It is now one week before the event at which I plan to enter my 14th Century Shift Study into our Tir Mara Arts and Sciences Championship and I think I'm finally ready!
I would love to post my entire study here in my blog but at 16 pages including photos I think it would be a little overkill so I thought I would just simply post my results for you. If you'd like to see the entire paper I can easily e-mail it to you...be forewarned...it is 10MB in size due to the photos!
In any case, to give you a synopsis of what I had set out to do with this project here is my introduction:
Underneath Her Clothes: A Study of 14th Century Shifts by Isolda Fairamay
Whether you call it a shift, a smock or a chemise, it’s that elusive piece of clothing women wore underneath14th century clothes that I am endeavoring to “uncover”.
Goal: To produce a set of shifts that represent the widest range of styles, concentrating on the 14th century only, using information found in research as well as depictions in art, illuminations and extant pieces, forming my own opinion on style by describing what I see myself and using my own intuition and hypotheses.
Long Sleeved Shift: The long sleeved shift is the most common shift style for women seen in art and illuminations of the 14th century. It consists of a full tunic with long sleeves. One finds portrayals of the long sleeved shift in the Tacuinum Sanitatis, a medieval handbook on wellness written in the 11th century. In the late 14th century, illustrations were incorporated into this treatise. There are also images found in The Decameron, a collection of 100 novellas by Giovanni Boccaccio, likely started in 1350 and finished circa 1353.
My interpretation: All are long sleeved with loose or somewhat tapered sleeves. Each image appears to show the shifts loose fitting to the body with the exception of one Decameron image which I believe is slightly fitted to the upper body. The length of each shift varies from mid calf to ankle, though one Tacuinum Sanitatis image seems to show a belt being used to hold up the shift leading one to believe it is ankle length.
I realize I have blogged the results of my long sleeved shift before but here are the results again, with a photo of me in the actual piece!
Fabric: 100% Bleached White Linen, Opaque
Thread: 100% Linen
Sewing Technique: Run and fell with backstitching used for the armholes. Double rolled hem with running stitch for hem and neck.
Reference Images Used From the Tacuinum Sanitatis and The Decameron:
My Results:
Sleeveless Shifts:
Karl Kohler's Shift: The first sleeveless shift that must be discussed is the one seen in Karl Kohler’s A History of Costume, published in 1929. It is believed to originate from Thuringia, a state in Central Germany, but the current location of the piece is unknown. What I see when I look at this shift is a sleeveless garment with very thin straps. I believe the skirt of the piece is longer than what is shown as the bottom seems torn. Not shown on the body, we cannot tell the exact fit, but it appears to come in at the waist which leads me to believe it is somewhat fitting though not tight. I do not see any gores.
Here are my results of Kohler's Shift:
Fabric: 100% Cotton Batiste...my cofers would not finance silk!
Thread: 100% Linen
Sewing Technique: Run and fell with double fold hem using a running stitch for the hem, neck and armholes.
Reference Image: Karl Kohler's Shift: My Results:
Bathhouse Babes Shift #1: The intention was to match the majority of figures from the Wenceslsaus Bible and other manuscripts made for Wenceslaus with the focus being on Figure 9 from the Wenceslsaus Bible. It is tight fitting in the bodice, has very thin straps, 2 gores for fullness and falls to mid calf.
Here are my results for my Bathhouse Babes Shift #1:
Fabric: 100% Bleached White Linen, Opaque
Thread: 100% Linen
Sewing Technique: Run and fell with double rolled hem for the hem, neck and armholes. I used a backstitch on the upper part of the bodice for added strength.
Reference Image: Wenceslaus Bible Fig. 9 My Results:
Here are my results for my Bathhouse Babes Shift #1:
Fabric: 100% Bleached White Linen, Opaque
Thread: 100% Linen
Sewing Technique: Run and fell with double rolled hem for the hem, neck and armholes. I used a backstitch on the upper part of the bodice for added strength.
Reference Image: Wenceslaus Bible Fig. 9 My Results:
Bathhouse Babes Shift #2: The intention was to match the figures from the Wenceslsaus Bible that depict strapless shifts, using Fig. 7 as my main focus. It is very tight fitting in the bodice, has no straps, 4 gores for fullness and falls to the ankle.
Fabric: 100% Bleached White Linen, Opaque
Thread: 100% Linen
Sewing Technique: Run and fell with some backstitching near the top of the bodice for added strength and a double roll hem for the hem and bodice edge.
Reference Image: Wenceslaus Bible Fig. 7 My Results:
Fabric: 100% Bleached White Linen, Opaque
Thread: 100% Linen
Sewing Technique: Run and fell with some backstitching near the top of the bodice for added strength and a double roll hem for the hem and bodice edge.
Reference Image: Wenceslaus Bible Fig. 7 My Results:
Bathhouse Babes Shift # 3: The intention was to match Fig. 15 from the Wenceslsaus Bible, depicting a translucent shift and to use this opportunity to include a sash. I believe this particular image depicts a shift that is loose fitting so for the pattern I used two rectangles of fabric sewn together. For the top of the bodice I see a ruffle so I created one by folding over the top, gathering the bodice and attaching facing. I then affixed very thin straps. The sash is made as long as possible with leftover fabric folding a rectangle into a tube.
Fabric: 100% Bleached White Linen...as translucent as possible. Straps and bodice facing use a heavier linen for added strength.
Thread: 100% Linen
Sewing Technique: Run and fell with double folded hem using a running stitch for the hem and ruffle edge.
Reference Image: Wenceslaus Bible Fig. 7 My Results:
Conclusion:
When I began this project I believed that I would choose a sleeveless shift over a sleeved one any day. After having the opportunity to try the sleeved shift and at least one sleeveless one I must admit the long sleeved shift provides me with more comfort when wearing fabrics such as wool in successive layers. As well, the ruffle adornment in one of the sleeveless shifts makes it completely impractical as a piece of underwear as the extra bulk would be uncomfortable and might have shown its bulk in successive layers. I appreciated the sleeveless shift in warmer weather but it did not necessarily reduce body sweat, which would require me to wash my successive layers more often. I did, however, appreciate the support a tight fitting sleeveless shift provided, allowing me to feel more comfortable if wearing looser successive layers without a modern day bra. Taking all this into consideration, I believe the undergarment we call a shift was not a single style piece with one purpose. I believe it to be a group of pieces, some providing protection and cleanliness, some providing support, and some even for simply feeling pretty or sexy. It seems women have always enjoyed variety in their underwear drawer.
References: (This is my reference list for the entire project...some of this material may not be present in the blog)
Written and Historical Information:
1) Dress in the Middle Ages by Francoise Piponnier and Perrine Mane, copyright 1997, page 41
2) Textiles and Clothing 1150-1450 by Elisabeth Crowfoot, Frances Pritchard and Kay Staniland, copyright 1992, 2001. Pages 80-81, 151, 152,156, 157, 176-177
3) The Medieval Tailor’s Assistant by Sarah Thursfield, copyright 2001. Pages 64, 67, 68, 72,73
4) http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Tacuina_sanitatis, http://www.moleiro.com/en/books-of-medicine/tacuinum-sanitatis.html
5) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Decameron
6) “Debunking the Bohemian Bath Babes” http://www.maisonstclaire.org/resources/articles/bathbabes.html
7) Rosalie’s Medieval Woman by Rosalie Gilbert website: The Chemise, Shift or Smock: http://rosaliegilbert.com/thechemise.html
8) http://www.gallowglass.org/jadwiga/pictures/bohemia/bathkeepers.html
9) http://www.medievaltailor.com/class%20handouts/14thcClothing1.pdf “14th Century Clothing: The Luttrell Psalter, Page 3 section on “Underclothing”.
10) Reconstructing History Pattern: 14th century Women’s Accessories by Kass McGann, copyright?
11) Reconstructing History Pattern: 14th century Women’s Shift or “Bohemian Bathhouse Babes” by Kass McGann, copyright, 2009
12) Reconstructing History Sewing Guide: Sewing Techniques of the Medieval Period by Kass McGann, copyright, 2009.
Photos and Images:
1) The Medieval Tailor’s Assistant by Sarah Thursfield, copyright 2001. Page 72.
2) Textiles and Clothing 1150-1450 by Elisabeth Crowfoot, Frances Pritchard and Kay Staniland, copyright 1992, 2001. Fig. 126, page 156 and Figs. 127 and 128, page 157.
3) http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Tacuina_sanitatis
4) http://www.larsdatter.com/smocks.htm
5) http://www.gallowglass.org/jadwiga/pictures/bohemia/bathkeepers.html
6) “Debunking the Bohemian Bath Babes” http://www.maisonstclaire.org/resources/articles/bathbabes.html
