More Info from the Historical Costuming List

[Gunnora Hallakarva]

Good gentles, once again I am forwarding information to you  which first
appeared on the Historical Costuming List.  Gunnora Hallakarva is *not* the
author, but thought that Ansteorrans and other readers of this list might
find this infomation useful:
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Date:    Sat, 9 Nov 1996 13:05:42 -0500
From:    Mary Smith <MDSDMB at AOL.COM>
Subject: Italian Ren

The following notes are courtesy of Maestra Francesca di Pavia, from the
Shire of Caer Galen, the Outlands. I will forward any comments to her.

"As near as I can tell, there were two basic styles of overdress commonly
worn in Italy in the second half of the 15th Century. One was called a cioppa
or pellanda (regional variations), and was related to a houppelande. It was
very long and full in the skirt. The bodice could be pleated to the skirt, or
could be all one piece with a complex system of pleats starting above the
breastline (possibly tied in place on the inside). The bodice was usually
round-necked and somewhat high, but could be cut lower. The skirt was open in
the front to reveal the skirt of the dress beneath. (BTW, I can see no
evidence that the basic Italian dress, the gamurra, camora, or cotta - again
mainly regional variations - ever had a split skirt and underskirt, as I so
often see done in the SCA. That's a misinterpretation of a gown and an
overgown, as I see it.) The sleeves were generally hanging sleeves, and were
often ridiculously long and full, and sometimes dagged. The second style of
overgown was the giornea. This was a tabard-like affair, which was left open
on the sides to reveal the gown beneath, and was usually cut in a low V-neck
so the bodice beneath could show. This could be sleeveless or have long,
hanging (sometimes dagged) sleeves. In either case the sleeves of the dress
beneath would be seen (and these were often elaborately beaded and
embroidered). (Incidentally, a woman of status would rarely go out in public
without an overdress, except in the summer, and then her gamurra would be of
silk and as heavily embellished as she could muster. Only a lower-class woman
would go about in aplain wool gamurra without a cioppa or giornea.)

"Judging from the many paintings I've seen, there were wide variations in
these basic styles. This was an age of great display of individualism in
costuming, and as much conspicuous consumption as thewearer could afford -
the penalty for violating sumptuary laws was a fine. The nouveau riche
happily paid the fine in order to look more like the nobility."

Francesca di Pavia/Meg Baron

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Once again, Gunnora Hallakarva is *not* the author of the information above,
but merely has forwarded to this list for your information and entertainment!

Wassail,
::GUNNORA::


Gunnora Hallakarva
Herskerinde
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Ek eigi visa (th)ik hversu o(dh)lask Lofstirrlauf-Kruna
heldr hversu na Hersis-A(dh)al