Spanish Mourning Gown

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Spanish Mourning Gown
by Altaliana de Segna

The mourning gown of the 16th century is a little observed fashioned of the era. The gown was seen in Spain and provinces influenced by Spanish. Based on the Portrait of Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Parma, painted by Antonio Mor, painter to Spanish royalty. The gown has a tight bodice with a full shirt. In appearance, it looks like there are hanging sleeves. However, the front bodice is tight and the back is continuous from shoulder to floor, making folds that of loose fabric. To maintain the tight front bodice, a false back is placed on the inside. These false back maybe a prequel to the popular “Watteau” back of the sack dresses of the 18th century. The sleeve head is stitched to the bodice with a straight sleeve attached to the arm eye or the kirtle beneath. The high collar is typical of Spanish fashion of the late 16th century with modest ruffs at neck and wrists. The bodice is slashed in small diagonal pattern and one long slash at the bust line vertically to show the colorful kirtle beneath and to shape the bust. The kirtle is a carnation color, with a small repeating pattern. The gown opens in the front that fastens from collar to waist. Small gems surrounded by pearls decorate the entire bodice giving it a stunning
appearance.

History

This gown has its roots in Moorish designs, crossed with Spanish inspiration of high neckline and Elizabethan bodice. The marlotta, a garment which hangs from the shoulders and is loose fitting that can be with or without sleeves. Most people know this as a ropa, which translates as a coat. A Spanish Ropa, or Loose gown came into popularity in the middle 16th Century. Once thought of as a Maternity gown, it was soon discovered that most women wore this dress. Although they are known mostly for a Spanish gown, these loose fitting garment were popular all over Europe and were worn in England, Germany and Italy. Elizabeth I list over 90 loose gowns in her inventory.
The high collar and fitted front became popular due to Holy Roman Emperor Charles V of Spain, son of Prince Philip of Austria and Juana, the Daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. When Charles became King in the early 1500’s, he adopted the Spanish dress from his Austrian roots. Soon he would change the way men and women dress in Spain, as well as influence the rest of the Northern Europe.
At the end of the 15th century women’s dress were voluminous and were in one piece. But at the beginning of the 16th century, Spanish women began to change the way they dressed and separated the bodice from the shirt. Emperor Charles V, ordered that bare breasts were not to appear in court. Women complied by adapted their dress with a plain or pleated chemise to covered their bosoms. Over the years, the chemise necklines became higher and higher, and by mid-century the low necklines disappeared completely and the bodices were cut to the base of the neck and collars were attached. Ruffs were then added and by the end of the century, collars were tall and ruffs were big. Fashion changes rapidly for women in the 16th Century. Some changes came without an intermediate fashion between them.
Now that the bodices were at the base of the neck, the bodice became very stiff. Some believe at this point, the bust was not compressed. However, corsets were still used, as well as the infamous Farthingale. Skirts were stretched over the Farthingale, a framework made of cane, whalebone or jute cord. The farthingales remain popular In Spain, France and England until the end of 16th century. This mourning gown is a great example of the separate bodices and the loose gown combined into one.

Besides the portrait of Margaret, there was pattern evidence of this gown. Juan Alcega, pattern book has two example if this gown. (Pattern # 64a and 65) Janet Arnold in “Queen Elisabeth’s Warerobe Unlock’d” also has a section dedicated to night and loose gowns saying ‘a loose gown might also be fitted at the front and loose in the back’ Other evidence along this same line could be in Vecellio’s ‘Habiti antichi, et moderni di tutto il Mondo’. (fig, 2) The back if this illustration is not clear, however the front a silhouette is very similar to Mor’s Portrait.

Construction
The Mourning gown is comprised of the gown, the under dress or kirtle, which was sleeveless. However, sleeves could be attached and were often made out of the same material as the forepart. The sleeves in this case are made of the same material as the gown. The mourning gown has a fitted front with slashing at the bust line to show the kirtle. This bust slash serves as a dart in modern terms. The sleeves are fitted and detachable with a fixed sleeve cap. A girdle is worn at the waist and is made of precious metal and jewels. Undergarments are Corset, Farthingale and chemise.
The Pattern
An original pattern from de Alcega, is listed in the publication as a ‘mourning gown’. Alcega list two patterns of this style. The pattern pieces in de Alcega publication (fig 5) are Front bodice,(QQQ) Front Skirt, (bm) Back,(bbm) Front and back gores, (A&B) sleeves of the puff variety,(sb) and collar,
Front (o) and back (s). Along with the pattern notes to this pattern are listed as following:
‘The bodice front is sewn to the back along the shoulder line and the side seam line (the arm-pit to waist measurement). False bodice pieces can be sewn to the side seamline (of the bodice front) and fastened at the back, which would make the bodice front fit tightly like a real bodice. And entire false bodice back can be made from another fabric, if desired. This false bodice back would come in place of the false bodice pieces and would be sewn at the back.’
The footnotes from the publisher say that ‘False pieces, presumably two strips of another fabric sewn to the side seamline of the bodice front and tied under the back of the coat, whereas a false back was a complete bodice back, sometimes also made from another material.’
The pattern was enlarged using a conventional method. The pattern was overlaid with a grid and enlarged. The grid was then redrawn using 1 square equaling 3”. The pattern was then redrawn on grid pattern fabric and measured.
The measurements were very close to what I needed to make the garment with one exception. The bodice was too short compared to my measurements and I modified the arm eye to make it fit me comfortably. The train on the original is enormous and I trimmed that as well for a manageable length.
The Fabric
Black was considered very fashionable and was said to ‘give grace to the garment’ in the mid 16th century Spain and Italy. The decorative bodice was made from a tapestry fabric that resembles the slashing that appears throughout the bodice and sleeves. Black silk is used to line the bodice and sleeves and is the fabric inside the sleeve panes. A metallic braid of a simple pattern simulates the embroidery that is seen on the front bodice, sleeves and front band. The bodice is interlined with black cotton and black linen completes the back and front skirt. The kirtle is made of a red tapestry fabric with a small repeating pattern for the front design. Red linen completes the kirtle and lines the piece. 68 buttons of a like manner simulated the decorative gems surrounded by pearls
Construction.
Working from the portrait and the de Alcega pattern, I worked the Bodice fashion fabric and inter lining in one piece. Then I applied the decorative trim according to the portrait. The bottom edge was then finished by sewing black piping, along with the lining to complete the edge. The front skirt was sewn with the fashion fabric and the lining in one piece. The front skirt was gathered into a lightweight band of silk (like the lining) and then hand sewn onto the bodice. Then the front band was attached, applying the trim to the proper placement.
The back was then prepared in the same manner as the front skirt. The shoulder seams and the side seam of the front and back was then sewn into place. Note; the sides were unusual in the fact that the side seam on the bodice as an extension on it to assist in the making of the “Watteau” back and due to the two piece bodice in the front. Seams were then finished and construction on the sleeves began.
The ‘Watteau’ was first constructed of two straps as the pattern suggested. I felt that this didn’t complete the silhouette. A extra piece of fabric was then attached to the extension and buttonholes were placed to lace up the ‘Watteau” back. In the future, I would like to make a solid back bodice as illustrated. The sleeve cap was made in three stages. The inter sleeve, which holds the sleeve in the proper puffy position. The panes, which were made in proportion lengths to make the silhouette and the false chemise, were then gathered onto to inter sleeve. This was then sewn to the cuff and then to the bodice. The straight sleeve was made separately from a sleeve pattern from another period pattern. To save from finishing the seams, both lining and fashion fabric seam were sewn and with right sides together the cuffs were sewn and the whole sleeve was turned. The sleeve head was then bound and ties were added to make detachable.
The collar was added with great care to match trims and seams. The collar proved to be a bit of a problem because of it being close and high. The collar on the gown is the second attempt. The first on was to tight and to high and didn’t sit on my neck properly. A pickadil was then added for the purpose to attach the ruff.
The finishing of the gown consisted of cutting the bust slashing and finished in a period manner with a buttonhole stitch, placement of the buttons and hook and eyes on the front opening. The garment was then hemmed and the seams were all finished.

Kirtle – made of cotton fabric. An original example found in Janet Arnold’s “ Patterns of Fashion” which was made of coarse linen covered with silk. My example is made from linen. The decorative fabric is a printed pattern simpler to the portrait. “Queen “Elizabeth’s Wardrobe Unlock’d” describes Margert’s kirtle as a salmon color. I was able to find a red and gold tapestry fabric with a repeating pattern. This fabric will be the front of the kirtle with the red linen serving as lining and body of dress. The sleeves are made separately and are attached with ribbon. The dress is laced up the back. The pattern I used was purchased through Manta Patterns, which prints a Spanish Ropa Pattern that was very basic. The pattern was very close to the Pattern drawn in “Pattern of Fashion”. Between the published pattern and the Janet Arnold evidence, I was able to draft a suitable pattern.

Corset – made of two layers of heavy canvas. The pattern was drafted from the “ Effigy Corset” on the Elizabethan web site. The channels are corded with jute cording instead of reeds or whale bone.

Farthingale – was made from Juan de Alcega’s “Tailor’s Pattern Book”, Farthingale pattern. The fabric is waste muslin and the structure is made of plastic tubing. This farthingale was made in a workshop given by a Laurel. It has served me well and someday I would like to make one out of reed or cane.

Chemise – made from silk. Most periods Chemise’s would be made of silk or fine Linen. Fashioned after a pattern from the “Cut of my Cote”

Accessories.
Ruffs – At the neck and the wrist. Were made of lightweight fabric and hand sewn. The dress dictates that it is a small modest ruff and attached after the gown was constructed.

Girdle (belt) – Although I believe that this is mostly a fashion of the Republic of Venice, and it doesn’t appears in the portraits, I felt that the outfit needed something to define the waist. I added the belt, which is made from fishing line and glass beads with a seed bead tassel.

Head dressing – Following examples of the portrait the headband is made with modern materials of glass beads and false pearls.

Veil – made from a single piece of toiling, and pleated by hand. Steam was used to set the pleats and a drop pearl is added to fasten the veil as well as weight the veil.

Jewelry – white pearls are used in the portrait. The white pearls in the barony of Dragon’s Laire are the symbol of the Order of Dragon Pearls, which is the highest baronial A & S award. I am not so honored to wear these pearls, so I will wear gray. Earrings, it is unclear from the portrait if the sitter is wearing any, I will wear a simple drop pearl earring.

Bibliography
Alcega, Juan de, © 1979 “Libro de geometria, Pratica y Traca” Translated and published by V&A Museum, London, reprinted “Tailor’s Pattern Book 1589” © 1999, Costume & Fashion Press, New York-Hollywood.
Anderson, Ruth Mitilda, © 1979, “Hispanic Costume 1480-1530”, Hispanic Society of America, New York.
Arnold, Janet, © 1985. “Patterns of Fashion: The cut and construction of clothes for men and women c1560-1620” Drama Book, New York.
Arnold, Janet, © 1988, “Queen Elizabeth’s Wardrobe Unlock’d”, W. S. Maney & Son, Ltd. Great Britain.
Boucher, Francois, ©1983, “20,000 Years of Fashion; The History of Costume and Personal Adornment”, Abrams, Inc. New York.
Burnham, Dorothy, © 1997, “Cut of My Cote”, Roual Ontario Museum, Ontario.

Cunnington & Willet, © 1951, “The History of Underclothes” Michel Joseph Ltd, London,
Kohler, Carl, © 1928, “The History of Costume”, Harrap & Company. Ltd. Reprinted © 1963 by Dover Publishing, Inc. New York.
reprinted © 1992 by Dover Publishing.
Rodini & Weaver, © 2002, “A Well Fashioned Image: Clothing and costume in European Art, 1500-1850”, The Smart Museum, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill.
Vecellio, Cesare, © 1977 “Vecellio’s Renaissance Costume Book”, Re-printed form the original “Habiti Antichi et Moderni di tutto il Mondo”, Dover Publishing, New York.

Other sources
Dupuis, Tammie L. 2005 “The Reniassanc Tailor” (cited January 2004) Available from www.vertelsable.com
Gerten – Jacksen, Carol 2005 “CFGA” (cited October 2003) Available from www.cgfa.sunsite.dk/
Maginnis, Tara, Ph.D. 2005 “The Costumers Manifesto” (cited April 2003) Available from www.costumers.org.
Mistress Kateryne of Hindscroft, conversation on December 2003.

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