There are a lot of regional variances in Renaissance Italian clothing, and I'm making sub-pages to capture information specific to the two regions of Italy I'm interested in - Lombardy (Milan) and Venice. Information about general Italian Renaissance garb is on this page.

Online Resources for Italian Renaissance Garb

• The Anea Costumes: Articles and Galleries
• Pictoral breakdown of Renaissance dress by region
• Articles on Italian clothing
• To Stay or Not to Stay
• A discussion of "stays" or corsets
• Includes pictures of extant men's garb and portraits arranged according to area
• The Borgias Wiki: Italian Renaissance Clothing and Fashion
• Very interesting timeline comparison between Tuscan, Lombard, Roman, and Venetian fashion
• Briana's Clothing Page by Baroness Briana Etain MacKorkhill
• Includes an article on Italian regional differences
• Instructions for a ribbon coif
  
• A Discussion of How Not to Construct Bag Sleeves by Cynthia du Pre Argent
• In one of the period garb books I have (I think it's the Cesare Vecellio one), there is an image of a woman wearing a houppelande with bag sleeves and a balzo. I want that outfit.  I think the info on this page might help ...
• An Easy Italian Renaissance Gown by Madonna Contessa Ilaria Veltri degli Ansari
• I dunno, this one has darts, which makes me think it's way beyond my current skill level. But the gown looks cool! 
• FestivalAttyre.com's The Use of Lower Grade Silks in the Renaissance
• Summary of The Silk Industry in Renaissance Venice by Luca Mola
  
• The Florence Files: Katerina's Florentine Guardaroba by Signora Onorata Katerina da Brescia
• *sigh* These are some really nice gowns
• The Canton of Gleann nam Feòrag Dhuibhehas has patterns for late 15th century Florentine dress & chemise on their site
  
• Italian Renaissance Gown Construction by Mistress Leona Khadine d'Este and Mistress Enid d'Auliere
• This looks like a very comprehensive guide and I'm looking forward to trying it out for myself
• According to the introduction, the style is Venetian/Florentine, but was found in other regions of Italy as well
• Also features chemise and corset patterns
• Mary's Italian Costume Links
• This site is a goldmine of awesome links!
• Middle Class Italian Renaissance Gown by Mistress Genevieve d'Aquitaine
• Realm of Venus's Glossary of Italian Words Relating to Costume
• The Wonderful Bulbous Balzo by Maestra Damiana Illiara d'Onde
• The balzo is a puffy hat that looks kind of like a mushroom.  I want one. I'm very excited about finding this article on how to construct one! 

• The exhibition catalog for the Met's The Renaissance Portrait from Donatello to Bellini might have some good stuff in it

 

Random garb items that I'm specifically interested by:

• Giornea with leaf dagging (Web Gallery of Art)
• Pearls woven in hair (Web Gallery of Art)
• Pink gemstone(?) beads (Web Gallery of Art)
• Ribbon coif (Web Gallery of Art)
• Balzos! I love these puffy mushroom hats! 
• 1532 - Giulio Romano's portrait of a woman (Web Gallery of Art)
• 1525 - Bernardino Luini's portrait of a lady  (Web Gallery of Art)
• 1520-5 - Bernardino Luini's portrait of a young woman with fan (Web Gallery of Art)
• This view is at more of an angle so you can see the shape of the hat from the side
• 15818- Sanzio Rafaello's portrait of  Dona Isabel de Requesens, Vice-Queen of Naples (Web Gallery of Ar t)
• This hat is different from the others - it looks like it has a flat edge rather than a curved one
• 1536 - Vecellio Tiziano's portrait of Isabella d'Este (Web Gallery of Art)
• Cutwork sleeves
• Festivalattyre's Venetian dress diary has lots of info about cutwork sleeves
• This is a 1560's gown, I wonder if cutwork existed earlier? Hrm ...
• Gemstones other than pearls sewn onto clothing
• 1490 - Saint Justina of Padua by Bartolomeo Montaga
• Ferronnières (thin black headband)
• 1505 - Giovan Francesco Caroto's Portrait of a Woman
  
• Trim at the bottom of the skirt (balzana)
• 1520 - The Preaching of Saint John the Baptist by Francesco Ubertini (Web Gallery of Art)
• 1511 - The Miracle of the Newborn Child by Titian (Wikipaintings.org)