What do the merchant class wear?

Sep 12, 2007 16:35

Ok, a question that's running through my mind (thankfully, different from the last one ( Read more... )

dressdiary, sewing, kirtle, elizabethan

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Comments 8

peggyelizabeth September 13 2007, 02:11:01 UTC
I now have a tune from Camelot in my head...
I know that didn't help you, but I had to share anyway.

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sstormwatch September 13 2007, 03:14:22 UTC
Yeah, that was almost deliberate on my part, because that darned song was running in my head when I wrote it.

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rwfranz September 13 2007, 02:38:24 UTC
I remember looking through the CIRGA guidelines, and they're mostly, oh, English and intended for emphasizing the nobility's, er, nobility. Drab, dull colors for peasants, and stay away from purple of any shade. I was... well... annoyed with them.

They do need more pictures and to be updated with references. And, of course, accurized.

Merchant class, now, that's another matter. I think of merchant class as fairly well-dressed (compared to the peasants), but not so decorated as the gentry and nobility.

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sstormwatch September 13 2007, 03:31:06 UTC
On your first paragraph... well, duh. But it is what I have to work with and expand upon, while still using their rules bad as I find some of them.

Second line, that's what I am aiming for.

Third part, thanks, that's more what I am asking about... but what are "merchants" to you? Who are they? What role did they play? Are they the same as the Gentry, but without the lands? Are they the artisans, or crafters, or those that financed the big ships? I know some of the merchant classes were heads of guilds, like the Tailor's guild or ... or what exactly are the "merchant" classes at faire?

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jillwheezul September 13 2007, 02:44:51 UTC
I'm curious about Ninya's russet statement. I believe I have encountered both a fabric called russet and a color called russet. It wouldn't make sense to dye a fabric russet color, would it?

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sstormwatch September 13 2007, 03:33:13 UTC
Well, I think Ninya's point was that our definition of "russet" is very different from the historical definition of "russet", and that natural color fabric, undyed, is what we should be thinking of when we see period references to "russet".

I love russet colored fabric, in the modern sense, which is more a brick sort of color to me. I don't know when russet became something more of the modern color, and less of "undyed natural wool".

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kass_rants September 13 2007, 11:51:06 UTC
I generally agree with your article "What Did Simple Folk Wear". I just have some terminological issues. If you want to talk about it, please email me. But I really do agree with what you say. I'd just use different names for the garments. I'm a pedant. What can I say. Ignore this as necessary ( ... )

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sstormwatch September 14 2007, 02:09:50 UTC
On the issues of terminology, I will email you about it next week when I have more time to write back and forth. Some of the terms I had to use, as it was what the CIRGA guidelines had already "decreed" so I didn't want to confuse the issue any more than I already did.

With regards to the merchants, your comment is very helpful. I agree there will be differences, and that's why I am going to have to clarify the differences. Not every merchant will be "wealthy" and not every merchant will be dressed like the common folk, so I may have to split the article into "basic merchant" and lump the wealthy merchant into the "basic noble", which really is the gentry classes.

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