SCA: A Roman Outfit for Hot Weather

The hot weather is on the way.  It's already in the low 80s here in central Ansteorra, and by the end of May  - and the next event being Steppes' Warlord on Memorial Day weekend - it's likely going to be in the 90s.  Last year I wore  my guy's Viking outfit to this event and I BAKED ALIVE.  This year, I decided to make myself a new Roman outfit - loose, lightweight, and breezy.  

The chiton  is a medium-weight blue linen.  The correct way to make one of these would be to have one long length of fabric folded across the body from side to side; but to conserve fabric (and money) I had a shorter length of fabric which I split into two 2y squares.  

Where the wrapped side should be left open, I went ahead and seamed both sides of this garment for modesty's sake - the site where the Warlord event will be held is wide open and  notoriously windy, and I didn't want to accidentally flash anyone.  

The green palla is a length of sheer cotton gauze that I harvested from an old costume and re-cut for this purpose.  It may not be as breezy and cool as handkerchief-weight linen would be, but it drapes very nicely and I love the color.  

The sleeve openings are held together with small bronze buttons for a bit of a decorative look. 

This whole outfit is hand-sewn, by the way.  I have a BIG hand-sewing project coming up this summer, and I needed the practice.  Since this outfit is basically just a collection of large rectangles, most of the sewing was actually just hemming (whipstitching).  

The under tunic, which is a white handkerchief-weight linen, is a simple rectangular sheath tacked together at the shoulders and arm edges, so that it mimics the shape of the chiton when worn.

This was a piece I already had in my closet from a previous Roman outfit; I removed the neck and opened up the shoulder seams and re-sewed everything to make this more of a period shape at the neckline and arms. 

I made some jewelry to go with this outfit, too - and hey, look, it's a rare picture of my ACTUAL FACE. 

The necklace is pink freshwater pearls and gold brass wire; the earrings are mother-of-pearl drops and gold brass fittings/wire. Both are inspired by jewelry I've seen in period artwork and sculpture, and in Egyptian mummy portraits of Roman/Egyptian people.  

My hair is tucked into a red ribbon band which is tied around my head, in a style also inspired by some I've seen in period artworks.  The makeup is also inspired by several mummy portraits I've seen.  

So I'm all ready for Warlord, and the hot weather.  Bring it on!  

Regency Jewelry: Lover's Eye

 A Lover's Eye pendant, or "eye miniature", is one which contains a miniature painting of the eye of a lover, given to the beloved as a keepsake and reminder of the giver's love.  Legend has it that the practice started with the Lover's Eye given to Maria Fitzherbert by the Prince of Wales in the 1780s, as a token of his [forbidden] love.  Lover's Eyes came and went quickly - the fad lasted only from the late  1780s to about 1820.  

A Lover's Eye could be a pendant or brooch, or could be embedded into an everyday object, like a toothpick holder or cosmetic case.  

AtlasObscura

Philadelphia Museum of Art

I fell in love with Lover's Eyes as soon as I saw them.  They're so delightfully weird!  I decided to make my own.  

I started with a pendant setting I bought from Etsy, with a press-in acrylic cabochon.  I used pearl beads and a pinback I had in my stash, and I drew the Eye myself using pencil and Prismacolor colored pencils.  I cut off the bail from the pendant setting, turned it sideways, and glued a pinback to the back of it. Then I placed the Eye drawing into the setting and pressed the acrylic cab into it to seal it in.  Then I glued 4mm pearl beads to the setting all around the edge of the setting.  

Pearls are often thought of as symbolic of tears in Lover's Eye jewelry;  it's thought that an Eye surrounded by pearls and looking out through painted clouds symbolizes a deceased or lost loved one.  I decided to dispense with the symbolism and go with pearls for my Eye simply because I love the look.  (Although I guess you could say it symbolizes my dead love life as a whole, hehe).  

Here's my Lover's Eye brooch.  I'm really pleased with the way it came out, and I can't wait to wear it.  It doesn't represent anyone in particular, as I have no secret lover;  I was just fascinated with the concept and wanted to make one of my own.  I wish there wasn't a gap in the pearl beads;  that bothers me.  And I think next time I do this I'll make the eye smaller so there's more space around it.  And of course, I'd like to get less superglue on my hands when I do these kinds of things, heehee. 

This was a fun little build;  I'd love to make more and maybe give them as strange little gifts.  My roommate suggested making a Monster Eye and then wearing goth-Regency for Halloween, hehe.  I think I might make a googly-eye one just for grins.  

Sleeve Porn

buttons & loops

2 finished sleeves, yay! 

better pic of the silver/pearl buttons

pearl necklace for the outfit - still needs a pretty pendant

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