The compromise of style

Last sunday I had a three hours without electricity.My deadline to finish the costumes is march 28 . It's coming soon and there is a lot to do . To prove how much I'm working hard , I thought it will be nice to post this picture  showing that even in darkness , I found a way to continue .

I was ask to make a costume for an english soldier around 1650 like one you can see in the old movie Oliver Cromwell.I look a few times the movie on youtube but it was hard to say exactly what I should do.Without a sword , helmet and armour , it's hard to imagine a soldier.A few times in the movie you can see soldier which looks like musketeer.In people mind musketeer is associate to France.

To help me , I do try to make something like I saw in my book Historical costumes of England 1066-1968 by Nancy Bradfield.There is a few exemple of men of this period and it's a combination of those style I try to create.

I use fabric I already have.The front and back came from a shirt of my honey which was too tight for him.The collar and sleeve are leftover fabric I dye.Both fabrics are linen.

I use two differents fabrics to attempt to create the illusion of two layers , a shirt and something to wear over it.The collar of this time were wide and this one is very similar to one in the book.Some of the garment had button , some don't.I did use buttons I had but they are just a decoration because the front is close with velcro and a seam in the front without reason is not cute.

If the student had make a try of it when I start making the costume before I cut anything , I could probably avoid the buttons.He seems so afraid to came at my house even if it was just for 5-10minutes.I don't know what scare him the most : what people may say , to discover I have squeleton in the closet or something dead as a sacrifice on an altar for some voodoo ritual.He will never know.Did I mention he's also my co-worker?

The belt at the waist was no longer wear.To carry thier sword , men wear a belt at the shoulder.I guess the student will have at least a sword so I decided to make one just in case he will need it.I don't make it fancy and put an elastic inside for the sword which can be see on the picture.

I wish I could make an hat to go with it but I'm not sure if I will have time.Now the student can stop thinking he's going to have a squarre of fabric with an hole for the head.We make a lot of jokes about it.

Coming next : a medieval princess