Historiska världars forum

Hello,
I'm new here. Lena suggested this would be a good place to ask some questions on Swedish medieval clothing.
I've been looking at the outfit in the "Historical Worlds" section for 15th century women. I'd love to make an outfit myself, but I have some questions.

I notice that the shift has breast slits for nursing. Was this a common thing for women's shifts? Would it have been on all women's shifts, or would women likely have had two sets: one for nursing and one when they weren't?

Thank you,
-Judy

Hello Judy, and welcome![8D]

I don´t think all dresses had breast-slits, only the one´s worn by nursing women!

/Towanda

Most probably they were opened in the seams for nursing, and then sewn together again when the child was old enough.

/Henrik

Here's an old thread on nursing clothing with several image links:
http://www.historiska.se/histvarld/foru ... PIC_ID=115

You can also check this webpage:
http://www.geocities.com/saragallery/nursing_pics.html

/Lena

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Towanda</i>

Hello Judy, and welcome![8D]

I don´t think all dresses had breast-slits, only the one´s worn by nursing women!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Hi Towanda, thanks!

I guess what I'm wondering, is if women at that time had enough wardrobe that they would have sarks for both when they were nursing and when they weren't. We have separate nursing clothes now, but then we also have a lot of clothes! Would they? Or, if they were pregnant and/or nursing so much of their adult life, would they just have all their sarks 'nursing' sarks. Just being curious, I guess.

-Judy

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Admin</i>

Most probably they were opened in the seams for nursing, and then sewn together again when the child was old enough.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

That's an interesting thought: open the side seams! Hmmmm, but I'm not sure how well shoving a screaming infant through the side of my dress would work. They thrash a lot. And most of the pics Lena sent me to did indicate the slits were very far front.

Maybe both were used? open the seam in the overdress to reach the slit in the sark? but unlacing the front might be easier.

-Judy

[quote]<i>Originally posted by Lena</i>

Here's an old thread on nursing clothing with several image links:
http://www.historiska.se/histvarld/foru ... PIC_ID=115

You can also check this webpage:
http://www.geocities.com/saragallery/nursing_pics.html


Hi Lena,
Thanks! ah, the second url doesn't seem to work anymore, but I did scan down through the thread. Geez, I wish I could read better! Some of the pictures were wonderful, and the DaVinci did seem to indicate slits that were stitched up! very interesting.

It looked like someone near the end made a comment about viking clothes? I couldn't tell what exactly, but I am a viking re-enactor and it definately peaked my interest. We always wondered how on earth in a sark with as high a neckline as we tend to see, anyone could have nursed! I guess slits would have worked.

Now.... has anyone found this technique in any Swedish paintings or artifacts?

Looks like I'm at least ready to order some linen and make the sark.

Thanks!
-Judy

Well Judy, the thread (by Mia) only takes up that it is very cold to nurse in vikingclothes.

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Johan Käll</i>

Well Judy, the thread (by Mia) only takes up that it is very cold to nurse in vikingclothes.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

LOL! yes I imagine it is. [:D] Particularly if you are outdoors.

-Judy

>the second url doesn't seem to work anymore,

Ehm, misspelled it. Mea culpa. This ought to be correct:
http://www.geocities.com/saragalley/nursing_pics.html

I just put up some pictures of me nursing in my [url="http://w1.311.comhem.se/~u31138198/1130.html"]12th century dress[/url].

Eva