I was a whisper on the breeze and a secret in her ear,
Her hair was a bonfire and eyes shining like wet stone,
Her heart was like a rosebush, stems as hard as bone,
There was a story on her lips, but a song too quiet to hear.

She was like the springtime, our love was fresh and clear,
But I grew thorns, and like ugly wings I sprouted fear.
If I had one chance I’d throw myself below her and atone,
She would be my finest rose.

Without her, autumn came and trees became austere,
And after that the time grew quickly, year by year by year.
Still, I listen for whispers of that song I could have known,
And look to my garden, gnarled and my flowers overgrown.
I tell myself, as winter comes, if I could just have her here,
She would be my finest rose.

“German Rose” German Dress Costume

Chemise with a fitted linen dress and overdress

With this collection, we wanted to prove that just because something is historically inspired does not mean it has to be less striking. Though this medieval German clothing is devoid of fancy trims and sparkly adornment, the cut of the dress and the silhouette more than make up for it! The set in this listing includes three main items: a chemise, a kirtle dress, and an overdress.

The overall look for this collection was inspired particularly by “The Crucifixion”, an oil painting by Anton Woensam circa 1540. In the painting, a woman can be seen kneeling in the foreground wearing a natural coloured chemise with a square-necked dress over top. From here, we have used historical information about garments from Central Europe in this time period to put together a pattern that re-imagines how this dress could have been constructed. The result is a perfect blend of simple and breathtaking.

This particular German costume probably would have been worn by a woman in a strong socioeconomic position, as the back lacing would require a servant to lace up. A working-class woman would likely wear something a bit easier to dress herself in. All three pieces can be worn together, but are also versatile enough to be combined with other similar costumes from the same time period.

Fine Flax Linen Underdress/ Chemise

The chemise for this collection has been completely re-designed from our previous Central-European underdress. It is still made from the same soft fine linen, but we have applied our advanced sewing techniques to make something that stands out just a little bit more in a subtle way. All around the neckline the dress is gathered in with tiny, perfect pleats, which neatly create a border. A tie in the middle of this border is what holds the dress closed. The same neat little pleats are again featured at the bottom of the sleeves, bringing in the voluminous sleeves to gracefully fitted cuffs. The chemise is not full length so you won’t have to worry about accidentally standing on it or tripping - it comes down to just below knee length.

Fitted Renaissance Kirtle with Boning

The middle layer of this collection is actually one of our best-selling dresses. Our linen kirtle is popular for being form-fitting and tight, but also comfortable. Plastic boning has been used to give it a little bit of structure without restricting you too much. It also has the added bonus of being an excellent sleeveless dress, with the option of tying on the stunning buttoned sleeves at the shoulder as well. It is versatile, generic enough to be customised, but gorgeous enough on its own to be perfect for SCA events, Renaissance Faires, LARPs, and tons of other types of parties. The dress features a square neckline that comes down quite low, so it exposes the pleats of the chemise and gives them room to shine as well. Back lacing of the dress keeps the bodice clear and simple, while also maintaining that nice fitted look. The full skirt of the dress flares out from the tight waist, falling to the ground.

Short-Sleeved, Asymmetric Hemmed Overdress

To give you an enviable silhouette and the most flattering fit, the overdress is closed with the help of numerous metal eyelets that allow you to lace it up at the back. This gives the back of the dress a beautiful shape, which helps it to fall beautifully. The hem of this dress is pretty massive - 9 meters around! It trails behind you a little bit, falling in generous pleats at the back and draping to the floor. We don’t want you tripping, though, which is why the front of the dress is shorter than the back, making it much easier to knee and walk in - it comes down to just below your knees. The sleeves of the overdress are shorter than the kirtle, only falling halfway down your bicep. They tie up at the shoulder with a cord to expose the beautiful lining and add another contrasting colour and texture to your dress overall. Just to make sure everything is perfect, the bodice of the dress is lined with the same linen and the bottom hem of the dress has been reinforced with a fine strip of linen to make sure it falls correctly.

All aspects of this German woman costume have been finely finished, including reinforcing around the eyelets, strong cord, and modern tailoring techniques to ensure everything is as neat as possible. The image that this whole collection evokes is one of beauty, grace, and independence. The German Rose is gorgeous and strong behind belief, sure of herself and happy to forge her own way. We hope that in wearing this collection you feel that strength running through you as you make your way in the world.

Because this is a very fitted dress, please ensure you measure yourself correctly, overtop of the undergarments you intend to wear with it.

To check how to measure yourself please click here.

Please contact us if you have any additional questions.