Partlets and coverings

The Realm of Venus competition rolls on, and I'm not saying I'm nervous, but I have started counting the days remaining (42). But it's finally given me the incentive to try making that piece of garb that's been most intimidating me - the partlet.

The partlet is like a modern day bolero, designed to cover the skin exposed at the top of the bodice. These could have been made of many kinds of material, and were supposedly used to preserve the modesty of the wearer, but when those versions were made of barely opaque or even transparent silks or lace, you're left wondering...

My first version is made of nice, crisp cotton, in the style of the wedding portrait of Isabella de Medici.

I'm a little miffed the ruffles aren't staning up more, but when I find my curling tongs, I'll revisit that with some of the starch solution I made up for my linen cardboard experiment.

So with the hat, that's two accessories made for the competition. I have an idea of two for the next one, a bag for archery bits, but shall have to see how that goes. There's still a lot of work to go on the veste.