If I say “I’m making a 16th century German dress” that means different things to different people. Here are some examples and conventions used on this site.
Identifying details:
– V-neck with laces to just under the breasts
– Pleats occur across the front of the dress below the end of the V.
– Skirt possibly of one piece with the bodice.
– Head dress is usually bare braids on top of the head (or possibly a fake hair piece) or a pleated Wulsthaube.
Identifying details:
– Wide front with laces showing below a decorated placket
– Skirt pleated into the bodice
– Head dress is sometimes braids on top of the head(<10%), or a goldhaube with or without a barret.
- Few portraits show slashed guarding. It's extremely rare.
- 90% of the guarding is gold or black.
- Sleeves can be elaborate.
Saxony 1530 gown Dress Diary
Arianwen’s Saxony Dress
Identifying details:
– Closed front opening possibly laced or hook/eye.
– Predminantly square neckline both front and back (though there are examples of round front/back necks)
– Guarding follows the neckline and along the edge of the opening down to the waist. The skirt may also have one or more guards on it.
– Guarding can be slashed or patterned.
– Skirt pleated into the bodice.
– Most sleeves are fairly simple but there may be some slashing at joints(elbow/shoulder).
– They could also have wide cuffed ‘funnel’ sleeves.
– Headgear is usually a wulsthaube and/or a barret (with and without feathers) of some kind.
– Occasionally these are shown with a doublet style bodice
– the most commonly seen garment on city women of *all* classes.
Thanks to Mistress Etaine Pommier and Mistress Erzsébeta Magdaléna for their feedback on this information.