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16th Century German Style Ensemble

This type of doublet was very popular not only in Germany but also in Italy and other parts of Western Europe. It is based on the extant women’s embroidered velvet doublet of c. 1585 – preserved in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nürnberg.

This ensemble is comprised of a white linen chemise, a black velvet and satin doublet, red linen petticoat, an embroidered muff, a beaded hat, and a gold silk, cartridge-pleated skirt with black velvet guards*.

Back view. For the chemise, I used Mistress Grace Gamble's excellent pattern.

Detail. Velvet ground and satin strips. The trim is appliquéd hand-made lucet cording.


In this picture you can see the front detail on my embroidered muff (cherries).	This is the other side of the muff (pansies).

This is the front detail of my version of the doublet. Like the original, it is boned in the manner of a “pair of bodies,” and it laces at the front through a series of 41 handmade grommets on two strips of satin, with handmade lucet cording. One of the interesting features of this piece is that it also buttons over the lacing, for which there are 25 handmade, wrapped buttons, with silver lined glass beads on the tips. The original doublet had both buttonholes and loops of cording to close those buttons. In this case, I liked the look of the loops better so I did not use buttonholes. It is velvet ground with satin strips and handmade lucet cording couched as decoration.

This is a picture of the original, extant women’s embroidered velvet doublet of c. 1585 – preserved in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nürnberg. It is boned like a "pair of bodies," and it also features lacing strips in the inside (not visible). The buttons close over the lacing strips.

* Credits: This particular outfit was made for my Investiture as Baroness of Ponte Alto, an SCA group. I made the chemise and the doublet. The latter took me forever to finish, as it is almost completely hand sewn, boned and appliquéd. Because I was also making another complete outfit for the Investiture (not shown here), I would never have finished this one on time without the help of my friend Kerri Martinsen, who offered to make the gold skirt for me, and without the help of my loving husband, Marcellus, who made the buttons and wove most of the lucet cording. The beaded velvet hat and embroidered muff are also my own work.

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This ensemble is comprised of a white linen chemise, a black velvet and satin doublet, red linen petticoat, an embroidered muff, a beaded hat, and a gold silk, cartridge-pleated skirt with black velvet guards*.	Back view. For the chemise, I used Mistress Grace Gamble's excellent pattern.	Detail. Velvet ground and satin strips. The trim is appliquéd hand-made lucet cording.