15th Century German Under Dress

I made this dress for Mercy Neumark, who is a Master Potter! She does a lot of 15th-16th c. German pottery, so this was so perfect for her! The original image is late 15th c. German, and it depicts a female potter at a wheel. This would also be medieval underwear, to go underneath gowns. We chose wool lined in muslin so she could easily wear it alone (gotta look like the awesome picture!), while it can also be a warm undergarment. I also made the lacing cords for the sides by finger loop braiding, and the eyelets are all hand stitched. All machine stitching on the garment is hidden inside the lining and hand finished.

A note: This is one variation of the elusive under dress that has started to surface rapidly since the unveiling of the Lengberg bra. I personally believe that this type of fitted upper bodice and attached skirt could be one possibility regarding the origin of a Lengberg bra type garment. This one is obviously a bit different, but I think it's the same type of idea.

15th Century Bra

A remarkable clothing find was recently released to the public and showed us images of a bra found at Lengberg Castle in East Tryol, Austria. The bra has been dated to the 15th century and completely changes our perception of the history of underwear.

I already made one! I also made some matching panties to go with it. The garments are made of linen and are embellished with lace, as close to period needle lace as I had on hand.

I have more pictures on my website: http://www.faerie-queen.com/15th-century-bra-and-panties/
And here is an article on the bra: http://www.historyextra.com/lingerie