The more time I spend studying the golden gefrens the more I want to make it, obvs. It also occurred to me that if the headpiece is made from metal (most likely gold) it could pose a problem wearing it in regards to sumptuary laws. After a bit of deliberation with my friend Kisse, she gave me some confidence that if I were to make it from fabric (much like a fillet that a veil is pinned to) I should be able to wear it with little issue. Is it more appropriate for someone of higher station to wear it instead of me? Probably, but that’s not going to stop me from trying to make one!
The Babenberger Genealogie; this panel painting, dated 1489-1492s. The whole outfit on the left is fabulous; fight me.
So once it was decided to go the fabric route, I thought about using silk for the outside facing part. But what kind of silk to use? I have to admit I don’t know much about silk types and application, so I reached out to another amazing friend and house sister (who specializes in late period Italian). She recommended silk taffeta, and using a medium weight linen for the inner part to give it a bit of shape and strength. I’m also considering using some floral wire (or something similar) to help it maintain that circular shape and to fit over any Zöpfe I may wear. I also went through my usual jewelry supply links to try and find some stuff that would be close or a reasonable substitute. I managed to find a few things and have since started some of the preliminary work on it, so make sure to check back for new posts!