The Florence Files: Recreating Maria d'Cosimo Outfit, 1555
Recreated by La Signora Onorata Katerina da Brescia.

Sottana (Underdress):


Portrait of Maria di Cosimo 1555-57 by Alessandro Allori.

From the portrait, it is obvious that there is an 'underdress' and 'overdress' to this outfit.
Firstly, I will be making a sottana with sleeves as the under dress.
As discussed so far, in my diary, I intended on canvas stiffening in the sottana, to start with, possibly with breast taping. Looking at the dress silhouette (L) this dress does definately not have the straight stiff silhouette of the Tudor corseted dresses.
Looking more closely at the portrait (R), the sottana must have a low neckline or it would show under the blue over dress where the camicia is visible under the partlet.

The sottana is based on patterns from Alcega, Patterns of Fashion and the extant Eleanor of Toledo dress.
To experiment, I worked on making a toile for the pattern (this also was extended for the doublet overdress). Then I made up a gown in some cheap furniture material I had in the cupboard. This will show if the stiffening will be enough to support the overdress and give the right silhouette. Making a Toile and experimental gown

This was the basis for the pattern I used for the sottana for the Maria d'Medici dress. Maria's mother, Eleanora d' Toledo was spanish. If you look into Spanish portraits, the Medici fashions are influenced a lot by Spanish styles.


Left and above: Elizabeth Valois (Spanish)

Materials:

Problem: I have some off white damask I was thinking of using for my interpretation of the Valois dress. If I make a sottana of this, I could use it for both dresses.

With this option I would most likely not add the 'ribbons' to the sleeves and skirt. There is a pattern in the material as is. Looking closely at the sleeves below gives another option. (see below)

I may have to rethink the materials for the sottana.

Or I could start with a plain underdress and then do the pretty stuff later.

Sleeves:

The sottana sleeves on close inspectaion have an almost transparent component, possibly over the camicia or a white undersleeve. It appears that the 'ribbons', pearls, embroidery are attatched to a fine, sheer oversleeve.
If I choose to do this, then I can use an off-white damask for a sottana, with a sheer, decorated cover for this outfit.

(sottana - looking closely at the skirt, the same method could be used for atttatching the ribbons, beads and braid.)

After thinking on it, I have decided to make the sottana with the off-white material and then (most likely) make a over dress later, in gauze to put the ribbons on.

This can be seen most clearly on the close up of the sleeves (right).

Though this appears a lot in later Elizabethan (English) portraits (as seen in the 2 English portraits on the right: Mary Hill, Mrs. Mackwillian and Pelican Portrait, Queen Elizabeth, translucent sleeves so not appear commonly seen in Italian portraits.

I am currently looking for other examples of Italian fashion with guaze like sleeves.


Mary Hill, Mrs. Mackwillian


Pelican Portrait, Queen Elizabeth


Patterns:

I used the pattern from Eleanora d' Toledo from Janet Arnold's Pattern of Fashion.

There were no available extant sleeves for this gown, so I based the sleeves in Alcega's pattern book. This is a shallow headed sleeve that is slightly bent at the elbow.

Below is the basic sleeve pattern I have drafted.

 

 

Below are photos of the dress in construction:

Far left: fitting the skirt to the body.
2: the linen lining is blind stitched to the body. The skirt is attatched to the body.
3: Patterns of Fashion shows bias binding sewn to the side back opening.
4. The buttoned on sleeve.

The (almost finished) sottana: just awaiting the hem to drop for a few weeks.

*What I have learned:
After some experimentation, I have decided that this style is possibly my most favoured and best suits my body type. The dipped front helps extend my body. The wide neckline with a partlet, gives a look similar to the doublet dress, but is much more flattering. This, in conjunction with a coat is definately my preferred style these days.

Bibliography

  Back to Diary:
All intellectual content, photos and layout are copyright to La Signora Onorata Katerina da Brescia (K Carlisle), except those original renaissance artworks and extant articles whose copyright remains with the current owner.
If you would like to use something from this site, please contact me, and cite this website reference.
(c)K.Carliel. 2005
 

Below are photos of the dress in construction:

Far left: fitting the skirt to the body.
2: the linen lining is blind stitched to the body. The skirt is attatched to the body.
3: Patterns of Fashion shows bias binding sewn to the side back opening.
4. The buttoned on sleeve.

The (almost finished) sottana: just awaiting the hem to drop for a few weeks.

*What I have learned:
After some experimentation, I have decided that this style is possibly my most favoured and best suits my body type. The dipped front helps extend my body. The wide neckline with a partlet, gives a look similar to the doublet dress, but is much more flattering. This, in conjunction with a coat is definately my preferred style these days.

Bibliography

  Back to Diary:
All intellectual content, photos and layout are copyright to La Signora Onorata Katerina da Brescia (K Carlisle), except those original renaissance artworks and extant articles whose copyright remains with the current owner.
If you would like to use something from this site, please contact me, and cite this website reference.
(c)K.Carliel. 2005