Post by Creative Consortium on Jan 30, 2008 21:17:19 GMT -6
Knights adorned themselves with sleeveless "surcoats" covered with a coat of arms. Their shirts were of fine linen and a more delicate stitch was used in constructing the garments. Velvet and satin were used in a knight doublet, cloaks and hats. Knight clothing also had more varied colors than that of the lower classes.
Baldric (Baldrick)
A leather belt or silk sash, usually richly ornamented. It was worn around the body over one shoulder to the opposite hip to carry a sword, dagger, pouch, etc. Baldric's were worn from the 1340's. In the tale or Gawain and the Green knight it says all knights of the round table wore a green baldric to commemorate that adventure.
Barbette
In France a barbette is usually a veil fixed above the ears to the hair or head-dress that then fell in folds to cover the neck as a wimple. In England a barbette was a strip of white linen worn under the chin and drawn up at each side to be fastened on the top of the head.
Bliaud
A Bliaud is a long belted over tunic worn by both sexes between the eleventh and early fourteenth century. Women wore a ground length bliaud decorated at the hem and neck. Women's Bliauds were fitted over the torso and had wide full length sleeves. Noblemen wore a calf or ankle length Bliaud similarly decorated with the skirt split at the sides to aid in riding. Lower classmen wore a knee length Bliaud.
Boots
Boots were an important article of clothing in the middle ages especially before the mid fourteenth century. They were useful in traveling and in houses which lacked modern comforts. Many styles of boot were mid calf-length with turned down or rolled tops, and were usually laced up the side. A taller knee length boot was called a Buskin or brodequine. Fashionable court boots were brightly colored and made of soft leather, and embroidered or brocaded silk. Traveling boots were usually made of leather. In the dark ages felt boots were also common in some areas. In the fourteenth century the toes of all footwear became extended to great lengths. Tall leather boots with heavy soles but open toes were known as Heauze or Houseaux. These varied in height from mid-calf to mid-thigh and were similar to Roman and Greek designs. Hauze were used from the ninth until the fourteenth century.
Breeches
In the Dark age's breeches or brais were loose knee length trousers worn by men. They were not worn in the middle ages but ornate breeches became popular in the sixteenth century.
Caps
In the thirteenth century the phrigian cap was popular. This was a round felt hat that came to a point in the front or had a forward pointing 'stalk' in the centre. It was originally Anatolian but it was seen across Europe from early times into the middle ages. The skullcap was popular from the twelfth century until the fifteenth. It is a small round hat closely fitting the top of the head with no brim or peak though sometimes a tail was present. A version of the skullcap, the biretta had by the fifteenth century developed into a stiffened square shape. The biretta was worn by academics The conical hat popular in ancient times remained in use into the middle ages. Women often wore jeweled and embroidered caps of rich fabrics to contain and decorate their plaited or coiled hair. They were particularly popular in the late middle ages.
Cloaks
The cloak has been made from every possible shape and size of material. In ancient times it could be circular, semicircular, rectangular or a square. It was not sewn but draped or pinned about the wearer. In Medieval time's cloaks were similar but fastened by cords or brooches at the neck. It was not till the sixteenth century that shaped sewn and lined cloaks were introduced. In the Dark Ages, cloaks were knee or ankle length and some had hoods attached. In the early middle age's cloaks were often very long and voluminous. Instead of a brooch fastening a cord or chain was sometimes used, these were fixed to metal bosses on each side of the opening. Later in the middle age's cloaks were worn less often, only when they were needed for warmth. This was due to the full outer garments that became common and the development of separate hoods.
Coif
A coif was a white linen cap worn by both sexes (also the name of mail head armour, usually worn under a helmet). It was close fitting and tied around the chin. It was worn from the early middle ages onwards as a night-cap or under another hat. A padded coif was also worn under a mail coif by knights and soldiers.
Cotehardies
The cotehardie was an outer tunic or gown worn by both sexes in the fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries. The exact form of a cotehardieis not clearly defined. In the early fourteenth century the male version was a three quarter length tunic with wide sleeves a round neck and buttoned down the front. From about 1340 it was shorter and more fitted, with elbow length sleeves. The female cotehardie was a full length gown with a wide neckline and fitted torso with a full long skirt.
Couvrechefs
A couvrechef was a veil that was draped around the head then hung loose or tucked into the neckband of a gown. The Anglo-Saxon term for a couvrechef was head rail. Couvrechefs were discarded by the upper classes in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries but remained everyday wear for the lower classes.
Doublets
(Gipon's, Pourpoint's, Gambeson')
Doublets were worn by men between the fourteenth and seventeenth century. In the fourteenth and Fifteenth centuries they were known as gipon's (jupon's)and pourpoint. They were derived from the gambeson that was a thick padded garment worn as body armour or under a mail shirt or hauberk. The gipon was a high necked hip or waist length tunic of the fourteenth centuries. The pourpoint of the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries was square necked with a knee length skirt.
Gard-corps
The gard-corps was a thirteenth century garment. It was loose and unbelted. It was worn over an under tunic. It was ankle or three-quarter length and had wide sleeves that were gathered at the waist and slit to allow the arm to pass through while the rest of the sleeves hung in folds behind.
Girdle
A girdle was a belt for the waist or hips. Girdles were made of metal, leather, fabric or cord and often had one or two hanging ends. Often objects were attached to or hung from a girdle: purse keys, knife, etc.
Gloves
Gloves were a symbol of power in the middle ages. This was especially true with royalty and high ecclesiastical offices whose gloves were made of deer or sheepskin. Gloves played a part in the investiture of knights and bishops. Gloves were given to holders of civic offices on certain occasions. Strong leather gloves were used for hawking and falconry, important pastimes of the nobility. In the middle ages most people would use mittens rather than gloves.
Gowns
The gown has been worn by women from Saxon times. Styles have varied but it has always been of at least ankle length. The cote, surcoat, houppelande and cotehardie are all types of gown. In the early Middle Ages the gown was long, full and loose fitting. It usually had a round neck split in the front to allow it to be put on over the head. Most gowns were decorated with embroidered borders at the wrist and neck. In Saxon and Norman times the outer gown could be three-quarter length showing a floor length undergown.In the second half of the thirteenth century gowns were word ungirded and an over-gown known as a cyclas or surcoat was introduced (see surcoat).In the fourteenth century gowns became more tailored and of much closer fit. Parti-coloring and counterchange designs were introduced as were tippets.
As well as the sideless surcoat Houpplande's were very popular till the mid fifteenth century. From the fourteenth century till the mid-sixteenth gowns were also worn by men though they were very different to those worn by women. Such a gown was worn by noblemen on top of a tunic and hose. It was long full and loose, open at the front with wide ample sleeves. It was made of velvet or damask and often lined with fur. Later gowns got shorter only reaching the knees or hips. Hanging sleeves were popular or the cuffs were pushed up the arms so the material was draped in many folds.
Hats
Hat's were worn by men in Europe from classical times but until the sixteenth century it was rare for women to wear hats. During the middle ages hats were worn only by men of rank and importance, the more common head covering was the hood. In the fifteenth century it became fashionable to wear a hat. There were a wide variety of hats from the sugar loaf hat to the hunting design with turned up rim and a long point, now firmly identified with robin hood.
Head-dresses
Head-dresses were very popular in the fifteenth century they were made up of metal, jeweled cauls velvets and silks, they were covered by veils. The most common styles included the infamous steeple head-dress, this is a long cone of brocade, velvet, cloth of gold or silver stiffened into a cone. Then the cone is attached to a black velvet cap visible as a band around the base of the head-dress. It was commonly worn on the back of the head at an angle of about forty degrees. A truncated version, as well as two and three coned versions were also known. Veils were often wired to achieve an attractive shape. A popular shape was the butterfly in which a double veil was shaped into two ridges further apart at the back.
Hoods
Hoods were worn from ancient times. They were worn separately as well as attached to cloaks. They were used throughout the middle ages. They were originally simply a head covering buttoned or laced at the front. Later they were extended to include a shoulder cape. From the Fourteenth century the point on the top lengthened into a padded sausage that hung down the wearers back, this extension was known as a liripipe. Later still new complex ways were developed to wear a hood. The common method was to put the face opening over the head and arrange the cape to hang in folds, either in front behind or to the side. The liripirpe then hung loose on the other side. By the 1420's more formal arrangements had been made for the arrangement of hoods had evolved. The hood was modified so it was no longer necessary to re-drape it each time it was put on. Women also wore hoods, which were usually attached to capes for traveling.
Hose
From the fourteenth century as cloths were tailored to fit this trend was applied to the chausses, from this point they are usually referred to as hose. They were in the form of two long stockings. They were kept up by being lace through eyelet holes at the bottom of the under tunic. Later the legs of the hose were joined and worn with a codpiece. Women wore similar hose but theirs only extended up to just above the knee. In the fourteenth century soled hose were often worn instead of shoes. It became the fashion to wear hoes with extended toes. This became so extreme that it became difficult to walk and toes had to be tied to the calf and stiffened with whalebone. It was actually made illegal in England to wear hose extending more than three and a half inches beyond the toe. In the fifteenth century parti-colored and stripped hose became popular.
Houppelandes
The houppeland was a voluminous outer garment derived from Flemish styles.I t was by both sexes worn between 1360 and the late fifteenth century. The houppeland could be any length between mid calf and sweeping the ground(the female version was floor length). The houppeland was fitted on the shoulders and very full, draped in many folds, and usually belted. The neckline followed current tunic styles except for the fourteenth century when it had a very high neckline often up to the ears!. It could be buttoned all the way up the centre front but more often it was not open but was split to knee level at the sides. The sleeves were always wide and often dagged. Houppelands were often lined in contrasting colors and furs.
Pattens
Pattens were overshoes made of leather metal and wood. They were fastened to the foot by cloth or leather straps. They were worn to raise shoes and soled hose above the mud and reduce ware on the sole. In the middle ages, pattens were just a lump of wood under the ball of the foot and another under the heel with an arch in between.
Shoes
The early form of the shoe was a single piece of rawhide (often with the fur still attached). These were attached with a thong of leather or sinew. They were still common in the dark ages and were used in remote areas by the lower classes till the beginning of the twentieth century. Also common in the dark ages were simple sandals similar to those used by the Romans and Byzantine's By the eleventh century shoes were maybe from a separate sole and upper stitched together. In addition to leather court shoes were made of silk damask, and embroidered velvet. The pointed-toe shoe was introduced in the late eleventh century and in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries reached excessive lengths. These piked shoes were known as poulaines. The shoes used in the Middle Ages were ankle shoes fastened with a buckle or button though rolled top versions laced up the side were also known.
Surcoats
The surcoat or surcote was a garment worn over a tunic or cote. The surcoat was worn in civilian as well as military use and came in many varied forms. The male version was three quarter length showing the tunic beneath.In the late twelfth century the male Surcote developed sleeve. These were often long and loose and would have slits in the front at elbow level for the arms to pass through turning the sleeves into hanging sleeves. In the fourteenth century the surcoat became less loose and sleeves were more commonly three quarter length. Women also wore surcoats in the thirteenth century. At the time they were known as a cyclas. They were sleeveless at first with wide armholes (such cyclas made of rich materials were also worn by knights on ceremonial; occasions). Later hanging and three quarter became popular. In the fourteenth century Sideless surcoats became popular women's wear. These were worn over a under dress. They had a wide neckline and had huge armholes \reaching to the hip.
Tabards
The tabard was originally a practical garment used by crusading knights to protect them from the sun on their metal armour. It would often be decorated with a heraldic device to aid in identification. In the twelfth century it was adopted into civilian use worn over a tunic. The tabard was often used by heralds, decorated with the arms of their lord. A tabard in its simplest form is just a rectangle of cloth with a hole for the neck.
Tippets
Tippets were pendant streamers hanging from the elbow length sleeve of the tunic or gown. This term was also sometimes used for the liripipe of a hood.
Tunics
Tunics have existed in different forms since ancient times. The tunic was the usual wear in Europe before during and after the occupation of the Romans. For men the tunic was normally knee length, though the nobility would wear it ankle length. Women would sometimes wear a knee length tunic over a ground length gown. The tunic was eventually replaced by the fitted doublet in the fourteenth century.
Trousers
In dark age Britain and Europe long loose trousers were widely worn. They were sometimes tied at the bottom or at the knee but they were also often worn loose. They were replaced by the chausses leg coverings of the Carolingians and Merovingians that later developed into medieval hose. These were often criss-crossed to the knee until the eleventh century. Closefitting trousers were also worn by both sexes in Byzantium. Byzantine fashions exerted an important influence on Carolingian clothing and influenced the development of hose.
Turbans
Turbans are made up by wrapping a long piece of material around the head in a variety of ways. They were popular in Europe from the early fifteenth century till the beginning of the sixteenth century.
Veils
Veils were originally made of linen silk and even wool, however as it became possible to weave fine semi-transparent materials these were adopted for long flowing veils. In early time's veils were simply pieces of fabric held in place by a fillet (band of material), ribbon, or pinned to the hair. In later period's veils accompanied the head-dress. They were draped over it, around it or flowing down the back. In fifteenth century veils were particularly popular worn with horned, and steeple head-dresses, cauls, turbans and occasionally wired into butterfly wings.
Wimples
A wimple is a women's head-dress popular from the twelfth to the mid-fourteenth century (and less fashionable in the fifteenth century). A wimple is a piece of, usually white, silk or linen. A wimple was fastened to the hair on the crown of the head, or on each side above the ears and draped to cover the chin neck and throat. The lower edge of a wimple was often tucked into the neckline. Wimples were worn with a veil or couvrechef.
Decoration
Braid
Braid was a popular decoration for garments in the middle ages. It was used for appliqué decoration, binding and trimming. It was produced with a method known as tablet or card weaving. This involves threading thread through a number of metal, bone or wood tablets with four hole init. The warp is stretched between two fixed points and twisted to forma corded effect when the weft is threaded through to hold them together.
Counterchanged Clothing
Counterchanged clothing is a type of parti-colored clothing. The design uses a motif. The color of the motif and the color of the ground are reversed on another part of the garment.
Dagging
Dagges were a form of decoration introduced in the fourteenth century and lasting until the fifteenth. Dagges were jagged forms cut into the edges of garments. Dagges could be anything from simple v-shapes to complex leaf shapes. All garments except hose were dagged.
Embroidery
Embroidery was an important art in the middle ages especially in Italy and France. Heraldic patterns were used as were geometric and floral designs. Most garments were embroidered especially belts and pouches. Most embroidery was worked on linen, with wool or silk, gold and silver tread was only sparingly used. In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries English embroidery was the best in Europe. Scenes of animals and flowers were naturalistic, and silver thread and pearls introduced. In the fourteenth century velvet grounds were used.
Parti-colored clothing
Parti-colored clothing was popular from the late twelfth century until the end of the fifteenth. It was introduced as clothing was more fitted. This involved producing the torso (and therefore skirt) from four parts and caused a seam down the front and back of the garment. Parti-colored garments were made using different colored and or patterned fabrics. These different fabrics were used to make the four parts of the garment. Clothing was most commonly divided into half or quarters. Male hose were often parti-colored.
Baldric (Baldrick)
A leather belt or silk sash, usually richly ornamented. It was worn around the body over one shoulder to the opposite hip to carry a sword, dagger, pouch, etc. Baldric's were worn from the 1340's. In the tale or Gawain and the Green knight it says all knights of the round table wore a green baldric to commemorate that adventure.
Barbette
In France a barbette is usually a veil fixed above the ears to the hair or head-dress that then fell in folds to cover the neck as a wimple. In England a barbette was a strip of white linen worn under the chin and drawn up at each side to be fastened on the top of the head.
Bliaud
A Bliaud is a long belted over tunic worn by both sexes between the eleventh and early fourteenth century. Women wore a ground length bliaud decorated at the hem and neck. Women's Bliauds were fitted over the torso and had wide full length sleeves. Noblemen wore a calf or ankle length Bliaud similarly decorated with the skirt split at the sides to aid in riding. Lower classmen wore a knee length Bliaud.
Boots
Boots were an important article of clothing in the middle ages especially before the mid fourteenth century. They were useful in traveling and in houses which lacked modern comforts. Many styles of boot were mid calf-length with turned down or rolled tops, and were usually laced up the side. A taller knee length boot was called a Buskin or brodequine. Fashionable court boots were brightly colored and made of soft leather, and embroidered or brocaded silk. Traveling boots were usually made of leather. In the dark ages felt boots were also common in some areas. In the fourteenth century the toes of all footwear became extended to great lengths. Tall leather boots with heavy soles but open toes were known as Heauze or Houseaux. These varied in height from mid-calf to mid-thigh and were similar to Roman and Greek designs. Hauze were used from the ninth until the fourteenth century.
Breeches
In the Dark age's breeches or brais were loose knee length trousers worn by men. They were not worn in the middle ages but ornate breeches became popular in the sixteenth century.
Caps
In the thirteenth century the phrigian cap was popular. This was a round felt hat that came to a point in the front or had a forward pointing 'stalk' in the centre. It was originally Anatolian but it was seen across Europe from early times into the middle ages. The skullcap was popular from the twelfth century until the fifteenth. It is a small round hat closely fitting the top of the head with no brim or peak though sometimes a tail was present. A version of the skullcap, the biretta had by the fifteenth century developed into a stiffened square shape. The biretta was worn by academics The conical hat popular in ancient times remained in use into the middle ages. Women often wore jeweled and embroidered caps of rich fabrics to contain and decorate their plaited or coiled hair. They were particularly popular in the late middle ages.
Cloaks
The cloak has been made from every possible shape and size of material. In ancient times it could be circular, semicircular, rectangular or a square. It was not sewn but draped or pinned about the wearer. In Medieval time's cloaks were similar but fastened by cords or brooches at the neck. It was not till the sixteenth century that shaped sewn and lined cloaks were introduced. In the Dark Ages, cloaks were knee or ankle length and some had hoods attached. In the early middle age's cloaks were often very long and voluminous. Instead of a brooch fastening a cord or chain was sometimes used, these were fixed to metal bosses on each side of the opening. Later in the middle age's cloaks were worn less often, only when they were needed for warmth. This was due to the full outer garments that became common and the development of separate hoods.
Coif
A coif was a white linen cap worn by both sexes (also the name of mail head armour, usually worn under a helmet). It was close fitting and tied around the chin. It was worn from the early middle ages onwards as a night-cap or under another hat. A padded coif was also worn under a mail coif by knights and soldiers.
Cotehardies
The cotehardie was an outer tunic or gown worn by both sexes in the fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries. The exact form of a cotehardieis not clearly defined. In the early fourteenth century the male version was a three quarter length tunic with wide sleeves a round neck and buttoned down the front. From about 1340 it was shorter and more fitted, with elbow length sleeves. The female cotehardie was a full length gown with a wide neckline and fitted torso with a full long skirt.
Couvrechefs
A couvrechef was a veil that was draped around the head then hung loose or tucked into the neckband of a gown. The Anglo-Saxon term for a couvrechef was head rail. Couvrechefs were discarded by the upper classes in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries but remained everyday wear for the lower classes.
Doublets
(Gipon's, Pourpoint's, Gambeson')
Doublets were worn by men between the fourteenth and seventeenth century. In the fourteenth and Fifteenth centuries they were known as gipon's (jupon's)and pourpoint. They were derived from the gambeson that was a thick padded garment worn as body armour or under a mail shirt or hauberk. The gipon was a high necked hip or waist length tunic of the fourteenth centuries. The pourpoint of the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries was square necked with a knee length skirt.
Gard-corps
The gard-corps was a thirteenth century garment. It was loose and unbelted. It was worn over an under tunic. It was ankle or three-quarter length and had wide sleeves that were gathered at the waist and slit to allow the arm to pass through while the rest of the sleeves hung in folds behind.
Girdle
A girdle was a belt for the waist or hips. Girdles were made of metal, leather, fabric or cord and often had one or two hanging ends. Often objects were attached to or hung from a girdle: purse keys, knife, etc.
Gloves
Gloves were a symbol of power in the middle ages. This was especially true with royalty and high ecclesiastical offices whose gloves were made of deer or sheepskin. Gloves played a part in the investiture of knights and bishops. Gloves were given to holders of civic offices on certain occasions. Strong leather gloves were used for hawking and falconry, important pastimes of the nobility. In the middle ages most people would use mittens rather than gloves.
Gowns
The gown has been worn by women from Saxon times. Styles have varied but it has always been of at least ankle length. The cote, surcoat, houppelande and cotehardie are all types of gown. In the early Middle Ages the gown was long, full and loose fitting. It usually had a round neck split in the front to allow it to be put on over the head. Most gowns were decorated with embroidered borders at the wrist and neck. In Saxon and Norman times the outer gown could be three-quarter length showing a floor length undergown.In the second half of the thirteenth century gowns were word ungirded and an over-gown known as a cyclas or surcoat was introduced (see surcoat).In the fourteenth century gowns became more tailored and of much closer fit. Parti-coloring and counterchange designs were introduced as were tippets.
As well as the sideless surcoat Houpplande's were very popular till the mid fifteenth century. From the fourteenth century till the mid-sixteenth gowns were also worn by men though they were very different to those worn by women. Such a gown was worn by noblemen on top of a tunic and hose. It was long full and loose, open at the front with wide ample sleeves. It was made of velvet or damask and often lined with fur. Later gowns got shorter only reaching the knees or hips. Hanging sleeves were popular or the cuffs were pushed up the arms so the material was draped in many folds.
Hats
Hat's were worn by men in Europe from classical times but until the sixteenth century it was rare for women to wear hats. During the middle ages hats were worn only by men of rank and importance, the more common head covering was the hood. In the fifteenth century it became fashionable to wear a hat. There were a wide variety of hats from the sugar loaf hat to the hunting design with turned up rim and a long point, now firmly identified with robin hood.
Head-dresses
Head-dresses were very popular in the fifteenth century they were made up of metal, jeweled cauls velvets and silks, they were covered by veils. The most common styles included the infamous steeple head-dress, this is a long cone of brocade, velvet, cloth of gold or silver stiffened into a cone. Then the cone is attached to a black velvet cap visible as a band around the base of the head-dress. It was commonly worn on the back of the head at an angle of about forty degrees. A truncated version, as well as two and three coned versions were also known. Veils were often wired to achieve an attractive shape. A popular shape was the butterfly in which a double veil was shaped into two ridges further apart at the back.
Hoods
Hoods were worn from ancient times. They were worn separately as well as attached to cloaks. They were used throughout the middle ages. They were originally simply a head covering buttoned or laced at the front. Later they were extended to include a shoulder cape. From the Fourteenth century the point on the top lengthened into a padded sausage that hung down the wearers back, this extension was known as a liripipe. Later still new complex ways were developed to wear a hood. The common method was to put the face opening over the head and arrange the cape to hang in folds, either in front behind or to the side. The liripirpe then hung loose on the other side. By the 1420's more formal arrangements had been made for the arrangement of hoods had evolved. The hood was modified so it was no longer necessary to re-drape it each time it was put on. Women also wore hoods, which were usually attached to capes for traveling.
Hose
From the fourteenth century as cloths were tailored to fit this trend was applied to the chausses, from this point they are usually referred to as hose. They were in the form of two long stockings. They were kept up by being lace through eyelet holes at the bottom of the under tunic. Later the legs of the hose were joined and worn with a codpiece. Women wore similar hose but theirs only extended up to just above the knee. In the fourteenth century soled hose were often worn instead of shoes. It became the fashion to wear hoes with extended toes. This became so extreme that it became difficult to walk and toes had to be tied to the calf and stiffened with whalebone. It was actually made illegal in England to wear hose extending more than three and a half inches beyond the toe. In the fifteenth century parti-colored and stripped hose became popular.
Houppelandes
The houppeland was a voluminous outer garment derived from Flemish styles.I t was by both sexes worn between 1360 and the late fifteenth century. The houppeland could be any length between mid calf and sweeping the ground(the female version was floor length). The houppeland was fitted on the shoulders and very full, draped in many folds, and usually belted. The neckline followed current tunic styles except for the fourteenth century when it had a very high neckline often up to the ears!. It could be buttoned all the way up the centre front but more often it was not open but was split to knee level at the sides. The sleeves were always wide and often dagged. Houppelands were often lined in contrasting colors and furs.
Pattens
Pattens were overshoes made of leather metal and wood. They were fastened to the foot by cloth or leather straps. They were worn to raise shoes and soled hose above the mud and reduce ware on the sole. In the middle ages, pattens were just a lump of wood under the ball of the foot and another under the heel with an arch in between.
Shoes
The early form of the shoe was a single piece of rawhide (often with the fur still attached). These were attached with a thong of leather or sinew. They were still common in the dark ages and were used in remote areas by the lower classes till the beginning of the twentieth century. Also common in the dark ages were simple sandals similar to those used by the Romans and Byzantine's By the eleventh century shoes were maybe from a separate sole and upper stitched together. In addition to leather court shoes were made of silk damask, and embroidered velvet. The pointed-toe shoe was introduced in the late eleventh century and in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries reached excessive lengths. These piked shoes were known as poulaines. The shoes used in the Middle Ages were ankle shoes fastened with a buckle or button though rolled top versions laced up the side were also known.
Surcoats
The surcoat or surcote was a garment worn over a tunic or cote. The surcoat was worn in civilian as well as military use and came in many varied forms. The male version was three quarter length showing the tunic beneath.In the late twelfth century the male Surcote developed sleeve. These were often long and loose and would have slits in the front at elbow level for the arms to pass through turning the sleeves into hanging sleeves. In the fourteenth century the surcoat became less loose and sleeves were more commonly three quarter length. Women also wore surcoats in the thirteenth century. At the time they were known as a cyclas. They were sleeveless at first with wide armholes (such cyclas made of rich materials were also worn by knights on ceremonial; occasions). Later hanging and three quarter became popular. In the fourteenth century Sideless surcoats became popular women's wear. These were worn over a under dress. They had a wide neckline and had huge armholes \reaching to the hip.
Tabards
The tabard was originally a practical garment used by crusading knights to protect them from the sun on their metal armour. It would often be decorated with a heraldic device to aid in identification. In the twelfth century it was adopted into civilian use worn over a tunic. The tabard was often used by heralds, decorated with the arms of their lord. A tabard in its simplest form is just a rectangle of cloth with a hole for the neck.
Tippets
Tippets were pendant streamers hanging from the elbow length sleeve of the tunic or gown. This term was also sometimes used for the liripipe of a hood.
Tunics
Tunics have existed in different forms since ancient times. The tunic was the usual wear in Europe before during and after the occupation of the Romans. For men the tunic was normally knee length, though the nobility would wear it ankle length. Women would sometimes wear a knee length tunic over a ground length gown. The tunic was eventually replaced by the fitted doublet in the fourteenth century.
Trousers
In dark age Britain and Europe long loose trousers were widely worn. They were sometimes tied at the bottom or at the knee but they were also often worn loose. They were replaced by the chausses leg coverings of the Carolingians and Merovingians that later developed into medieval hose. These were often criss-crossed to the knee until the eleventh century. Closefitting trousers were also worn by both sexes in Byzantium. Byzantine fashions exerted an important influence on Carolingian clothing and influenced the development of hose.
Turbans
Turbans are made up by wrapping a long piece of material around the head in a variety of ways. They were popular in Europe from the early fifteenth century till the beginning of the sixteenth century.
Veils
Veils were originally made of linen silk and even wool, however as it became possible to weave fine semi-transparent materials these were adopted for long flowing veils. In early time's veils were simply pieces of fabric held in place by a fillet (band of material), ribbon, or pinned to the hair. In later period's veils accompanied the head-dress. They were draped over it, around it or flowing down the back. In fifteenth century veils were particularly popular worn with horned, and steeple head-dresses, cauls, turbans and occasionally wired into butterfly wings.
Wimples
A wimple is a women's head-dress popular from the twelfth to the mid-fourteenth century (and less fashionable in the fifteenth century). A wimple is a piece of, usually white, silk or linen. A wimple was fastened to the hair on the crown of the head, or on each side above the ears and draped to cover the chin neck and throat. The lower edge of a wimple was often tucked into the neckline. Wimples were worn with a veil or couvrechef.
Decoration
Braid
Braid was a popular decoration for garments in the middle ages. It was used for appliqué decoration, binding and trimming. It was produced with a method known as tablet or card weaving. This involves threading thread through a number of metal, bone or wood tablets with four hole init. The warp is stretched between two fixed points and twisted to forma corded effect when the weft is threaded through to hold them together.
Counterchanged Clothing
Counterchanged clothing is a type of parti-colored clothing. The design uses a motif. The color of the motif and the color of the ground are reversed on another part of the garment.
Dagging
Dagges were a form of decoration introduced in the fourteenth century and lasting until the fifteenth. Dagges were jagged forms cut into the edges of garments. Dagges could be anything from simple v-shapes to complex leaf shapes. All garments except hose were dagged.
Embroidery
Embroidery was an important art in the middle ages especially in Italy and France. Heraldic patterns were used as were geometric and floral designs. Most garments were embroidered especially belts and pouches. Most embroidery was worked on linen, with wool or silk, gold and silver tread was only sparingly used. In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries English embroidery was the best in Europe. Scenes of animals and flowers were naturalistic, and silver thread and pearls introduced. In the fourteenth century velvet grounds were used.
Parti-colored clothing
Parti-colored clothing was popular from the late twelfth century until the end of the fifteenth. It was introduced as clothing was more fitted. This involved producing the torso (and therefore skirt) from four parts and caused a seam down the front and back of the garment. Parti-colored garments were made using different colored and or patterned fabrics. These different fabrics were used to make the four parts of the garment. Clothing was most commonly divided into half or quarters. Male hose were often parti-colored.
