Moar Elizabethan gown work - question for the 16th c. mavins...

[abendgules]

How much is the right amount of decoration for the middle class matron I want to be?

Progress: grommet holes now freed of grommets, and finished neatly. A couple more holes added for good luck , and in hopes of helping to pull the bodice level on me (right now it shifts up slightly on one side, because I'm spiral lacing it, when I suspect it was made for X-lacing).

I've started finishing the neckline and armholes with black linen. Looks smart so far.

Right now I have a dark blue bodice and skirt, and a couple of linen  and cotton foreparts - I'm thinking of stitching them together into a reversible single one, to give the forepart some body and weight.  I also have an option to make a red brocade forepart, albeit in syntho fabric.

The sleeve puffs and tabs will have to be a coordinating fabric, possibly black wool, because I don't have enough original blue twill salvaged from the (v. short) tabbed sleeves. Colour options are black, green, murrey, orange or white wool. I'm leaning towards black for dark respectability.

I've long planned to add a couple of rows of guards to the skirt in black wool. I even have some black velveteen that could make good guards, though I don't like sewing it.

The real question is - how can I ornament the bodice suitably?

Do I add guards/borders, much like liadethornegge 's red petticoat?

Do I add braid? I can make a very pretty wide  undulating fingerbraid in cottolin or even silk, in assorted different colour combinations, and it would look very smart on the shoulder rolls and wings. I'd have the option to add more as I get richer, so to speak.

Should I concentrate the ornaments on the tied-in sleeves at a later date?

Unfortunately, I get bored w/ embroidery quickly, but I can applique and (inkle)weave and fingerbraid willingly.

I've searched for guidance in portraits online, but most of them are of nobles - the middle class women thoughtlessly didn't get their portraits done to help me out. Sheesh.

Any thoughts from the 16thc costume mavins on a good route to go?

Comments

[bernina2000de.livejournal.com]

I am not a mavin, but am firmly in the middleclass of 1570 now. My dresses or kitles do not have decoration, my coats do and it is fabric trim on the sleeves, down the front, hem and around the pocket slits if at all.

http://elizabethangeek.com/costumereview/image.mhtml?image_id=10

There is evidence of trim along the kirtle hem under the coats but I liked the plain version on the far right.

[bend-gules.livejournal.com]

Great view of that image, thank you!