think >>that the "polecat fur" referred to here is the same as the "fox-tails" >>referred to by Douglas, monk of Glastonbury... whoever he is. >> All of the references to fitchets in the costume books I have are to the slits in the front of a lady's cottehardie. However, It might possibly be that, because a cotte hardie was often fur-lined, perhaps they could be associated somehow. Nan _______________________ ________________________________________________________________________ |N. Bradford |The hardest victory | |Department of English | is the victory | |The University of Texas at Austin | over self. | |AD-4NA@mail.utexas.edu | | |512-471-4991 FAX 512-471-4909 | Aristotle | |Phantom CAP SQDN 352 | | |A-1 Skyraiders Association |...Navy Wings are made of Gold... | |______________________________________________________________________| Ciao @}\ Ches @}----`--,-- http://www.io.com/~ches/ @}/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 May 1996 21:23:22 -0700 From: Joan M Jurancich Subject: Bonnet blank source(s) I am looking for a source for straw and/or felt bonnet blanks, suitable for making bonnet styles (American) circa 1830-1850. I am especially interested in wholesale sources. So far I have run into a blank wall (no pun intended!). Thank you, Joan Jurancich Sutter's Fort Docent, Sacramento, CA joanj@quiknet.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 13 May 1996 23:50:07 -0700 From: savaskan@electriciti.com (Julie Adams) Subject: Re: Cowboy Boots for Dancing >> In the old west (19thC) I would speculate that cowboy boots were >>seldon worn for dancing. Wouldn't both men and women wear shoes for >>dancing? Or perhaps ankle boots at a casual event. Nope, most photos and paintings show 19th c. men in the West wearing boots, no matter what their occupation. They are shown doing everything, including riding and dancing. There is LOTS of documentation. The most common boot had a flat squarish toe with rounded edges. Sometimes the edge of the heal flared out a bit on the sides like this: ) ( The most common heel was a flat wide stacked leather and pegged heal about 1". These were not as uncomfortable as modern heels as the wooden pegs are placed at angles so there is some flex. You can buy these currently from boot makers specializing in Buckaroo footwear, such as Montana Boot Company. Boots were very practical because of the lack of paving and hence intense mud. Cowboys, mountain men, indians and pony express riders are often shown riding in mocassins. Mocassins are often accompanied by gators or "botas" which protect the lower leg. These are most common in the southwest and in pictures where there is not a lot of mud. I have seen very few pictures of 19th century Western men in shoes. The exception is the Mexicans and Californios, which often wore shoes and botas in lieu of boots. Near the turn of the century and the early 20th c., some of the taller heels are seen occasionally, often with the very steeply sloped back. I have heard them called "Mexican Heels" and "Texas Heels", but those might not be period terms. >Most people in the Old West were not cowboys, and many of them would be in >professions not requiring boots. Also note that it would be pretty unusual >for women to wear men's boots under any circumstance. This is not exactly true. There were women ranchers/cowboys and Wild West show entertainers, and some can be seen wearing men's style boots, but usually after 1900. There are examples of a number of women who pretty much wore men's clothes most of the time, Calamity Jane was just the most well known. Women and children usually wore lace or button up boots with gators over the calves and ankles for riding or hiking. >> When I had western style riding boots, (in the 1970's) they were so >>use-specific that they weren't particularly comfortable to walk in. I would >>think that they were similar to the original cowboy boots. Not even close. The pointy toes and the angled heel types we think of on modern "Cowboy boots" is not in evidence in the 19th century. I think they became popular with the movie Westerns, especially the toes that can be used to "kill the cockroach in the corner." >Someone else said: >>I don't know if this answers your question or not, but I would say that yes >>a cowboy who danced would probably wear the same boots he wore to ride. > >Correct. Most people who went to a barn dance would normally go by wagon, >not horseback. The young bucks might ride in on horseback and they would be >booted. Anyone else probably wouldn't wear boots, if they were rich enough >to own more than one pair of footwear. > >>All the cowboys I know, including cowboy living historians, >>wear the shorter heel (about an inch or so high) and they wear these boots >>24-7, often including spurs. Yes. >An inch is probably a little low and would be prone to slipping thru the >stirrup, 2" is more like it. It needs to be long enough to stop the boot >from passing thru. NOT! Most English riding boots have a low heel even now. I don't find the angle that a foot takes with a 2" heel very comfortable for riding. I have seen some late 19th cent. (1898) examples of very high heels (see photo of Billy the Kid), but that is the exception, not the norm. As stated previously, there are more people shown riding in mocassins than high heels. People who ride on a daily basis don't usually worry about needing a 2" heel to stop their foot from catching a stirrup, 1/2" is plenty. My favorite riding footwear are tennis shoes, but I am a very experienced rider who has horses on the premises and has been riding most of my life. See the Time Life series "The Old West", or any books showing Remington, Russel, et al... With the ever increasing popularity of Old West Reenacting and Single Action Shooting competition, there are numerous outfitters which supply some very nice and very authentic duds. Julie Adams aka Bronco Kate, Western Girl and Dime Novel Heroine... ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 14 May 1996 15:01:23 +0100 From: j.w.hubbard@sheffield.ac.uk (Bill Hubbard) Subject: Rigiline Splitting I have found that one way to get narrower Rigiline is not to cut it lengthways, which does cause fraying, but to pull out unwanted filaments from a length, leaving 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1 filaments in place, depending on the width you want. This leaves a length of empty mesh running alongside the filaments that can be sewn down with zig-zag stich. Just make sure that the cut end of the filament is cleanly cut and not burred over, or else this will snag when you pull it through. If the length that you require is long, you might find it easier to snip the unwanted filaments with wire snippers into 6 inch lengths and then withdraw them from the mesh. Once you have a completed length, either tape the ends to stop the sharp filament wearing through the casing, or expose it to a candle flame to melt the ends into a rounded mass. Careful don't set it alight! Regards, Bill ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 14 May 1996 07:55:16 -0700 From: jamie@home.net (Jamie Nikkel) Subject: Re: Cowboy Boots for Dancing Ed Safford & Carol Kocian wrote: > > While at a dance, I started wondering about cowboy boots. For > country western dancing today, boots are available that are specifically > for dancing. > > In the old west (19thC) I would speculate that cowboy boots were > seldon worn for dancing. Wouldn't both men and women wear shoes for > dancing? Or perhaps ankle boots at a casual event. snip > > So when did cowboy boots evolve into "the thing to wear" for > country western dancing? Many of the dances, by the way, are based on those > brought over by Europeans. Two step, schottische, etc. > > Does anyone else have any thoughts on this? > > -Carol In the Mar 96 issue of the Cowboy Chronicle, the Single Action Shooting Society newletter, there was a 1 page article "Dance in the Old West" by Richard Duree who was identifued as a "dance ethnologist and historian ... Associate Professor of Dance". Anyway a couple relevent quote regarding how footwear affected dance and vice versa: "In the dance, new steps were created to better interpret the music played by local fiddlers or to accommodate the heavy boots everyone wore. Memorized, dance master-created dances gave way to "called" squares, since newcomers were unschooled in the finer points of the formal figures. The clog of Appalachia was impossible in riding boots, and it was discarded in favor of a smooth gliding step. Big circle dance figures from the Appalachian Mountains, called by a leader, blended nicely into the quadrilles, and our national square dance was born." And later on in the article: "A rough-hewn log floor (puncheon floors) sometimes served as a dance floor, necessitating a change of step from the smooth, gliding steps possible on a smooth floor, hence some of the high lifting movements still found today in some of the Western dance styles. Ladies detested the puncheons, because they quickly wore out their dancing shoes." Jamie Nikkel ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 7 May 1996 23:14:20 -0400 From: Ladnier@aol.com Subject: COLOR NAMES: Transitional period 1460-1499 "Permission is given to copy and freely distribute this list as long as this header remains intact. No warranty expressed or implied. " (c) Penny E. Ladnier Please send any updates, corrections, additions and comments to me: s0peladn@cabell.vcu.edu COLOR NAMES THROUGH THE CENTURIES TRANSITIONAL PERIOD 1460-1499 CHEMISI or PURPURA CARDINALIZIA: 1464- Decreed by Pope Paul II to be the cardinal's purple, even though it was red. MONACHINO: 1465- Brown with a reddish tint used for mourning. All of the following color names are used in both the Late Gothic and Transitional periods. BERETTINO: A shade of grey, verging on black, favoured by Isbella d'Este. It is also a color of mourning. CHEMISI: A shade of red of premium quality. It refers to the color and the dye. It is recorded being worn by eight ambassadors in the Florentine embassey to the Pope. ROSATO: A shade of red (pinkish) worn by 72 companions at the previous mentioned meeting with the Pope. It refers to the color, dye, and fabric. TURCHINO: A colour, possibly turquoise. ALESSANDRINO: A vivid blue. BIGIO: A shade of grey. BRUSCHINO: A shade of red, verging on Pavonazzo, often used for cloppe. GRIGIO: As a clour, it means grey. SBIADATO: Possibly a shade of bluish grey. All the previous information is documented in: "Renaissance Dress in Italy 1400-1500" ------------------------------ End of H-Costume Digest V4 #115 ******************************* A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to subscribe to that instead, send the command lines: unsubscribe h-costume-digest subscribe h-costume end in the body of a message to majordomo@lunch.engr.sgi.com. Thanks and enjoy the list!