SATURNALIA
I've taken a couple of art history courses in Rome in previous years. One of the professors there invites former students to an annual "Saturnalia"; the Roman predecessor of Christmas. In Norway, though. When he said costumes were encouraged, and that he himself would dress up as a Roman Catholic cardinal (done with respect), I sat down with two of my "Roman" flatmates and pondered about how to dress. In the end we went all the way!
I should have taken more Hipstamatics
The girls weren't quite my size, but as it's period to tuck up skirts, and as most bodices are laced in various ways, it was easy enough to fit my existing dresses for them.
One was transformed into a Venetian courtesan, wearing a green/golden brocade dress, a "pavonazzo" underskirt with gold hem, a gold bead girdle, plus appropriate jewelry. She looked phenomenal.
The other was dressed in the "Lady with Unicorn" dress, with a huge golden underskirt and also jewelry. Again, wow. And the underskirt gave the dress such a nice lift.
I wore the more prudent blue "Peacock" dress in Florentine style, with another "pavonazzo" underskirt I made the same day. I also wore jewelry, and for once I had my hair loose.
The lady without unicorn and the Venetian courtesan
Lady WITH Unicorn
What was so fun what that people loved it. Not just loved it, they went gaga. Mostly because we had tried to dress as period as possible, maybe with the exception of our hair. And people really appreciated that. These were art history people, after all... And for once it was so much fun to tell people details about each dress - what inspired it, what sources was used, how I had found materials etc. And I could not have asked for better models than my co students, they looked better in the dresses than I have ever done...
Follow that cardinal...
The party was held at an old manor, with rows and rows of parlors, portraits, porcelain, silver and chandeliers. Splendid settings. And there were food and beverage on every table. Apart from talking a lot to nice people, I spent most of the night dancing, and that's what I remember... The perfect evening. And we won an award for our outfits!
The cardinal awarding our outfits (crappy picture, though, waiting for better ones).
There were lots of eye candy there. There were of course the cardinal and his "cardinaless" (wife). Another wore a lovely Mediaeval styled dress with gorgeous gold ribbons. A third wore a Roman soldier uniform with FUNKY six-pack stomacher. I also spotted two samurais, a Hussar-esque uniform, a Mycenaean vase (LOVE!) and several stylish "Mad Men" outfits.