IRCC II, mostly musing on mantles

So I've settled on a color scheme finally. White, gray, black, and then an accent of green/purple instead of blue. The later is due to my finding some lovely green/purple silk taffeta online that matches a bunch of green wool from stash that needs to be used.

So a bit of an overview of what I'm currently thinking for my IRCC dress.

Layer One; I have a bunch of muslin and 15 or so yards of white cotton insertion lace that I'm thinking for a camicia. I haven't decided whether or not  I will do any embroidery on my camicia this year. I'm mostly wanting something very soft and comfortable that can be washed well and the muslin is much softer than most of the linen I've been able to find recently. I'm probably not going to make drawers, simple because I already have several pairs that I rarely wear. I would also like to attempt a pair of stockings, and those will probably also be out of cotton since they will experimental.

Layer Two; So....my gown is going to be heavy heavy heavy, but oh well. I have ordered the silvery gray cotton velvet for the main gown, and then black cotton velvet for the outer part on the lower sleeves and the guard along the bottom. The applique is going to be out of black garment leather, using the technique on the men's doublet on page 31 of 'Patterns of Fashion 3'. The lower sleeves are going to be lined with rabbit furs I found recently which eerily resemble the color and feel of my cats fur (which I covet!! Its so pretty.) And I will probably cord the bodice. So, yes, it should be heavy and warm.

Layer Three; the portrait this gown is based off of is from 1540, a little early for the zimarras which Eleanora popularized in Florence. Plus, with the huge puffed sleeves on the gown, a zimarra would not likely fit well. I found many portraits of the early 1500's where eliptical mantles seemed very common, but no portraits where large mantles/cloaks are worn over the big puffed-sleeved gowns of the 1520's-1540's.  The closest thing I've found are little mantellina's worn over the shoulders.... but those, in my mind, count more as accessories than a third layer. So unless I find something I like that's 'third layer' appropriate closer to my target time of 1540, I'm going to be going with something like the mantles below in  Pinturicchio's 'The Betrothal of Emperor Frederick III and Eleanor of Portugal' from 1502.

 This will be made out of that green wool I mentioned above, and lined in purple or green flannel if I can find either affordably before the start of the challenge. I will probably embroider/applique/bead the front edge and around the arm slits in a similar fashion to what I did on my overgown for the 'Over and Above' Challenge.

And for accessories, I would like to make a balzo, sash, partlet, necklace, small veil, garters, slippers, gloves, soccacia...so we will see how that goes. I didn't do particularly well on my accessory list last year, and with a very busy summer ahead of me, things will get done as they get done.