Queen Susan the Gentle

Updated write-up and screencaps coming soon - for now, see exhibit notes from Cherie, below! In the case that write-up/notes contradict, go with notes.

Underdress

The olive pea-green underdress (probably silk habotai or maybe raw silk) has a boat neckline with a v-notch at the center. The neck is edged in ruching.

The body of the dress is form-fitting, whether by princess seams or darts we don't know. There seems to be a horizontal mid-hip seam, but we don't know why.

The long sleeves can be seen peeking through the pink sleeve's slits at the forearm, and at the hand, where we see it is also edged in ruching.

Overdress

The silk jacquard overdress is a deep purple, somehow printed over with wisps of delicate greenish gold designs. The dress is open up the front, laced to itself from neck to hip, with a 1/2 - 1" gap, at least on the exhibit dress form. The gap seems slimmer on Susan.

As to seaming, we're seeing long darts starting at the bust point and curving all the way down to the hem. Probably side seams and back darts or princess seams. No back closure is needed because of the lacing up the front.

The neck follows the underdress, a boat with a v-notch, only showing the underdress a bit. About a two inch "band" at the neck is surrounded with a metallic gold cord that curves all the way around the short kimono sleeves. On the sleeves and at the neck are large swirls of goldish green embroidery.

The pink velvet sleeves seem to attach to the purple overdress. The velvet looks simply crushed, accounting for the lighting variations, but, on closer look, the velvet is embossed or stamped in a light floral pattern.

The pink sleeve ends in a cuff of the purple dress fabric, edged in cord and embroidered with a green swirl. Pulled through the buttoned slits (two or three buttons, the slits start from the elbow down the forearm, and are placed at the underside of the arm) one can see the green underdress' sleeve pulled through.

Her purple cape is baglined in yellow, and is set into the dress at the very tip of the shoulders at the back, below the neck band it seems.

Susan wears her crown she wore at her coronation (see write-up here), and a small elongated pendant at her neck. Her hair is mid-back length, curled in waves.

Cherie's FIDM Exhibit Notes

  • The sleeves are split underneath to allow the green under-dress to show through. It splits at the elbow, is stitched back together in one place halfway down the arm, and joined together again at the cuff, so the under-sleeves shows in two places. The middle of the split is closed with a stitch only, no decorative bits.
  • The bust is shaped with two darts that start at the bust and run down the entire length of the dress. There are no seams above where those darts begin.
  • The neck "trim" is not an extra piece, it is the same as the rest of the bodice with a gold braid sewn around it to mark it off from the rest of the dress.
  • The sleeves are NOT attached to the purple fabric. I theorize that they are attached to the green under-dress along with the green undersleeves, and that the purple part is a short-sleeved over-dress that is open at the front, slipped on over the under-dress and sleeves sort of like a robe, then laced shut in front.
  • The design printed on the purple dress is green, not gold, the same color as the under-dress.
  • The designs are not embroidered. They are either printed or painted on.
  • The green under-dress looked like silk to me, perhaps shantung.
  • The embroidery at the neckline looks more like appliqué.
  • No shoes were displayed, sorry!
  • The back of the dress was hidden from view. I considered tossing my cell phone into the display so I'd have an excuse to go get it and look, but the guards were pretty strict.

Film Screenshots

Exhibit (high resolution)

Promotional, Trailers

Sketch by Philo

 


 

 

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