I have a bee in my bonnet that I want to remake the black silk overgown of my Veronese outfit. I really love this piece, but it entirely doesn’t close anymore and likely never will. But I want to wear it, it’s so pretty! I think there’s a way to revamp the front to make it into another kind of overgown — remove the buttons, redo the collar & front edges, make it look intentional, and make something else to go under it (plenty of stuff in The Stash). Maybe add new sleeves, as necessary.
Keys are that the overgown has a fitted bodice and waist with tabs, high collar, and puffed rolls on the shoulders. The front *does not meet* at any point — there’s perhaps 2″-4″ of a gap, depending on corseting and suchlike.
Some open overgowns…
Portrait of a Woman Aged 19 Years by Gian Paolo Lolmo, circa 1580 at the Bergamo, Accademia Carrara
–worn over doublet-ish gown, overgown also has big open oversleeves
Eleanor of Toledo by Agnolo Bronzino, c. 1550
–fitted overgown w/fitted sleeves
An Unknown Lady by Francios Quesnel, c.1570, at the Kunstindustrimuseet, Oslo)
–sleeveless overgown, slightly fitted at waist, over fitted gown
Portrait of Mary Denton by George Gower, 1573, at the York City Art Gallery
–semi-fitted overgown with big open oversleeves
And then the Venetians…
Portrait of a Lady, attributed to Giovanni Antonio Fasolo, 1565-70, and in color, at Chicago, Art Institute
Portrait of Isabella Canossa by Paolo Caliari (Veronese), 1547-48, at Musee du Louvre, Paris
–split-front, ladder-laced Venetian gowns, the later in black!
I wonder if I could open the sides and add width so the bodice *does* meet at the waist, then cut away the neckline, and make it all into a venetian? I have more black silk … That all sounds horribly hard tho’ … but hey, how cool would it be to have a black venetian???