Starting the EFG

I've been obsessing over a particular costumer on the Facebook Elizabethan Costuming board and I follow her blog. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Jennifer Kluska's soft kit. She just has an aesthetic and great sense of the Elizabethan merchant/middle class that I strive to achieve. Don't get me wrong, I love to dress up all fancy-like (think of my last two 12th Nights) but a lot of the events in the West are outdoorsy affairs and I'd frankly feel a little better about dressing "down" in the dirt and weeds and [shudder] ticks. Recently, I have been spotted several times in the red linen kirtle made from the pattern that Margo Anderson drafted up especially for me. I've worn it, a lot. But it is essentially just an underwear layer when you ponder more about these things. So, it's not really appropriate for me to be wearing seulement.
Ex.

This collage represents the last 6 months of event attending and doesn't include ALL the events I wore the red kirtle to. [hot off the machine, debut at Cynagua Fall Coronet ASL, Collegium Occidentalis ASL - with slight change to the jacket, another shot from Collegium but taken at dancing,*** March Crown ASL - my first time consorting (and I'm particularly in love with this shot because it makes me look slim), Danegeld Tor Heavy Championship ASL, Mists-Cyn War ASLI]
***not shown Duchesses' Ball at 12th Night ASL, Cynagua Winter Invesiture/Crosston Ball ASL

You can see that I have a little more than  just the red kirtle in my soft kit. The Elizabethan jacket was my winning entry into an A&S competition for coats, I added an apron, I have the high necked pomegranate smock, a set of gray wool sleeves and a black velvet over partlet neither of which is actually big enough and are totally for sale if you're interested [wink wink], my cap, and a veil/headrail combo. So I can passably get along. But I want to mix it up too.

Now the idea of the English Fitted Dress...

One of the dresses I often swoon over in my copy of Tudor Tailor is the fitted dress. It just gives off the most lovely merchant vibe. Jennifer Kluska just did a great recreation of it and I've read through her blog posts about it. Plus, Holbein sketched it a lot maybe not as my Google-foo failed me when I went to look stuff up last night. Here's the gallery of Ninya Mikhaila's gown from Tudor Tailor. And of course, a lovely colorized sketch by Lucas de Heere.

I'm really intrigued by the lighter brown overgown on the right. It looks more like the Flemish market scene dresses, but I don't think it would look too badly in a fitted gown. I've got a clearance remnant of dark camel colored wool flannel from Fashion Fabrics Cub - 3 & 3/4 yards* of 54". I've chatted with Sylvie and she recommends washing the holy hell out of the wool; abusing it before making it up, as the gown essentially acts as a coat and will only need a little brushing off and spot treatment later. I'm worried about losing too much length in the hot wash (by the way, my house currently smells like I washed a dog in flower water) as I'm 6' tall. But I'm planning on a short sleeve length and can always add a larger guard at the hem if necessary.

*measured just prior to hot water wash was actually 156" = 4.33 yards. woo-hoo, Tudor Tailor pattern recommended 4 yards of 45" wide. I should have plenty to work with now.

So, even though we're moving this month, I'm stalling to get my sewing room packed up because I reall want to add some more layers to my garb, especially before West-An Tir War this July.

ETA: wool flannel out of the wash. Yes I lost some length and a little width. Final measure = 138"x51". Still think I'll have plenty of fabric and can still always add a larger hem guard if necessary.