Since I was a small girl I have always found myself drawn to western historical costume. From 16th century noble dress to the elaborate fashions of Versailles, the style lines and patterns of these ornate dresses have captivated me. Not only was the costume of these eras impressive but so was the decor. In particular the Baroque art styles found in the molding work within Versailles has always sparked a small sense of happiness in me. Using examples of this molding I hope to create patterns that reflect and pay tribute to the timeless beauty of the era while putting a modern twist on the style.
Although using French Baroque themes for inspiration behind my stylized patterns, I wish to use a color pallet that would pay tribute to an earlier era. Foregoing pastels and light colors of the 18th century, I will use a dark color pallet inspired by paintings of the Tudor era. Dark reds, deep greens and gold embellishments are the colors that stand out particularly to me.
One element that each of these eras have in common is the use of stays, or better known today as corsets. Both time periods that I am drawing inspiration from used much different styles of stays. The older designs of stays placed a large whale bone down the center front of the stomach to keep posture aligned making it nearly impossible for women to sit for long periods of time. Later in history these bonings became less intense, although I am not sure it was much more comfortable.
For my upcoming project I will join these two eras of history and art. Using a modernized (and hopefully more comfortable) corset pattern I will incorporate influences from two great art eras to create an eye catching design for a history lover.