Dejavu book covers

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Sun April 27th, 2014, 4:21 pm

This dress again. Sorry, I can't find a larger image.

DianeL · Post by **DianeL** » Sun April 27th, 2014, 5:03 pm

EC2 and LadyB, y'all are killing me!

Mythica · Post by **Mythica** » Sun April 27th, 2014, 8:51 pm

Remember this one?

Misfit · Post by **Misfit** » Sun April 27th, 2014, 11:23 pm

The cover that won't die.

MLE (Emily Cotton) · Post by **MLE (Emily Cotton)** » Mon April 28th, 2014, 12:17 am

That is one stinking awful non-accurate example of a ruff. In every period painting I have seen, ruffs were either white or, very rarely, black.

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » Mon April 28th, 2014, 8:30 am

[quote=""MLE (Emily Cotton)""]That is one stinking awful non-accurate example of a ruff. In every period painting I have seen, ruffs were either white or, very rarely, black.[/quote]

True, I haven't seen a coloured ruff either. But if they were mostly white, were they removed while eating? That's just asking for trouble...

MLE (Emily Cotton) · Post by **MLE (Emily Cotton)** » Mon April 28th, 2014, 2:00 pm

Ruffs were usually made of linen (with lace on the outside edges) although some appear to have been almost entirely lace. The point being that they were easily washed and ironed. They would be washed as one long strip, and then re-folded and stitched -- some portraits show ruff pins holding the pleats nice and tidy -- back into place.

We think of pinning as temporary and stitching as more permanent, but many articles of clothing required a maid or valet to stitch the wearer into them, and then cut them loose with little scissors afterwards. Imagine not being able to undress yourself!

Lisa · Post by **Lisa** » Mon April 28th, 2014, 4:07 pm

[quote=""MLE (Emily Cotton)""]Ruffs were usually made of linen (with lace on the outside edges) although some appear to have been almost entirely lace. The point being that they were easily washed and ironed. They would be washed as one long strip, and then re-folded and stitched -- some portraits show ruff pins holding the pleats nice and tidy -- back into place.

We think of pinning as temporary and stitching as more permanent, but many articles of clothing required a maid or valet to stitch the wearer into them, and then cut them loose with little scissors afterwards. Imagine not being able to undress yourself![/quote]

Yep too much work for me, I much prefer the off-the-rack fashion of today. I'll even avoid ironing if I can get away with it.

Your description does remind me of back when I was about 18 though, I was going to a big event with my boyfriend at the time, and my mother had to stitch me into my posh dress. We were staying in a hotel that night, so my mother had to present my boyfriend with a little pair of scissors to cut me out of my dress after the party, and it was a bit awkward all round...

Nefret · Post by **Nefret** » Mon April 28th, 2014, 8:54 pm

Wouldn't anyone who could afford that dress have ladies to help with clothes?

DianeL · Post by **DianeL** » Tue April 29th, 2014, 1:36 am

The color/textile *is* ridiculous, but I get lost in how uneven and floppy the thing is. Ruffs that large had supports underneath - and, as has been pointed out, lots of structural/design support as well. This thing is a CROOKED nightmare.