My wife, to my surprise wants to come out to an event in a few months at the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum). This will also be my first event so I want to get it right. I've purchased some linen fabric for her to make either a peplos or chiton. We used pins to get both forms but I'm not really liking how the fabric flows with either design. I find the marble statuary seems more light and airy while in the "real world" it's very stiff and unappealing. Out of the two the peplos is definitely the better design for her.
I've searched hi and low and have seen all the links here showing both peplos and chiton designs but nothing really satisfactory. Perhaps I'm just not gathering it right? Or perhaps the linen is to heavy when gathered. Can a light weave wool be used? Does anyone have some advice? Photos would be great.
Also would the edges be hemmed or left unfinished? I've seen them done both ways.
Once this is done then I'll attack the stola, which again is woefully lacking in details. What about shoes?
"The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones"
The statuary may be a bit stylized, but then, maybe not lol. Did you get a heavy weight linen? Try a lighter weight. How did you gather it at the shoulder? Check your email, I sent you a pic of one version.
As for shoes there are a few civilian patterns floating around. I know the Legio XX site has one.
Yeah the weight of the linen has got to be the problem. I gathered it up and then used a safety pin just to see how it would work like the pic you sent (Maybe you can post it here?). Looks like a potato sack...I will get a lighter linen that will hang and flow easier. As you said Matt, civilian and women's gear is really scarce and vague. Can anyone provide detailed pictures?
"The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones"
Thanks Bill, that is one I have bookmarked but it doesn't give much detail as to the weight of the fabric or even how to tie it. I'd like to see real world photos. It is really lacking.
"The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones"
Hi Jay,
My wife and I have been having very similar problems. We have used linen and it isn't a flattering look, it makes her look small and fat when she is not at all. I have recently received a chiton for myself from Claire Marshal, she tried it on and it drapes, hangs, fits, and looks very much like the sculptures!!! Now we have ordered her a dress. It's in a very fine wool.
Linen often is much stiffer than wool of a similar weight. Some say that modern wool suiting (like for men's sport coats or suits) is about the right weight. We have gone over mostly to cotton and synthetics here in the US, so it's often hard to find nice, lightweight wool...but it's out there.
I agree about the wool suiting material - I have used it in the past, but even that seems a bit "stiff" for my tastes. Ancient weaves of wool or linen were apparently much finer than what we are accustomed to today, so I have made a slight departure from "dead-on-period-accurate" and prefer a polyester material in deference to a correct "look". Just make sure you don't get a knit (too stretchy)!! For my personal chitoniskoi, I have found (on occasion) some very nice and "drapy" materials that have wonderful "hand" and hang nice and heavily (while still being light-weight), but you are usually at the mercy of the supplier as to colors. I prefer an Ionian treatment (look) and the poly material is a very low maintainance option that stubbornly maintains its resilience. Just a thought, because I figure nobody's going to be fingering my material while I'm wearing it anyway!! :wink:
This is the kind of info we need. Thanks guys. I will try to find a nice light wool today.
Now can anyone provide pictures of this? Feel free to crop out faces if your wife is not keen on being exhibited but I think this thread can really help with ladies clothing and may be a new and better resource than what is currently out there.
Also the stola, how is it tied at the shoulders? There are so many vague descriptions...
"The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones"
It might be an idea to see what Andy's wifes dress looks like - maybe Andy can take a pic when it's worn and can post it.
I also have even finer fabric which is a 90% lambswool, 10% cashmere mix (cashmere and lambswool is evident in some fragments from the Iron age meditteranean) which would be even more 'drapey'
I have this stuff made up to specification and it isn't hugely expensive. Of course it can be dyed with correct colours too
Thanks Claire, I realize this is your business so you don't want to give away your "secrets" but the types of fabrics and blends is very helpful. Today I bought a very light wool which drapes quite nicely. When I have some time I'll give it a hem and sew up the sides. We still await photos!
"The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones"
Well I hemmed the material for my wife's peplos. The photo below is just a preliminary try. She tried it on with just safety pins and two of my belts, one at the waist and one higher up. It drapes and flows really nicely. I think the pins could be further apart on the shoulders giving a deeper neck line. Once I make proper belts and get the right brooches we will try different draping methods but so far I'm happy with the result. The fabric is a very light weave of wool. Maybe she'll do a Vestal impression...
"The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones"
I'll be working on some sandals for her next. With regards to the belt what to use? Just some material? I've seen cords or rope used and i've heard of leather being acceptable. If leather what kind of buckle? How wide?
"The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones"
The peplos looks very nice. I've made some with wider and narrower neck holes, but if your lady is modest, the wider one may violate her sensibilities, if she leans forward...
