Pictures aren't very fabulous, due to a lack of good lighting and being taken on my iphone, but at least there's proof that the chemise exists. It's a thing! That works! I haven't finished my Goldhaube yet (the headdress/cap), so for these photos I just wound some extra lengths of linen around my head to hide my incredibly modern bleached hair with several inches of roots.
So far I'm sort of loving this style of garment as a support layer. I wore it all afternoon in my apartment, and found it to be super comfy as well as supportive. I don't know how well it would work for those more heavily endowed than myself, but for this particular C-cup lady nothing slipped or jiggled and everything is held securely in place.
I ended up using some black wool tape at the front neckline instead of the velvet ribbon I mentioned in my last post. Upon reflection it seemed like a choice that was far more practical than velvet, especially if I want to use this chemise with more middle-class 15th century impressions as well (which I do). I'm curious to try this style chemise with a fairly wide variety of German fashions from the 15th and 16th centuries. It seems to have been in use across a wide span of time even as styles of dress changed around it, so I'll be interested to find what sort of dress style it works best with on a body. Perhaps all of them. We'll see.
