Holly Jo Alford

I think the late Elizabethan/Jacobean kirtles and loose gowns are such an elegant look - especially when dressed up with gorgeous lace cuffs and a standing collar as you see here. Holly Jo designed this outfit by using a very creative combination of patterns from various modern and historical costume sources. I loved that she used a 1970's nightgown pattern for the kirtle. That's such a great idea! Please ignore the bevel lines from her mirror, but here is a front and back view of the whole outfit. You can contact Holly Jo at Grubnerref(at)aol(dot)com, and she also sent along a short diary of the outfit, which you can read below the picture.

The Dark Green Dress Diary

I wanted to try a loose gown and kirtle combination, something along the lines of the outfits in "Patterns of Fashion" by Janet Arnold (1560-1620) for Kirtle page 109 (#44A) and for loose gown page 118 (#52A)

The kirtle is a very simple A-line dress with shaping in the side seams and back closure.

The loose gown is sleeveless, pleated at the sides and back, with the pleats releasing under the shoulder blades, and it has a stiffened collar. The collar has worked eyelet holes to attach a supportasse or underpropper. The two items are kinda far apart age wise; the kirtle 1580, and gown 1610.

I'm using a nightgown pattern from the real early 1970's in combination with a new pattern I made in 2005 - I bet they did the same sort of thing in the "old days". (I LIKE this A-line nightgown pattern, it's comfortable & fits me.) If I were alive back in 1600 I would copy a comfy, flattering pattern and spiff-up the new duds with some "first stare of fashion" new accessories, etc... One would be a pretty old lady at 40 (something...) back then, you could demand comfort in your elderlyness (elderlyhood?, dotage! what!?!) ahem...

The patterns I used - Simplicity c.1970 for Kirtle (It's a floor length "tank top" basically) and the sleeveless Surcoat pattern made from book, newspaper, (and alotta scotch tape!) "Patterns for Theatrical Costumes" by Katherine Strand Holkeboer pages 196 & 197. The pattern for the underpropper is from the same book page 193. The sleeves pattern? - its of the "Well they just came out that way" variety of basic sleeve pattern. (I was running out of material by then, stuff isn't even on the grain!) I made the sleeves look like they tie on over a white chemise, but I was after ease and comfort so just made false pullings out and jumped the attachment (tie-on part) with folded over seam binding, then just tied the aglet tipped ties onto that. (After I make all this pattern stuff myself I see Margo Anderson has a Comfort line out - that might help me with the whole inside (construction) aspect of my next outfit like this!)

The fabric is a 100% cotton twill sort of cloth, it has impressive weight, but is breathable, and is very dark green. I used buckram sandwiched between petticoat tulle then sewed on the pointy lace for the cuffs and collar. (underpropper isn't quite right, I don't think, 'cause it isn't propping anything but itself). I used black cord for my point "ribbons", and clamped on small silver aglets I mailed off for from The Pillaged Village. (Love that title!) (Pointy lace and black cord from Wal-Mart, since we're giving credit all over the place.)

Finally to top it all off I'm wearing a black velvet pillbox cap ('cause as Auntie says, "didn't have enough left over to make a beanie")

The End
By HjA for: Renfest '05