Gowns

The gown is the outerwear of the noble lady. Gowns are typically bodice-and-skirt-in-one, and are more-or-less heavily decorated, depending on the class of the character. A couple of different styles of gown (plus some good examples of noblemen's clothes) can be found here. For a basic gown (or kirtle) pattern, which can be made as plain or as elaborate as you need, click here. For a nifty guide to basic trim design, try Dial-A-Dress.

The skirting on a gown bears some examination. First of all, under everything there is a farthingale. Then there is a bumroll that supports the skirt in the back. Over all that, there is the underskirt, which is usually made of a material that matches the front panel of the bodice. The, over that, there is the overskirt. This is typically open in the front, to allow the underskirt to show through. Costumer's Cheat: With some careful construction, it is possible to make the under- and overskirts a single piece. They just need to look like they are two pieces.

Photos:

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