Farthingales and ruffs! 1
Farthingales came in two major varieties: Spanish (Verdingales)
and French (cartwheel). Spanish farthingales were round, and
were shaped like a bell. Made of wool, silk, and velvets. The
round shape was maintained by hoops or bents made of rushes,
wood, wire or whalebone. A woman's kurtle flowed over the
hoops. Of the French (cartwheel) farthingales, the shape was
maintained by a "bum roll",
or doughnut shaped, cotton filled "roll" that sat upon a
woman's hips, tied in place. A woman's kurtle flowed over
the bum roll. For more extreme shapes, a
"pannier"
or "basket" was used.
In addition to farthingales, ruffs were used. Ruffs were
expensive, often of black or white lace, shaped in figure
eights ("8"). Ruffs could be several layers of figure eights,
or could extend even two feet outwards from the neck. To
help prevent soiling ruffs from the face and neck, a
"partlet" (often rectangular
shaped and of lace) was placed between clothing and the ruff.
Sometimes very large "cartwheel"
ruffs were used, that were held in position by a
"supportasse". Ruffs could
be pleated, as well. To display a woman's breasts, ruffs evolved
into square and open forms.
Sleeves also evolved into several forms. There were
"French" sleeves,
"leg-o-mutton" sleeves,
"hanging" oversleeves.
Hairstyles also evolved. One hairstyle was called the
"heart-shaped"" hair style.
1
One should recall that on Baroque theatre stages such as
at Drottningholm, there was not a lot of space between the
flats (wings). Actresses and dancers had to squeeze between
the flats to make entrance from the wings onto the raked
stage. Wearing farthingales supported by panniers made this
at times, a very difficult task. Thus it has been noted that
the use of farthingales with panniers created difficulties
in these theatre environments.
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