Not much
time left until Medieval Day at school. So I sauntered down to Centre Stage in
Lygon Street to get a costume. I was undecided as to whether to go as Eleanor
of Aquitaine or Hildegard of Bingen. Upon entering the cavernous shop, housed
in an old factory building, the tall, dark, bearded young man in a long red
leather coat ushered me to the racks labelled “Medieval”.
Rifling through the gold braided dresses of opulent red, green and purple, with trailing sleeves and veiled headdresses, I could see myself as lady of the manor, or even queen of the castle. However these dreams were soon shattered when it became obvious that Eleanor was a size 10 and I am not. Whilst waiting for Elizabeth the First to get her voluminous gown packed, I watched the gargoyles frolicking around the ceiling, their hessian wings and plastic faces leering down at centuries of vain fashion.
Rifling through the gold braided dresses of opulent red, green and purple, with trailing sleeves and veiled headdresses, I could see myself as lady of the manor, or even queen of the castle. However these dreams were soon shattered when it became obvious that Eleanor was a size 10 and I am not. Whilst waiting for Elizabeth the First to get her voluminous gown packed, I watched the gargoyles frolicking around the ceiling, their hessian wings and plastic faces leering down at centuries of vain fashion.
It would
have to be Option Two, the German Abbess who this year celebrates her 915th
birthday. She was a mystic, who suffered from terrible migraines during or
after which she had revelations from God. These informed her writing about art,
medicine, cosmology. Taking no credit for herself, she managed to be a leader
of women, and a confidante and advisor to men. In medieval portraits she is depicted with
austere headdress but wildly billowing folds of black cloth in her wake.
Confined yet magnificent. Last year, Pope Benedict declared her a saint and a
Doctor of the Church (meaning her writings are to be taken as doctrine).
Sadly I
looked more like something from Sister Act than twelfth century Rhineland but
as I left the shop, I was cheered up by the sight of this definitely authentic
Art Deco block of flats across the road.
AS hildy said
ReplyDeleteLove, which, in concert with Abstinence, established Faith, and which, along with Patience, builds up Chastity, is like the columns that sustain the four corners of a house. For it was that same Love which planted a glorious garden redolent with precious herbs and noble flowers--roses and lilies--which breathed forth a wondrous fragrance, that garden on which the true Solomon was accustomed to feast his eyes.
HILDEGARD OF BINGEN, letter to the Monk Guibert, 1176
At least you can dress up knowing that you are likely to have been to a more illustrious costume shop than any one else at work! Looking forward to seeing you in your finery.
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