15 thoughts on “SNARK WEEK: Tit Swags

  1. did you know….
    “Snark Week: Tit Swags” scans PERFECTLY to “Otto Titsling” from Beaches?
    .
    “Snark Week: Tit Swags, OMG what a trope!
    How costume designers maul pearls on a rope…”

  2. See, these are one of the few inaccuracies that I would not laugh at a designer for. If the costume has the right sort of jewels in the right placement, on-screen there would be very little difference between if it fastened at the very corners of the chest or was part of a larger necklace. Of course, the problem is a lot of the designers do not content themselves with creating the decoration similar to the historical examples.

  3. I have such a crush on Beatrix Pacheco (that last portrait), in part because her clothes are so unique. Does anybody know what the deal is with her clothing? I’ve never seen anything quite like it in her time frame. (Beatrix came from Italy to France with the court of Eleonore of Castile and later served Catherine de Medici. This portrait is probably from later in her life, despite her looking younger than earlier portraits of her.) I’ve rambled to my friends on end about how her clothes don’t match the styles of the time- has anyone ever seen sleeves of that sort before?

    1. My eye was immediately drawn to her as well, she has such a lovely face! But the clothes are strange, they look like earlier Italian styles if anything and I agree that she looks younger here than in portraits where she’s actually wearing up-to-date clothes. Is this a very strange attribution mistake or did she commission a portrait of herself as if she were younger? Either way I’m very curious!

  4. Anyone else want to scream at the portraits? If those necklaces are indeed pinned in place, it does not bode well for the pearls. They were worth more than diamonds in the period, but much softer. Scratching them by accident would suck.

  5. Bosom swags are not something that I will rip my eyes out for,but it is very clear that they were popular only during the 16th century as looped necklaces.Especially common on recycled costumes.The tudor era full U-bosom necklaces are more confusing though as the necklace chain,if any,is obscured by partlets.They sort of had a comeback during Edwardian era,in the form of embroidered pieces on a sheer background.

  6. You are a scream, and I love it!! I hate tit swags with a passion, even though I committed the crime in my earlier ‘bethan. Awesome. I thought at first that Judi Dench was wearing some big ol’ ones in Shakespeare in Love, but closer examination appears that they’re necklaces. Still hate Gwyneth, tho. Ugh.

  7. Katharine Hepburn & Lion in Winter was my first though when I saw the title. I always assumed she meant topless tit swag, Rather then pinned to the bodice kind.

    1. Same, I thought that surely this wasn’t a huge deal as all the 16th century portraits are wearing them… apparently we were wrong!

  8. Funny thing is, nipple swag did actually exist – during the Edwardian era. If you look at pictures of Edward VII’s coronation, Queen Alexanda has the Dagmar necklace pinned at nipple height. It is a bit difficult to see beneath the dozen or so ropes of pearls, but it is there.
    Grand Duchess Vladimir did something similar when wearing court dress.

  9. Noticed another version of tit swag when we watched Guys and Dolls the other night. In one of the dance numbers in the nightclub, Miss Adelaide and her chorus girls have swag under the tits on sparkly “flesh” colored leotards.

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