Costume Doll 1460

[Philip]

Did early humans start wearing animal skins for warmth because they were losing their hair or did they lose their hair as a consequence of wearing animal skins?, I wonder. A conundrum. But we needn't worry about that right now because with the wearing of skins, fashion must also have been born and fashion is what concerns us here.

In the 15th century the Princes of Burgundy found themselves incredibly wealthy, and so no expense was spared on anything, including clothing and fabrics. They still wore animal skins but not of such a kind that their prehistoric ancestors would recognise; and by that time the weaving industry had discovered how to produce cloth of the utmost richness and beauty. As this lady, from the Burgundian court of 1460, demonstrates. The gown she models is very highwaisted, with a belt just below the breast. The belt was considered magical and was often decorated with moons, stars and the like. A full skirt, edged with fur, formed a generous train at the back; the whole had to be carried by the wearer clasping at it's heavy folds and lifting it whenever they wanted to move. What a chore! Sleeves were so narrow that the arms had to be buttoned into them. Now for the hat. I suppose it's always been the case that women are encouraged to look taller than they really are, and seeing that flat shoes were in vogue at the time any advance in altitude had to come from the other end. Hence the "hennin", a headdress that could reach heights of 90 cm or more. The stiffened brocade or silk cone is surmounted by a wired and shaped diaphanous veil divided into two or three wings. It was considered unseemly for women to show any hair below her headgear and so they needed to shave all facial hair including the forehead and eyebrows. Spooky!

The doll is one of several presented in "Make Your Own History Of Costume" by Rosemary Lowndes and Claude Kailer, Macdonald and Jane's Publishers, London, 1977. She comes in at 20cm. tall, with the hennin adding a further 8cm. Part placement was such as to give the builder some leeway in how the figure turns out. The backdrop was supplied with the kit.

[Vermin_King]

You sure find some interesting models, sir

[Mike Stamper]

I think I'll stick to Jeans and a T shirt ;-)

Mike

[Philip]

Nice to hear from you both. Keep calm and carry on truckin'.