Mid-16th century Pink Venetian sottana, with brown velvet zimarra

The basis for this outfit started four years ago and languished in a mostly finished state in my closet until I finally got around to fixing the issues with the skirt lining that had caused its banishment in the first place. The sottana is made of a gorgeous pink-on-pink diamond twill cotton/linen blend (the same fabric as my pink 14th century cote). The imbusto (bodice) of the sottanna is lined in two layers of cotton canvas and has internal boning in the front pieces to keep the lacing edges stable. The skirt is lined in a matching pink cotton twill.

In the photos above, I am wearing a silk camicia with tiny gold flowers woven throughout. Over that, I am wearing a white silk organza partlet with a ruff edged in gold lace. The sleeves of the camicia are pulled out way too far in these images, as they kept slipping further and further down my arm as the day wore on.

The sleeves of the gown are meant to be changed out with other sleeves and so are detachable. They are made from a pale pink-on-beige silk damask and lined in pink linen.

The zimarra (over gown) is brown cotton velvet, lined in pale pink cotton sateen. It is theoretically reversable.

What Worked & What Didn't -

Overall, I'm very pleased with this outfit, but there are a few things that need tweaking before it gets worn again.

• The camica needs to have cuffs put in place to prevent it from slipping down my arms and spilling over my hands;
• The sleeves will need a lace cuff stitched to the wrist opening;
• The zimarra will be taken apart and trim added to it in order to make it less plain.

Inspiration Images -

Portrait of a lady, Bernardino Licino, c. 1550. Schaeffer Galleries, New York.

 

Garden in a Venetian Villa, Bendetto Caliari, 1570-80, Academia Carrara. (Full image)

 

"Matron Milanoise," Habitus variarum orbis gentium, Jan Jaques Boissard, 1581

 

"Courtisane Padouane," Habitus variarum orbis gentium, Jan Jaques Boissard, 1581

 

Dei veri ritratti degl'habiti di tuttele parti del mondo, Bartolomeo Grassi, 1585.

 

Winter dress of Venetian women at home and outdoors, Cesare Vecellio, De gli Habiti antichi et moderni di Diverse Parti del Mondo1589-90.