16th Century Doublet and Breeches

This type of doublet and venetian breeches was ubiquitous all over Europe in the 16th Century.  There is also plenty of pictorial evidence of these breeches being worn in France at the time.  The doublet should have had sleeves.  Since this is my summer fencing armor, I did away with the sleeves since I would overheat very much while fighting.  Except for the shirt, this ensemble has been entirely hand-stitched. 

 

This doublet and breeches are made of lightweight brown linen, interlined with heavy habotai silk for armor protection, and lined with lightweight white linen.  The shirt is 3.5 oz. white linen, with reinforced gussets to comply with SCA armor regulations.	In period, the interlining would not have been made out of habotai silk, but of heavy linen.  However, it works very well for armor.   Heavy or mid-weight linen works very well too, but I was experimenting with silk since I wanted a very lightweight summer doublet.	Detail of the tab. The pink stitching is made with stranded pink silk. Did you know that doublets evolved from arming doublets?  In other words, armor.
	Detail of the handmade buttons.  Some very good instructions of how to make them can be found at Mistress Kate Maunsel's webpage, Kate's Corner.  I also embroidered the buttons with pink stranded silk.  The buttonholes are also handmade.
Patterns:  Doublet is from The Tailor's Pattern Book, 1589 by Juan de Alcega.  Venetians from Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion: The Cut and Construction of Clothes for Men and Women C1560-1620.  Shirt is the pattern by Mistress Grace Gamble, as published in The Oak.

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