Accesories for the Robe Battante

As stated in a previous post there are a few accessories I wanted to add to my Robe to really complete the outfit. The first is a set of under sleeve flounces. I wanted these to be really dramatic to match the Robes' scalloped sleeve flounce. I was using this original painting as my guide:

 

Using the same material as my fichu and apron. I cut out three different widths, all slightly longer in the back then in the front 

and finished the bottom edge with a small rolled hem (machine done, as time is of the essence). Next I sewed the 3 layers together and ran a gather stitch around the top and gathered it into a narrow band just a little bigger then my arm. Then to help keep them up on my arm I ran a thin elastic through the band and set them to my arm size. 

The elastic is not period, a drawcord to tie them on would be more period, and almost just as easy, but I was working in a rush and this didn't cross my mind until after I had closed the elastic into the band. It would be an easy enough fix in the future (when i am not scrambling for time) to open up the band and replace the elastic with a cord.

 

Next came a head covering. Caps are the go to for the18th Century but the mob cap I made earlier in the year is not the right style for this earlier period. Instead it appears they preferred a small round cap the was pinned to the top/ back of the head with optional lace lappets, or tails. These paintings came from my archives:

 

 

and this site has nice descriptions by decade of the shifts in styles in everything from hair to shoes, though brief, it is a nice general reference.

My favorite little cap came from this painting and that is what i based mine on. It was the little colored bow in the back that struck my fancy :)

 

Again using the same material as the sleeve flounces so that all these accessory pieces will match and therefore be relatively interchangeable with other outfits. I gave my little cap a ruffled edge for decoration, and i might add a little lace as well if i can find something small that i like between now and Saturday ;)

 

I think i made it a little too big but i hope once i have my hair all piled up on my head that it will be just right :)

This next piece I'm not sure i am really happy with and may change if i can figure out something better but for now it will work and allow me to wear the Robe . . . I made a matching stomacher. I made it with a heavy canvas interlining and about a half dozen plastic bones for extra rigidity. 

But all on its own it was just too plain, so i added these little pieces of lace that for not too close up look like embroidery and the big white bow across the top that seems to be a common decoration/ functioning closure in the period.

 

I'm thinking about ripping off the lace and adding lacing instead like the original below . . .not sure . . .

 

And last but not least i made a little ruffle of my white material to edge the neckline on the Robe, its only really tacked in along the back, but its to help hide all the tattooing i have ;)