[Steppes] Clothier's Guild Meeting - Monday, May 14th

Wed May 9 05:49:58 PDT 2007

Good Day to All!

  We wanted to invite any interested parties to our next Clothier's Guild Meeting/Class.

  Date:                    Monday, May 14th
  Time:                    6:30PM
  Location:              Lady Elizabeth Seale's Home
                               3621 Frankford Road #338
                               Dallas, TX 75287
  Topic:                   Greek & Roman wear (COOL STUFF FOR WARLORD!)
  Instructor:              HL Esther

  Please bring fabric to work with, needles, thread, etc.

  Also, as we are invading Lady Elizabeth's home at the dinner hour, I ask any one planning on attending to please bring a little something to share.

  YIS,

  Viviana Rowntree
  Guild Mistress

Clothes from Rectangles

Structurally, there are two varieties of "Grecian" clothing. These are generalizations, so 
keep an open mind in your research.

1) The tube dress, which you find in Greek, Romanized Greek, Saxon, Anglo-Saxon, 
Pre-Viking Scandavia, and the Viking era. Often work with some kind of sleeved 
underdress in colder Eurpope.
a. http://www.vikingag evessels. org/documents/ C_%20Viking% 20Womens%
20Costume.pdf
b. http://web.onetel. net.uk/~npwilson /maering/ femaledr. htm
c. http://www.millenni a.demon.co. uk/ravens/ photo8.htm

2) The Mediteranean t-tunic, which you find in Roman and early Byzantine clothing.
a. http://www.villaivl illa.com/ patterns. htm
b. http://www.vroma. org/~bmcmanus/ tunic_eques. gif

What's the difference?

The tube dress is sewn or pinned across the TOP of the tube, and the arms stick out of 
"sleeves" created by the sewing or pinning across the top.

The Mediteranean T-tunic is two rectangles, or a folded length of cloth, that is sewn or 
pinned across the top, and sewn or secured up the sides, and the sleeves are created by 
holes in the side of the garment. Sometimes the sleeves are cut longer than the sides of 
the body, to create the "shirt" outline we are used to.

Basic terms:

Peplos – Greek, in Roman use
A Homeric term, generally used to describe the older Greek dress made of a folded 
rectangle. While it often has a foldover, it doesn't always. Women wore this short to 
exercise in places like Sparta , and Men wore it as well, often pinned or secured on one 
shoulder, and knee length. Very sexy!

  Typically you take the widest part of the body and times it by five to get the material you 
need for this one. This means, I would measure around my hips, taking in my belly, divide 
that circle measurement in half, and then times by five. You may also find yourself cutting 
and resewing panels to get the right lengths going in the right direction for you size, 
height and shape.

Peplos Style –
Ancient Gaul , Saxons, Anglo-Saxons.
http://www.bartleby .com/86/3101. gif
http://www.sandrash aw.com/images/ AH1L22Lud. jpg

Chiton – Greek, in Roman use
The tube dress without a foldover, belted, often looks like it is made fro crinkle 
gauze.
Himation – Greek
A cloak, usually rectangular. NOT the forerunner of the toga. Used in Roman times 
by those aping Greek culture, like poets.
http://classics. furman.edu/ Classics/ GreekFashion/ page11.htm
(Chiton to the left of the page, Peplos to the right, archaic female Himation at the bottom)
http://classics. furman.edu/ Classics/ GreekFashion/ page27.htm
http://classics. furman.edu/ Classics/ GreekFashion/ page28.htm

Palla – Greek
A rectangular wrap, usually 45 inches wide, 3 yards long, can be wider, depending 
on how you want to wear it. See pictures.

Stola, Stolla – Roman
By late Republic times, more of a symbolic garment than one worn regularly. Could ONLY 
be worn by Matrons and Citizens.

Gap-Sleeved Tunic – Roman
The uber-elegant Roman gown, based on the Chiton.
http://slumberland. org/moodle/ mod/forum/ discuss.php? d=1199

Toga – Roman
Indicated male citizenship. Except for very, very, very early Republican Rome, NOT 
worn by women, unless they were prostitutes.

Ancient Greek Clothing:
http://www.annasweb art.com/culture/ costhistory/ ancient/index. html
http://www.mlahanas .de/Greeks/ Fashion.htm
http://classics. furman.edu/ Classics/ GreekFashion/ page12.htm
http://www.richeast .org/htwm/ Greeks/costume/ costume.html

Ancient Roman Clothing Links
http://www.villaivl illa.com/
http://www.vroma. org/~bmcmanus/ clothing_ sources.html
(REALLY good academic site)
http://www.vroma. org/images/ mcmanus_images/ index.html
http://www.sallypoi nter.com/ makeover. htm

General Early Period Keen Stuff
http://www.rentapea sant.co.uk/ romanogaulish. html

Fabrics:
Greek – Wool
Hellenistic – Wool, linen
Roman – Wool, linen, cotton in Imperial times, silk with the shiny nap, no raw silk, weaves 
with metal shot threads known, especially gold
Viking – Wool, linen, silk, some very rare cotton late
Anglo-Saxon – Wool, linen, silk and cotton with a Byzantine connection

How much fabric?
Tube dress, Chitons:
Chin to floor, thumb tip to thumb tip, add extra if you have pear or apple shaped bodies. 
You want these somewhat roomy and long, as they are typically belted.

Peplos
4 to 6 years 50-60 inch wide fabric is the usual. I always get five, just in case, but I often 
have to cut panels and resew to get the width and the length where I want it. Rule of 
thumb, measure your widest part – for me around my hips with my gut included --, divide 
in half, then times by 5. That gives you the width of the fold that goes around the body, 
and gives you the elegant folds down one side. The length is chin to floor, plus however 
long you want the overfold, if you want an over fold.

Palla -- again, a size thing, at least 3 yards, 45 inches wide.

---------------------------------
Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell?
 Check outnew cars at Yahoo! Autos.