Party Pluderhose (and Chocolate doublet): The Overview and Photoshoot

About fifteen months or sew ago, I decided I really wanted to make a pair of leather pluderhose.  Something exaggerated, slightly shocking, but subdued in colours.  Something which would be relatively comfortable, and suitable for both rapier combat, as well as the bardic and partying afterward. And for court, I suppose.

This is what I came up with.

A Pair of Transitional Braies

Alright!  This project has been finished for well over a year, but I haven't actually worn it until recently.  I also had not written any documentation on the subject--or any other projects in the last year or two, for that matter.  I'm well out of practice in writing, and working from scanty notes and memory, so please bear with me.

Introduction:

As I have been working on a 14th century outfit (slowly), and intend to venture into the early 15th century, I needed an actual set of braies instead of the wrapped loincloth style hypothosized over on the Hibernaatiopesäke blog.  While comfortable and of a period form, I didn't feel they would be appropriate for later in the 14th century, never mind the 15th.  Therefore the first part project was to figure out what shape the braies would be, then make a pair which would work for a variety of outfits.

Norfolk Jacket Pockets: A (Brief) Tutorial

When I decided to go from the planned patch pockets on my current jacket project, to ones which were hidden under the decorative pleats of a Norfolk jacket...I had to figure out how to do so, and figure it wouldn't hurt to share here how I did it.

The Cutter's Practical Guide to Jacket Cutting & Making:
Lounges, Reefers, and Patrol Jackets.  by W.D.F. Vincent, 1890s
Page 35, Plate 15

A Jacket for Cycling, A Project Journal for April

A couple of weeks ago, at around 10pm, I got a wild hair to start on a new project...I could feel cold and wet in the air (we got 4-5 inches of wet snow that night), so I had a rain jacket on the brain.  Again.  I do every time it rains, go look at commercial examples and discard them because they don't meet my standards of fit and durability--as well as invariably having hoods, which I detest wearing.

Taken this very morning, in fact, as I double checked the sleeve fit.

 So, I went out, found a few yards of medium brown bull denim, and off white wool in my stash--both of which were from the thrift store--and started drafting, first on paper.  Just a rough sketch of the design idea and proportions.

Bliaut from the Cîteaux Moralia in Job Manuscript: Figuring the Design

I've been thinking about making a new bliaut for a number of years now, and as I have finally reduced the number of active projects down to a more reasonable number (I can count them on one hand!) it is clearly time to add more.  And as I want something straightforwards to sew instead of the ridiculously complicated projects which have been my lot for the last year, as well as have yardage brown silk/wool blend I set aside for a bliaut some years ago...a bliaut--basically a tunic--sounds like a good plan.

Naturally, I can't simply do things anymore, and just begin construction.  I had to do some research and find a piece of inspiration first.  Document the colour brown being used for bliauts--at least in illuminations--, what colours it might be combined with in the hosen, and just refresh my memory on what it looks like since it has been a good 5 years since I last looked into the garment and I had some...interesting...thoughts on the patterning back then.
 

Moralia in Job; Dijon, Bibliothèque municipale, ms 168:4v

Peasant Fashion in the Low Countries: Stage Two. Hieronymus Bosch

Yes, that Hieronymus Bosch.  Most of his work is not of any kind of use for this project, but two paintings are noted down as not being suspect, one noted as a "maybe", and three which are suspect, but may still be of use.  So, thankfully, this should be a relatively short post.

Bosch was born 1450 and died 1516....rather earlier than most of the works in this survey.  He grew up and lived in the s-Hertogenbosch, in the Dutchy of Brabant (Southern Netherlands).  He moved to Oirschot around 1480--the region a bit south of his birthtown, by about 11 minutes (Latitude).

 Because of Bosch's allegorical style of paint, and his active dates, the majority of his works are outside the subject of this survey, so I will only be covering a few.  Again, I am covering only the clothing of male and peasant class.

Peasant Fashion in the Low Countries: Stage Two. Pieter Aertsen

As you may have guessed, this project ended up being significantly more massive than anticipated.  This is the start of Stage 2 of my notes for you to springboard off of if needed; just make sure to give credit and a link back to here.  I had originally planned to publish all of the Stage 2 notes--describing the clothing of each guy in the paintings, but then realized that that post would be massive, since this 13 pages without images, and is only the first of the artists (although one of the more prolific ones).  As a reminder--since I have had someone try to tempt me into scope creep into foods and maybe women's clothing as well--I am only focusing on the men and menswear for this project, since there is a fair amount on women's clothing out there already.

For the most part, I am listing the clothing articles from top to bottom, outside to inside, or at least do so towards the end.  The paintings are presented in chronological order when the date is known, in order to show any developments in fashion during the time he lived in whatever town.  For the most parts, I do not give my theories as to what the garments are made of, but given that we are dealing with lower class, various wools are most likely, with linen for the shirts.

I do not plan to put up copies of every one of the paintings, which, I need to note for copyright, do not belong to me and are public domain.  Image source is linked with the title of the painting.

One (partial) step closer to the end goal!

Pieter Aertsen 1508-1575.  Born in Amsterdam (Netherlands), moved to and lived in Antwerp (Northern Belgium) from around 1540-1555, when he moved back to Amsterdam.  Presumably, the subjects in his paintings were local to him.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pieter_Aertsen

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