iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 15/03/2026

While it's not Caturday anymore, I should be excused for missing it owing to 12 hour PhD correction marathon days. This is my workspace, those two furry darlings make me happy.

panorama shot of my desk, monitor in the middle, lights to the right and to the left, and my two cats, one black and one white with black spots. snoozing together on a soft pad to the left of the keyboard

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

My darling Tristan, how is snoozing on the printer comfortable? Cats are (adorable) weirdos.

White cat with black Dalmation spots snoozing on a printer that is hard plastic.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 07/03/2026

Happy Caturday. Still working in the corrections (or trying to, Tristan is “helping”). That’s what I get for veering into several disciplines. 😸

A black standing desk for a laptop is in a sunny Scottish conservatory. Yes, sunny and Scottish isn’t always an oxymoron. An open laptop is in the top shelf, an open print edition of a thesis is on the shelf below. There is no chance to actually work on typing changes into the Word document, because a white cat with a black back of his head is sitting smack bang on the thesis. His head is turned to look at the laptop screen.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

If you see this, post a knight. (1250-75 BnF Français 2186 Li Romanz de la poire)

13th century manuscript illumination of a knight and his lady. On the top he is sitting, in full armour and heraldic tunic, she stands and is giving him a piece of fine cloth. On the bottom he is on his horse, which looks as if it were in the middle of a gallop. She is handing him his standard, with her cloth fixed on the top.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 27/02/2026

My wild Friday evening commenceth. Proofreading the final thesis version with Virgin Mojito and cats (out of sight) in the (rarely) sunny conservatory.

Photo of a thick, printed thesis on my lap. The lap isn't visible. On a small square, deep pink table are a Belvoir lime and yuzu bottle, a soda stream water bottle and a tall filled glass. The late afternoon sun is streaming in, illuminating glass candle lantern and cat fois containers on the windowsill.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

I turned my living room into a photo studio last night. Photographing red fabric is hard! One red silk, one red velvet. While not perfect, the final shots are better than any I tried before without the setup. Completed outfits are part of my creative practice PhD #HistoricDress #MedievalDress

Wide shot of a living room with black floor and white, glass-doored bookshelves. In the centre is a mannequin with a c.1200 CE red silk floor length dress, standing in front of a grey backdrop. To the right and the left are diffuser lamps, and in the centre front the camera is visible on a tripod, Inception-like.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 21/02/2026

Happy Caturday from Tristan

White cat with black spots twisted and halfway lying on his back with legs every which way. He is on a soft pad on top of a white desk, beside a keyboard. He is looking at the camera.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 14/02/2026

Happy Valentine's Caturday from Tristan and Giro

Two cats are lying side by side on a desk. The left one is white with black Dalmation spots, and the right one is black with a sliver of white chin showing. Their heads are turned toward each other.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

Whenever I need a creative practice research motivation boost, I look at this photo of the semi precious stones in their gilded settings, that I made for the gold and silk yoke embroidery of the 1200 bliaut. #HistoricalDress

The sun is shining onto blue, amethyst, and red tumbled semi precious stones. They are glittering and glistening, with their gilded settings shimmering gold.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

I just realised that my favourite corrections, underline, and short-notes pencil is from my student days. My first student days, nearly 40 years ago. Say that for pencil longevity.

A big red pencil lying across the photo and on top of a printout of my PhD thesis.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

Three massive plastic boxes arrived, the first set for my fabrics for when they get shipped to Germany. Tristan is very happy he gets an equally big cardboard box to play in.

Three very large transparent plastic boxes with lids stand stacked together on a dark floor, with the cardboard box they came in, standing behind them. In the background are glass-doored white bookshelves, but most importantly, there is Tristan, a white cat with Dalmation spots, who inspects the boxes.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

I was printing Sampson, E. (2018) 'The Cleaved Garment: The Maker, The Wearer and the “Me and Not Me” of Fashion Practice', Fashion Theory, 22(3), pp. 341-360 and forgot that Tristan loves to chase-and-catch two-sided printing when sheets are pulled back into the printer. Hello paperjam. #Caturday

White cat with Dalmation spots sits attentively on his soft pad on the desk, staring intently at the printer. A chewed-up and crumpled sheet of freshly printed paper has been slain and is proudly guarded in front of his paws

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

If I never have to hand-stitch eyelets into silk twill, nor fingerloop-braid silk floss, it won't be too early. 😉#MedievalSky #CreativePractice

Close-up of side lacing in red silk, with ladder lacing done with fingerloop-braid in red silk.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

Happy Caturday on this dreich day. #CatSky Stack of cats on and below my desk. Both in perfect petting-proximity.

White and black cat snoozing on a pad beside my keyboard on the desk, and a black cat curled up on a soft dark gry blanket on a pouf in front of the desk.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

Today I am trying to take good photos of the two artefacts (medieval 'outfits') I created. Emphasis on trying. This is really difficult, especially for red textiles. #CreativePractice #MedievalSky

Snapshot of the early 13th century embroidered dress with hanging sleeves made from red silk.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

Quick lunchtime cuddle with Tristan. #CatSky

Close up of the head of white and black cat sitting on my chest. One of my bespectacled eyes is peeking out from behind him.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

I collect, unintentionally, gold embroidery thread for goldwork. Had to buy everything I could get my hands on, and yet I couldn’t find one suitable for my underside couching plan. Photo shows only a small sample of my collection.

Open box filled with reels of a variety of gold embroidery passing threads

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

I managed to save a piece and spent hours last night entangling what was left of the warp after the accident (the less said about that the better). I might be able to piece on later, first some more weaving. Today I'll try to loosen the tightened edges at the end of the weave.

close-up of a piece of brocaded tablet weaving. The ground is an ecru silk, with two small red lines running at the sides. The design shows up in gold.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

When finishing the artefacts (medieval re-created dress), I had an accident with the early 13th c. brocaded tablet-woven belt. A lot of tears and curses later, I accepted I wouldn't have it finished for the viva. Determined to repair what I can, make it, and photograph for final thesis submission!

Photo of white table with tablet weaving loom on it, and pieces of a brocaded band with strands of silks separated out. On the right of the picture is Tristan, a white and black cat, snoozing on a yellow stool.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

Goodnight from Tristan who likes to lovingly suffocate me. #CatSky

White cat with black forehead being comfy on my chest, incidentally smooshing his furry body into my face and nose.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 23/02/2025

My Sunday is sorted. This is a great book, very enjoyable read. Buettner, B. (2022) The mineral and the visual: Precious stones in Medieval secular culture. Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State University Press. #MedievalSky

Book cover of "The mineral and the visual: precious stones in medieval secular culture", which has the image of a manuscript as background, with coloured roundels and the names of the gems they represent

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

Happy #Caturday evening from the Sentinel of the House. Tristan uses his baby kitten scratching post as a plinth. I think he's quite majestic, aye? #CatSky

White cat with Dalmation spots is sitting on a small kitten sized scratching mini post (with colourful dots on the pale blue fluffy fabric), looking attentively out of the window

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

I am excitedly asking because the artefact I am creating (c.1200 dress) has gemstones on the yoke embroidery, mimicking precious ones and either semi precious ones of the period (e.g. amethyst) they are also mimicking semi precious ones of the period. Hang on, here is a photo. 1/2

photo of an arrangement of semi precious stones, all tumbled

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

What's your favourite moment of the day? Mine is the first sip of coffee.

Colourful huge mug of coffee with painted sunflowers in the warm glow of an early morning desk setup, held up against the monitor that has Bluesky on

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

My workplace today ist (probably? Possibly?) Prettier than yours. Shyte weather, but it is Scotland, so...

Medieval looking building with pointy tower against a cloudy, steel grey sky. Don't believe the look, though, it was built in the 19th century in the Scottish Baronial style

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

Signs you are in Scotland: I found a Buckfast in the Wild. #Scotland

A smaller size bottle of buckfast leaning against a wall at the train station. The flash illuminates its empty sadness in the semi-dark.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

A lovely wee introduction to the broad, diverse and fascinating subject of how and why people coloured textiles. Kay-Williams, S. (2013) The story of colour in textiles: imperial purple to denim blue. London: Bloomsbury. www.bloomsbury.com/uk/story-of-...

book cover of the story of colour in textiles. four images of textiles are shown. on the top is a yellow silk with what seems like stylised flowers, on the top right a blue with a delicate geometric woven design in white. bottom left is a sumptuous red brocade and on the right a blue on white chinoiserie

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

Busy preparing the the belt fittings. #DressHistory #Making

Brown leather is laid out on a white table with a bunch of tools, such as rulet, pen, scissors, nose pliers

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

Sunday Funday non-English dye rec: Struckmeier, S. (2011) Die Textilfärberei vom Spätmittelalter bis zur Frühen Neuzeit (14.-16. Jahrhundert): eine naturwissenschaftlich-technische Analyse deutschsprachiger Quellen. Cottbuser Studien zur Geschichte von Technik, Arbeit und Umwelt Münster: Waxmann.

Book cover with a red background and title written in white, see the post for the title and author information. In the middle is a late medieval image from a handbook of trades showig a bearded man dying cloth red in a brick vat.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

Luckily, the c.1350 silk tablet woven belt is long enough. Now to fix the belt fittings. Does anyone know how best to do that? I am not sure to be honest, I used to let others do the metal work. Belt fittings are from Ukrainian artesans, enamel and gilded, recreation of an extant one #DressHistory

Gorgeous reproduction of a 14th century belt buckle and strap end. They are gilded and have enameled depictions of female figures with beast bodies. BTW, I never thought I'd write something like that, but such is the medievalist's lot. The belt buckle itself, the curved bit, if only I knew what it was called, anyway, that one is also a woman with a beast bird body.

Macro of the green silk tablet woven belt. It's a simple monocolour weave but the sheen is lovely

View from above of the green silk tablet woven belt. There are imperfections, but luckily the weave itself is fine. Tablet weaving will never be something I enjoy, it drives me batty. This was made from fine filament silk in a fresh May green

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

Happy Caturday. Giro and Tristan playing. And no, none of the stuff on the floor is rubbish, it is all because especially Tristan loves to play with those things, and what you see is only a selection of what's on my floor. 👀 Paper, cardboard and bags = Tristan's delight #CatSky

Photo of Tristan, white cat with Dalmation spots lying on a grey slate floor, and Giro playing. Giro is hidden in a crinkly cat tunnel made to look like a green dragon with yellow spikes, her black head is peeking out of a side hole. Lots of stuff that seems to be rubbish is lying around on the floor, but it's all things especially Tristan loves to play with. Meters of brown paper, several different types of crinkly bags, cardboard box.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

1503-06 The mocking of Christ, Matthias Grünewald. Photos by me taken in 2015, Alte Pinakothek, Munich. Note the interesting hose construction, including a crotch gusset similar to underarm gussets. I picked out the seams in yellow to show their position. #DressHistory

1503-06 The mocking of Christ in full. In the front is a man from the back, wearing tight hose and a short doublet.

Closeup of the man's trouser seat with interesting panels in the construction

Closeup of the leg and a different view of the construction seams, also picked out

Closeup of the man's trouser seat with interesting panels in the construction, drawn on in yellow to show where they are

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

Chenciner, R. (2000) Madder red: a history of luxury and trade: plant dyes and pigments in world commerce and art. Richmond, Surrey: Curzon. "The secret and devilishly complex Oriental dyeing process to obtain the lustrous colour known as Turkey Red was avidly sought by Europeans"

Book cover of "madder red" in a very bright, not unexpectedly, red. In the middle is a drawing of madder plants in blue on white.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 05/02/2025

1465 detail of Adoration of the Magi by Dieric Bouts the older. I took the photos in 2015 in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. Her dark blue dress is lined with grey fur, and look at the finely frilled edge of her pinned-up linen wimple. A shift peeks through at her neckline. #HistoricDress

15th century painting, the detail shows a woman in a dark blue dres standing and looking down. Her headddress is a fine white linen wimple with frilled edges pinned up on her head.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 05/02/2025

From the fantastic Woven into the Earth: Walton Rogers, P. (2009) 'Fibres and Dyes in Norse Textiles', in Østergård, E. (ed.) Woven into the earth: Textiles from Norse Greenland. Aarhus: Aarhus University, pp. 79-92. en.unipress.dk/udgivelser/w...

Book cover of Ostergard's woven into the earth. Dark blue background with a photo of the coast of Greenland in the middle. Craggy coastal hill with scraggly yellow-green vegetaion, and the sea right in front.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 05/02/2025

if you see this post your pride flags

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

"misanthropic, be-whiskered sociopaths" 🤣 Could this face belong to such a creature? (yes, yes it could)

Young cat face, white with black forehead and ears (which are delectably pale pink inside though) looking extremely cute with his head tilted to the side. His nosey-wose is the pinkest palest adorableness. In reality, however, he is a destructive menace. (and the most darling cattywoo)

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 04/02/2025

Hartl, A., Proaño Gaibor, A. N., van Bommel, M. R. and Hoffmann-de Keijzer, R. (2015) 'Searching for blue: Experiments with woad fermentation vats and an explanation of the colours through dye analysis', Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2, pp. 9-39. doi.org/10.1016/j.ja...

image from the article which shows many samples of wool with different colours throughout the woad dyeing process

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

I am joining MAH's lovely morning thread with an evening Bellarmine jug (shard). Photo taken all the way in 2003 in the wee local museum in Attendorn, Germany.

Cheerful bearded man face on a shard of the top of a 17th century Bellarmine jug in a museum display case. The beard is massive. Seriously, the kind of beard that gives shelter to birds, beasts, and the morning's egg yolk alike.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 02/02/2025

My back is hurting, I've been in a weird position for a couple of hours, but I can't because my lovely old lump Giro is snoozing on my legs. She doesn't often do that, usually it's young Tristan who wants cuddles, so… I suppose I just have to suffer. #CatSky

Old black cat with a white paw is curled up on my elevated legs that are covered with a grey blanket

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 02/02/2025

Throughout the month of February I am posting recs for research on natural dyes and (textile) colours in the Middle Ages. I am starting with the 'holy book': Cardon, D. (2007) Natural dyes: sources, tradition, technology and science. Translated by: Higgitt, C. London: Archetype Publications.

Book cover with the title in a red square in the middle: Natural Dyes. The background is a photo of coloured fibres under a microscope.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 02/02/2025

Thomas Cole "The course of Empire", five paintings (1833-36). Here: Arcadian state, the Consummation, Destruction, Desolation. Cole's description of tha last painting: "The gorgeous pageant has passed – the roar of battle has ceased – the multitude has sunk in the dust – the empire is extinct."

Four paintings arranged in a square panel. The series depicts the growth and fall of an imaginary city, situated on the lower end of a river valley, near its meeting with a bay of the sea. The valley is identifiable in each of the paintings, in part because of a distinct landmark: a large boulder is situated atop a crag overlooking the valley. Some critics believe this is meant to contrast the immutability of the earth with the transience of man.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

Cats are weird. How is this comfy? #CatSky

Tristan, young white cat with black forehead and Dalmatian spots, is in his soft pad on my glossy white desk, lying on his stomach, but his head is outside of the pad with his chin on the hard desk

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

Good morning from a still sleepy Tristan. #CatSky

Tristan, a young white cat with black forehead, is snoozing on his comfy pad on my desk, his head hanging out of the pad and snuggled into my left hand. I am using my right to type because who am I to disturb a snoozing cat.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

All of the quotes (some shortened to make them fit) are from Walton Rogers, P. (2009) 'Fibres and Dyes in Norse Textiles', in Østergård, E. (ed.) Woven into the earth: Textiles from Norse Greenland. Aarhus: Aarhus University, pp. 79-92. (raw wool samples from Greenland, p.87) 🧵25 #MedievalSky

Six raw wools samples in different natural colours, from black over dark brown and lighter colours back to black

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

Seriously, Tristan? On my head? #CatSky

Young white cat with black Dalmatian spots standing triumphantly on my head. My eyes - framed by my new glasses, yay - are glancing at the camera in mostly exasperation. I am wearing a hoodie and the hood is up, which probably gave Tristan extra grip.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

c.1434 Herjolfsnes short sleeved gown. Provenance: Greenland, Herjolfsnes cemetery. Material: gown and buttons special Greenland wool twill (wadmal), warp originally brown, weft undyed. The skirt is fashionably substantial, but also quite warm I reckon with its fabric volume🧵8.

The text on the slide reads: c.1434 Herjolfsnes short sleeved gown. Provenance: Greenland, Herjolfsnes cemetery. Material: gown and buttons special Greenland wool twill (wadmal), warp originally brown, weft undyed. The photo shows the back and the front of the gown.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

1400-1450 Herjolfsnes gown with buttoned sleeves. Provenance: Greenland, Herjolfsnes cemetery. Material: gown and buttons special Greenland wool twill (wadmal), near black originally. Wadmal (vaðmál) was an especially warm 2/2 twill, woven in Northern regions on warp weighted looms. 🧵7/

The text on the slide reads: 1400-1450 Herjolfsnes gown with buttoned sleeves. Provenance: Greenland, Herjolfsnes cemetery. Material: gown and buttons special Greenland wool twill (wadmal), near black originally. The photo shows a long sleeved dress with buttons, which has a wide and swishy skirt.

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Dr Nic @eldergoth.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

Fransen, L., Nørgaard, A. and Østergård, E. (2011) Medieval garments reconstructed: Norse clothing patterns. Aarhus: Aarhus University. In my opinion this publication is the best there is when it comes to reconstructing historical dress as academic practice. 🧵6/ en.unipress.dk/udgivelser/m...

Pale grey book cover of medieval garments reconstructe with a diagram of the cut as background and the actual garment, a dress, in the centre

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