It started when my husband gave me not enough fabric. “This would make a pretty coat!”, he said, which was true, except the robbe that I usually make take about three lengths of fabric and there weren’t quite two on this piece. But I didn’t forget about the pretty fabric, and I occasionally found myself browsing paintings looking for something it could be other than a doublet. (I already have a red brocade doublet).
Now, I have spent the past really long time researching the front-laced camorro dress, which was the most popular fashion in Venice for an astonishingly long time. It’s practical, it’s comfortable and it was as ubiquitous as blue jeans. And you know, when you are focused on one thing researching, other things get put off for later. So although I have many times over the years come across this picture:
I would think “huh, wonder what’s going on there?” and then toss it in the mental milk crate that I always mean to sort through later but never get around to.
But yesterday my wheels slipped and I bounced out of the rut for some reason. I thought, “Wait, what is going on there? And why is it so narrow?!” And then, of course, I thought of my fabric.
What is going on there is a Turkish-influenced outfit, a robba based on a kaftan, and a gown based on what I am pretty sure is the entari, forgive me if I’m wrong on my Ottoman terminology. (Ottoman Turkish Garb An Overview of Women’s Clothing | Ottoman Empire | Embroidery) The Italians even borrowed the word Kaftan: “Caffettano, a cassock, a gabardine, a cloke or such like garment.” (Florio, John, A Worlde of Wordes, [1589] Georg Olms Verlag Hildesheim, New York, 1972.)
Turns out that along with trading back and forth, the Venetians and the Turks went and influenced each other’s fashion choices, as you do. And once you start looking, these coats are all over the place:
There are more.
The hallmarks of the coat are a relatively narrow and very square cut, a deep V neck created by the straight front, and that pointy bit on the end of the sleeve, which stops just above the elbow.
Generally they are cut front and backs together with the arm attached – you can see the wrinkles in the photos above where there is no armscy seam nor even a gusset to smooth things out there. But these things were open to interpretation, and there are patterns with a shoulder join, usually then decorated, and even with an attached sleeve, usually where the fabric pattern warrants it (one has stripes, eg). Then, with the extra fabric you have from cutting that long, narrow straight, you put gores in at the side. And that’s it! Embellish as desired!
Frequently they were worn with a smock or nightgown, good for hanging around the house in the morning, pretending you are an exotic and exciting Odalisque waiting for her lover, instead of a bored housewife whose husband is never home because duties to the Republic, yadda-yadda. But with the matching gown, they could be worn on the street or to parties, and the coat could also be thrown over the camorro for a different, slightly Oriental look. Pictures exist of all these options, Mistress Giata has dozens of pictures on her blog about this same coat. (Turkish Venetian Gown & Coat – La Bella Donna)
It takes very little fabric, as square-construction is wont. I managed to get mine out of that not-quite two lengths by inserting the shoulder seam, which I will decorate with slashing, and cutting the front and back opposing (back on the fold):
Then the gores were cut out of the not-quite one length that was left over, and I had just enough! In the Turkish version there is often a centre front gore, but that doesn’t seem to be there in the Venetian versions.
I’ve got the face fabric and the lining put together now, and I’m going to hang it for a bit to let the bias drop – it shouldn’t shift much, but my gores are pretty wide – and then finish it. Found a convenient picture of an extant kaftan with the insides showing, and the facings are installed as you would expect, stitched from the right side all the way around and at the armholes.
And now it is time for me to return to my regularly-scheduled rut, and finish my latest camorro!
She Who Measures 