ELIZABETHAN COSTUME

The Smock

Here are but a few of the Smocks given to Queen Elizabeth on New Years.

New Year Gifts to QE I 1561 - 1562 By the Lady Carewe, a smock wrought with blak silk, and coller and ruffes, with gold and silk. By the Lady Jebson, one smock all over wrought with blak silk, the sleves wrought with gold. By Mrs Marven, a smock wrought with blak silk, with a high coller edged with gold and silke. By Mrs. Harrington, a smock all over wrought with blak silk. By Mrs. Hennage, a fair smock all over wrought with blak silk, and a standing coller and ruffes wrought with gold. By the Lady Marques of Winchester, a smock of cameryck wrought with tawny sylke and black, the ruffe and collor edged with a bone lace of silver. By the Lady Sowche, Sir John Sowche's wyf, a smock of camerick, the sleves and parte of the boddy wrought with blacke silk and golde, the ruffs and collors edged with a bone lace of golde. By Sir Gawen Carewe, a smock of camerick, wrought with black silke in the collor and sleves, the square and ruffs wrought with Venice golde, and edged with a small bone lace of Venice golde By Phillip Sydney, a smock of camerick, the sleves and collor wrought with blac worke, and edged with a small bone lace of golde and silver; and a sute of ruffs cutworke, floreshed with golde and silver, and set with spangills, containing 4 oz. By Fowlke Grevell, a smocke of camerick wrought abowte the coller and the sleves of Spanysshe worke of roses and tres, and a night coyf with a forehed clothe of the same worke.

Italian Florentine 15th C

Today I've pulled out the linen for a Smock.    5-25-10

So the smock was used as the first layer against the skin.  It was washed with some regularity compared to the other layers made of rich velvets and silks.  Remember there was no dry cleaning in the 16th - 17th Centuries. If you look at the images above the smock was fairly unchanged in design for over 50 years.  The early Tudor period had square necked smocks but the later periods they used the high necked ones.  My last smock I used the Alter Years pattern (the only one at the time) and it uses a ragland sleeve.  There is no documentation showing use of this style.  Most are made using gussets and plain pieces.  I'm going to make this kind since it is more period.  I'll be able to wear it for Tudor and Elizabethan as well as my Italian's.

You know, when you purchase something from a person who is 'professional' you'd think that they would sell an item that was designed properly. The design is beautiful and the cuffs work great but it's the neck portion.  Now the blackwork it's really good looking but....it's too big for my neck.  I'd have to be cut into the pattern on top and bottom sides...sigh...it's not going to look good.

I guess I should not whine so,  My Laurel had a bit of machine blackwork and since she is an early persona, she didn't have a use for it.   I liked it and took it home..guess what, it turns out to be the exact pattern as my blackwork one....only smaller!  I gave My laurel back my larger version.  She can give it to someone else who has a large neck, or it could be used for cuffs.  So I can make another Hi-Neck Smock with this machine embroidery. (2/16/11)

So I bought a second set in red.  This is going to be doable.

Mostly hand sewing today.  Cuffs finished, Collar done and hem line with lace.

      This is the new form, it's male and almost child size but tall enough for my height.