HISTORICAL DRESS RESEARCH: questions
I have some questions to people who make pre-1700 costumes. Now, I love Victorian dresses and Rococo fashion, don't misunderstand, but my questions are about research when there aren't too many preserved garbs and/or tailor patterns available. So anything of pre-1700 is of interest.
1. Where do you find the basic research material when you're making a (fairly) historical correct garb? Is it:
Portraits/paintings?
Fashion plates and period descriptions?
Inventory lists, sumptuary legislations and other old official documents?
Archeological material (and if possible, surviving garbs)?
Books, research material and museum info?
Other?
Or a combination? Please describe.
2. If using paintings/portraits as a basis, how do you decide whether it is/they are not allegorical or idealized, or suitable for your project?
3. How do you decide what fabrics, materials and colours are plausible?
4. How do you get an idea of what kind of undergarbs and supports to use? And how do you rate the authenticy of your sources?
5. Last, but not least: What era do you usually make garbs from? And eventually, what region? Or if you've made historical outfits from different eras; which ones?