Plans in Pink

Portrait of a lady by Parrasio Micheli (image credit: Museum of Genoa)

Well, I’ve scrapped plans to make anything new for Costume College, & I’m forging ahead on future plans: for renfaire & Collegium. Which is far more practical anyway. Ok, Collegium is, since I’m running the event, thus any personal costuming should be done in advance so I can concentrate on event details. For renfaire, new clothing is optional, & in fact, I might ask Sarah to make this item for me. But it’s also a simple garment & I might could add it into my own schedule without too much trouble…

First, for faire, I’d like a zimarra, the elegant Italian loose gown usually worn over a gown or (somewhat more scandalously yet quite nice for a courtesan!) over just a camicia & petticoat. Sarah made a lovely silk damask zimarra that she wore at Valhalla Renaissance Faire, & both Kendra & I wore it briefly around camp (not that it really fit either of us, hah). That just proved how useful of a garment it is.

Then I found this portrait of a lady by Parrasio Micheli (his works are dated 1547 to 1578), the painting is at the Museum of Genoa (in sala 3 on the website). Perfect! A pink zimarra (also with a pink gown, that let’s file that away for later). I have my eye on a few different fabrics for this, & there’s some pink cotton brocade that I sold to Sarah that I could buy back too. Add a bunch of gold trim, *ta da* fancy robe.

Portrait of a lady by Pierfrancesco di Jacopo Foschi, 1535 (image source: Web Gallery of Art)

For Collegium, I need a 1530s Italian gown, because I’m planning a feast set in 1530s Correggio. I immediately knew what I wanted: a gown based on the portrait of a lady by Pierfrancesco di Jacopo Foschi, 1530-35, image at the Web Gallery of Art. I’ve loved this portrait for ages & was just waiting for an excuse to make it. At the feast, I’ll be the hostess, portraying Veronica Gambara, & I must have an excellent outfit.

However I won’t be recreating it exactly. For one, it won’t be pink. While I adore pink, I want to use fabrics from The Stash, & I have a perfect cranberry velveteen for this gown. I probably won’t put the fur on the sleeves either, for practicality — hey, I live in California! Fur is too hot, even at an indoor event in November. I’d roast. But the shape, style, trim, hat, & accessories will be as close as possible to this portrait.