The Trimaris Fashion Report
Fourteenth-century Florentine fashion called among other things for trains, horn-shaped head pieces, and belts, which were broad, bold and metallic, embroidered and enameled. Communal officials not only grappled with creating laws to control fashion but also sought to demonize it, and trains and stiffly shaped headwear both became fourteenth-century fashion flashpoints. San Bernardino linked trains with bestiality, saying they made a woman look as though she were dragging a tail. The Trecento horned headdresses also occasioned devilish comparisons with women's inner natures, and hairdos were likened to owls. Communal officials approved new laws in 1433, noting that it realized "the great desire of these officials to restrain the barbarous and irrepressible bestiality of women."
Dressing Renaissance Florence: Families, Fortunes and Fine Clothing,
by Carole Collier Frick
CORONATION — Bubbles and small fairies took Queen Islay to Ireland while King Martin went off and got himself killed. Oh well. Princess-Royale Heather looked very pretty in her bodice and skirt, and I understand her dad is worried! TRH Yoan Moon Yang and Eorann Maguire stepped up to the thrones of Trimaris in all their Korean glory. Their outfits were just stunning, and I don't know how else to describe them. His sleeves were trimmed in Trimarian Baronial Heraldry. Although Duchess Anastasiya and her ladies in waiting made his coronation garments, HRM Yoan painted the trim himself. He is quite an artist, you know. Word around the A&S Hall is that he's going to have an entry for the Gulf War A&S Grand Melee. (Wouldn't you feel bad if the King brought an A&S entry to Gulf War and you didn't?) The Queen's coronation clothing was a lovely and cooperative team effort led by Countess Dulcia. I understand that Honorable Lord Thomas Wright of Lancaster came to the rescue by figuring out how to turn on the embroidery machine — and received one of the Crown's cool dragon-minted coins to boot. Queen Eorann also published a booklet on Korean clothing and customs for the populace. They were given away at the registration gate, but alas, I did not get one. I heard that it was one awesome piece of research. Do you think maybe she'd send some of it into The Triskele if we all asked her nicely?
The Ladies of the Rose... er, The Old Dead Queens held a tournament and raised money for the incoming Crown to help defray their numerous upcoming expenses. House Ech Dubh gets my heraldic thumbs up for the matching tabards, but not for their tournament group name of "Giddy Up Gallant."
In Their Majesties' Court that night, a couple of cool things happened. Anytime there is a large celebration in Korea, the children are given presents. Being that there was cause for celebration, Their Majesties called up the children present and gave them all gifts — and they were pretty non-cheesy gifts, I tell you. Our Make-A-Wish child for the day, Prince Devon, was heralded into Court by King Yoan himself, who then invited the young man to sit beside him for the remainder of the evening. And the Cooks' Guild gifted our shorter-than-average Majesty with his weight in rice. Using that keen intellect he possesses, HRM called upon the larger-than-your-average-bear Master Maredudd to stand in for him. Do I need to state that the Cooks' Guild did not have enough rice? Duchess Anastasiya (remember her from that paragraph up there?) did a very cool thing in Court that night. She gifted the Crown with three sets of clothing - each! She and her lady in waiting, Andrea, pulled together and created this fab gift. Not only that, but she looked absolutely fabulous in her sparkly India inspired clothing made of red diamonds and fleurs on a cream background. Another crisply garbed lady that night was Milady Ellyn Sybelle of Suffolk, newly arrived to Trimaris. Although she was not part of the Court's antics, she looked lovely in a green and white Anglo-Norman gown, adorned with a hand-woven belt and matching green boots.
WINTER A&S EXHIBITION — Another triumph in the arts and sciences happened in January. Not only was the hall full of really cool looking items, like the 17th Century Telescope and the 12th Century Chinese Kite, but it was full of really great clothing! Co-Autocrat Lady Kellen Oddsdottir was wearing a Viking hangerok and played the role well with rosy cheeks and braided blond hair. Lady Brigitte, Her Majesty's lady in waiting, looked lovely in a blue bliaut with a green patterned girdle. Milady Leonette de Valencia of Oldenfeld was every bit the young lady in a gold gown with a black cyclas. Mistress Genevieve and Master Geoffrey's daughter, Whitney, just a few months old right now, was dressed in a stunning teal wool dress with matching cap. She's such a cutie! Oh yeah, and doesn't Lady Arianne de Chateumichel have really extraordinary hair? It's so blond and silky, and looked so pretty floating on the air as she danced at the ball that evening. Countess Elena, Official Dance Minister of Trimaris, got everyone dancing that night. The Oldenfeld Ensemble played for the dancers that evening. Man, do those guys rock — as far as medieval dance music goes.
POST SCRIPT — At last Crown Lyst, Princess Sophie from "Braveheart" is really Lady Colète d'Evreux! Thanks for letting me know so I can tell the rest of the Known World.