The Italian Showcase - Lorenzo at the Realm of Venus

The Realm of Venus Presents...

he talian howcase

Lord Lorenzo Petrucci
(Ben Pung)

Barony of the South Downs, Meridies
(Atlanta, GA, USA)

Costumer and SCA Participant

An Outfit in the Style
of 1560s Bergamo

Lorenzo Petrucci (mka Ben Pung) has been sewing for most of his life, and started making historical clothing in 1993. Most of his research has been in the middle part of the 16th century in various parts of Europe, and the middle half of the 15th century in Italy. He dabbles in many other arts and crafts, depending on which way the wind is blowing. When he isn't making things, he is most likely dancing.

This is a man's suit in the style of Moroni's "Gentleman in Pink", c. 1560. The cut of the suit is fairly similar to contemporary suits in England and elsewhere. It consists of a doublet and trunk hose, joined by points at the waist. The undergarments are a camisa with small ruffles at the collar and cuffs, and drawstring brache.

The doublet is an evolution of the same basic pattern I have been using for years and years, originally adapted from Patterns of Fashion. I have finally almost gotten the cut right, though there is still much room for improvement. The front is cut with a slight peascod shape, though sadly it requires no padding. The outer layer is a lightweight red damask of indeterminate fiber content (though it seems to be largely natural fibers). The lining is a thin olive green cotton. All pieces except the sleeves are interlined with a heavy, coarse wool blend that is good for little else. The buttons are worked in cotton crochet yarn over wooden bead bases, with small silver- colored metal beads on top.

The trunk hose are a new pattern. The foundation pattern was made by cutting up the back of an old tight pair of jeans. The foundation is made with the same coarse wool blend, lined with thin black cotton. The panes are interlined with the coarse wool, and lined with another black wool. The front opening closes with several points, including one which holds up the codpiece. In most of the pictures, the canions come down below the knee, but I later cut them back to just above the knee and altered them to lay closer to the leg.

Trunk hose foundation pattern	Trunk hose center panes	Horse hair
Trunk hose padding	Covering the bombast	Covered bombast
	Left side panes	Pane finishing detail

All of the edges on the doublet and trunk hose were bound with a crisp black striped material. The binding is very thin but tightly woven, so it produces a narrow yet sturdy edge.

Many of the accessories shown in the pictures have gone through some revisions. The knee length nether stockings were replaced with longer stockings that go up over the canions. These are gartered below the knee with simple strips of stretchy leather. The pictured shoes are ones I made which have since gotten worn out. I replaced them with a pair of Bohemond's Mary Rose shoes. The belt is leather, with a buckle on the side for adjustment and a pewter clasp in the front. The clasp is one commonly found in contemporary portraits, with two loops on the belt ends and an S-hook linking them. I also made a wool flat cap to go with the suit, but I rarely wear it.