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I've been researching, teaching, and creating Russian women's clothing for about three years within the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA). The subject of sixteenth century Russian women's clothing doesn't necessarily have a lot of resources, and I am further hampered by my complete lack of knowledge of the Russian language. I am intrigued by the embellishment of the clothing, and so I persist.
To date, I have made a complete ensemble, including rubashka, gornachaya rubaska, sarafan, ozherelya, kokoshnik and the associated headpieces for myself and for a friend; I have also assisted another friened in assembling hers. I am currently working on a new kokoshnik and sarafan. Pictures are available in the links to the left.
Melanie Unruh Bays goes by Eirene Tzimiskina Kontostephanina when she's feeling Byzantine, and Maredudd Angharad ferch Gwenhyfar when she's not. We'll just call her Eirene or Maredudd for short. Melanie is a self-styled authenticity mavin, and is dedicated to the notion that hats aren't optional when wearing period clothing. Clothing is only one of her SCA interests - cooking, heraldic display, tent-making, growing period utilitarian and flowering plants, and illumination fill the remainder of her copious free time. Maredudd/Eirene is a member of the Order of the Laurel (among other alphabet soup), and resides in the Barony of Caerthe (Denver, Colorado).
Melanie is mom to three small furry children and one naked one - Evan, who is 2 years old as of this writing. (Well, Evan's "naked" only until she gets some clothes on him.) She is married to the ever-patient Chris - Lord Robert of Deerbourne in the SCA - and funds her SCA life as a trainer for a major cable company.
I've been researching, teaching, and creating Byzantine clothing for several years within the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA). Lately, my interests have turned to Middle Period clothing (8th to 13th centuries). There are two challenges to women's clothing form this period - first, the primary resources are scarce. Secondly, finding appropriate fabrics has proved either difficult or costly. But I have found that it is some of the most comfortable and flashy clothing to wear eventing.