3 archetypal methods of making clothing:
– used in a shape relatively unaltered from the shape created on the loom and draped on and/or around the body. – constructed of loom shaped rectangles and simple geometrical cuts and sewn to create loosely body-shaped garments. – the fabric is intricately cut and shaped to the body by being cut into pattern pieces and then sewn together.
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– Coverings for the human body. –
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Amount and type of clothing worn depends on the physical needs, social position and geograph geographic ic location of the wearer.
– A system in which change is the most desirable commodity. commodity. –
Clothing is not fashion, but it is the means through which fashion is created and expressed.
When clothing styles change quickly , the changes are driven by rather than necessity.
When clothing styles change very slowly , the changes are driven by rather than fashion.
1) Positive value must be placed on change & “newness”; the “old” becomes devalued. 2) R ange of of choices available: available: multiple types of garments, increased numbers of garments, expanded combinations of garments, & a wider range of colors, decorations, fabrics, etc. 3) Growth of a commercial society; moving cloth & clothing production production out the home, increased trade, faster travel, expanded access to a wider variety of goods, & improved economies. economies. Results in a rise in luxury consumption. 4) Rise in luxury spending & increased choices for all levels of society so styles trickle down into the middle and lower classes. Circulation drives drives the elite to seek new & different styles to maintain social & fashion superiority.
The fullest extent of the Roman Empire
Albania Algeria Andorra Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Belgium Bosnia-Herzegovin Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Egypt Macedonia France Georgia Germany Greece Hungary Iraq Israel Italy Jordania Kuwait
Lebanon Lichtenstein Luxembourg Lybia Malta Monaco Morocco Netherlands Palestine Portugal Romania San Marino Saudi Arabia Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sudan Switzerland Syria Tunisia Turkey United Kingdom Vatican City Yugoslavia Yugoslavia
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Clothes woven individually on vertical looms Transition to horizontal looms began in the later 3 rd century Vertical looms were not limited to the span of the weaver’s arms - fabric can be much wider Fabric woven to the shape of the garments as much as possible (neck openings & sleeves on T- tunics, curved edges of togas) Clothing is rarely cut and sewn to shape
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Tunica ) unshaped; could be made with solid shoulders or “gap shouldered” and fastened with brooches/fibula or other means. Stola ) sleeveless
overgown worn over the Tunica by married women. Several different different shoulder treatments.
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(Subucula )sleeved or unsleeved straight garment. Sleeves would be either woven to shape or sewn on.
- cloth made from nettles “ ” - a rare luxury cloth with a golden sheen made from the long silky filaments, or byssus, produced by the Pinna nobilis mollusk
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Palla )long )long wrapped
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Hair is put up in various ways, ranging from simple to very complex. Very high status women might wear a diadem diadem or coronet. coronet. The head was normally veiled with the Palla when in public. Cloth or cord belt called a Singulum; earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, brooches.
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Characteristic element of women’s dress in the areas absorbed into the Roman Empire - sleeveless dress suspended from the shoulder by brooches of some kind Called a “Peplos Dress” due to its similarity to the ancient Greek Peplos One of the most basic forms of a draped garment Dates to at least the Iron Age throughout Europe Peplos dresses appear to have been worn by themselves in warm weather, or over a long-sleeved tunic in colder weather or formal occaisons Peplos dresses evolved into various forms of sleeveless overgown (ie, norse apron dress) Difficult to determine when the Peplos Dress evolved into a status garment worn primarily by married women, or if that held true for all the Romanized cultures
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empire has driven Rome back. The Roman Empire has been split into two halves the & the . has been abandoned to the Saxons and the have been abandoned to the Norse. The , & the are separate but allied kingdoms. The have taken control of part of the Balkans, & the took Africa but failed to maintain control.
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A new form of tunica adopted from Dalmatia in the late 2nd century – the Dalmatic. The Roman Empire is now Christian, which changes the attitude towards women’s dress and modesty. modesty. Respectable women now expose no skin above the wrist or ankle & are almost completely obscured when out in public.
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Rome has fallen to the German Odoacer who rules the Italian peninsula as an independent kingdom allied to the Eastern Empire. The Visigoths ended their alliance with Rome and took over all of Hispania. The Franks expanded their empire rapidly, coming to control all of the territory within the heavy black line by the 9th century.
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Wool Linen Silk Hemp Some blends
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Probably a long, long-sleeved linen tunic. Ankle or above-the-ground above-the-ground length tunic with short or long sleeves. Peplos. Simple cloak. Vitta (tablet woven band worn like a filet), possibly a veil pinned to the vitta at the temples. Fabric leggings/stockings with tablet-woven cross garters, and tablet-woven belt with utilitarian items hung from it (knife, toiletry set, keys, etc).
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Wool Linen Silk
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Unknown. Probably a tunic. Ankle or above-the-ground above-the-ground length tunic with short or long sleeves. Peplos. Simple cloak. Vitta (tablet woven band worn like a filet), possibly a veil pinned to the vitta at the temples. Fabric leggings/stockings with tablet-woven cross garters, and tablet-woven belt with utilitarian items hung from it (knife, toiletry set, keys, etc).
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Wool Linen Silk (extremely expensive and only used by the very rich for trim and decoration)
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Probably Probably a linen underdress with long sleeves, sometimes pleated Ankle length gown gown with long, somewhat fitted sleeves sometimes trimmed with silk Ankle length (or (or slightly shorter) gown with somewhat shorter and looser sleeves than those of the gown worn beneath. An overgown overgown was not not always worn. ¾ circle mentel (mantle or cloak) reaching to mid-shin A brightly colored, draped headrail similar to a wimple and secured with pins, a metal filet or a length of tablet-woven tablet-wo ven braid. Wealthy women sometimes also wore a hood over the wimple. All free women women (except very young girls) carried a Seax as a sign of their freedom. freedom. Earrings in the shape of a loop with one or more beads on it. A single large brooch in the center of the chest, and sometimes pin “suites” (two or more ornamental pins connected by chains) that may have been used to pin the edge of the veil to the gown.
Virtually identical to those worn in the late Western Roman Empire. Modesty was extremely important important •
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Linen Wool Cotton Silk Cloth of gold & cloth of silver Cloth embroidered with silk, gold and appliqued with jewels Samite is introduced (a heavy silk satin) Patterns for garments (not just veils/pallas) become common among the nobility – dots, stars, circles, etc. A fashion developed developed for sewing small gold, silver, jeweled or enameled plaques all over the outermost layer of clothing.
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Undergown still referred to frequently as a subucula. subucula. When worn it could be seen peeking out from under the Tunica at wrists, hem and neck. Long-sleeved floor length gown called a Tunica or a Chiton. Necklines on both the Tunica and and Dalmatica/Stola layer continued to use the slit and Vneck styles, but a new rounded “scoop” neckline also appears at this time. The overgown, called Dalmatica (or Dalmatic), is shorter and heavier than the Tunica/Chiton. It is also more ornate than earlier versions and the gown worn under it. Nearly always worn by men but seems to be optional for women, worn primarily on formal occasions. occasions. The hems often form a distinct curve. It is possible that this layer is actually the married woman’s Stola – text sources reference it but text descriptions that directly relate to surviving images are extremely rare. Women continue to wear the Palla and other rectangular veils and shawls, but for formal occasions they wore a version of the men’s Cope which had replaced the Toga. The Cope was a semi-circlular semi-circlular mantle that men wore secured with a brooch on the right shoulder and folded back across the body. Women, except the Empress, did not drape it like the men. Instead they either secured it on both shoulders or draped it sideways over the left shoulder. Copes were worn indoors and out and were decorative rather than functional. Upper-class women mostly wore their hair up in elaborate shapes. shapes. Curls were much admired. Outside of the court court itself, women kept their hair covered with veils with out in public, especially if they were married.
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Women usually belted their garments with cloth or leather belts, or tasseled fabric sashes. sashes. Belts could be worn under the the bust, at the natural waist, waist, or on the high high hips. Jewelry includes rings, earrings, armlets, brooches, girdles, coronets & crowns. crowns. The Superhumeral, which which became an iconic part of Byzantine dress, appears now. Sometimes it’s part of the Pallium, but usually not. Worn by the Emperor, Empress and the members of the nobility, it was made of cloth of gold or silk, heavily embroidered and studded with jewels. It was usually divided into into compartments by verticals lines on the collar. The edges were embellished with up to 3 rows of pearls in varying sizes and there were sometimes drop pearls hung from the edge at intervals. intervals. The large round collar covered the entire shoulder area and part of the upper chest. As in Roman times, purpura (royal purple) is reserve exclusively for the use of the royal family. Other colors used in various garments and contexts conveyed information about the social class and/or clerical or governmental rank of the wearer. The distinctive garments of the Emperor & Empress were the crown and the heavily jeweled Pallium (also sometimes called the Loros). Descended from the Imperial Toga , the Pallium was a stiff 6-8” heavily decorated and lined band of fabric worn around the neck and hanging down or wrapped around the body in various ways.
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Wool Linen Silk (extremely expensive and only used by the very rich for trim and decoration)
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Long-sleeved linen undergown reaching to the ankles Long-sleeved woolen gown reaching to the ankles, with a high round or key-hole key-hole neckline. On cold weather it was possible that a second gown was worn underneath. A wool or linen linen sleeveless overgown suspended by straps fastened with brooches called a “ hangeroc” or Apron Dress. Early Apron dresses were probably made as simple pieces p ieces of un-shaped cloth, possibly worn in pairs, or a similar garment made with a closed side seam and gathered onto a band running around the chest. Square or triangular shawls were worn around the shoulders. A less common common item is a caftan, or loose coat made similarly to the gown but open down the entire center front. During the preChristian era women appear to have gone bareheaded, though they probably p robably covered their heads with scarves or caps similar to the men’s in cold weather. Converted Norse women began to wear scarves or simple caps. Brooches, strings of beads
The Norse Expansion
The Frankish Empire
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Linen Wool Silk Hemp Some blended fabrics
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Long-sleeved
Long-sleeved tunic reaching to the ankles and worn with belt. Long-sleeved caftan or coat closed at the chest with a brooch Cloak, shawl or half-round mantle. Married women wore the vitta (tabletwoven band worn as a filet) with a veil worn over the top and pinned to the temple with small brooches or decorative pins. Unmarried women may have worn the vitta without the veil, or may have worn their hair loose. Tablet-woven garters over cloth stockings and tablet-woven belt. Bow brooches area replaced by iron disk chatelaines.
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Linen Wool Some silk Some Hemp
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Long-
Ankle or abovethe-ground length tunic with long, straight sleeves. Caftan or coat with long straight sleeves. Cloak or half-round mantle. Vitta (tablet woven band worn like a filet), possibly a veil pinned to the vitta at the temples. Fabric leggings/stockings leggings/stockings with tabletwoven cross garters, and leather or tablet-woven belt, sometimes double-wrapped. Brooches and other jewelry.
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Wool Linen Some silk Some cotton
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Long-sleeved linen undergown reaching to the ankles. Long-sleeved woolen gown reaching to the ankles, with a high round or key-hole key-hole neckline. neckline. On cold weather it was possible that a second gown was worn underneath. A wool or linen sleeveless overgown suspended by straps fastened with brooches called a “hangeroc” or Apron Dress. Dress. Mid period Apron dresses show some basic attempts to fit them to the body. Square or triangular shawls were worn around the shoulders. shoulders. Caftans become more common. Pagab women appear to have gone bareheaded, though they probably covered their heads with scarves or caps similar to the men’s in cold weather. Christian Christi an women wear scarves or simple caps. Brooches, strings of beads
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The century of lead & iron… described as the darkest period of the middle ages
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The Norse become Normans Foundation of Cluny, first federated monastic order In 917 the Bulgarians destroyed the Byzantine army in the Battle of Anchialus, one of the bloodiest battles in the Middle Ages Vladimir I, Prince of Kievan Rus, baptised a Christian in 988 Reindeer and Bearsbecome extinct in Britain. Lions become extinct in Europe.
Wealth was demonstrated through the use of large amounts of high-quality fabric and elaborate embroidery rather than a profusion of jewelry Assumed long, longlongsleeved linen tunic with a high round neck Very full, ground length gown of linen or wool with long, narrow sleeves that are worn ruched up on the forearms. A ground length, very full gown fitting somewhat close to the body, body, possibly brought in by means of side lacings. The sleeves are ¾ length and flair out at the end of the sleeve. Necklines can be scooped or key-hole shaped. Semi-circular, full length mantles fastened on the chest with a brooch Hair is entirely hidden. The hair is braided and twisted into a bun at the nape nape of the neck. neck. A cap or filet is worn under the wimple which is secured to the cap/filet by pins. One style of wimple is made like a hood, the other is like a long scarf that is wrapped around the head and neck. Sewn cloth stockings with leg bindings worn over the stocking from knee to ankle. •
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Wool Linen Silk Hemp
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Wool Linen Silk Hemp
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Assumed ankle ankle length, long-sleeved linen undergown Long linen or wool gown with long, form-fitting sleeves that are cut very long and pushed up on the arm to form ruching. The wrists have embroidered cuffs. Slightly shorter wool gowns with very wide sleeves trimmed at the wrists and hem with wide bands of contrasting fabric and embroidery. Sometimes Sometim es there are similar bands running down or across the front of the garment. ¾ circle cloaks cloaks fastened with a brooch in the center of the chest, or a new, poncho-style cloak with no visible openin. Veils worn over a cap, as in the previous era. Veils are sometimes ornamented with fringe or beads, or trimmed with braid or embroidery across the top of the head.
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Wool Linen Silk Some Cotton
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Long-sleeved linen undergown reaching to the ankles. Some areas have highly pleated linen undergowns that may have been imported from the Near East. Long-sleeved woolen gown reaching to the ankles, with a high round or key-hole key-hole neckline. neckline. On cold weather it was possible that a second gown was worn underneath. The apron dresses are now fairly well fitted to the body and are relatively complex in construction but begin to lose popularity, disappearing by the end of the century. Square or triangular shawls and Caftans. Pagab women appear to have gone bareheaded, though they probably covered their heads with scarves or caps similar to the men’s in cold weather. Christian Christi an women wear scarves or simple caps. Brooches, strings of beads
A new fashion emerges in Europe which is most commonly referred to as the “ Bliaut” though it was likely only called that in France. France. The common characteristics of the Bliaut-style are: a more fitted bodice that had been previously worn, a wider skirt than had been previously worn, and sleeves that are fitted in the upper arm and expand into long hanging cuffs. Contrary to popular costuming costuming mythology, the bliautsstyle was not worn just in France and England – it was worn throughout western Europe and probably resulted from the transmission of the late 11 th century Byzantine fashions into Western Europe. •
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Wool (primary fabric for clothing of all classes) Linen (increasingly used by all but the very poorest as undergarments) Silk (used for entire garments only by the extremely wealthy and as trimming by those with less wealth) Fur (used as an inner lining for warmth). Vair (the white belly and blue-gray fur of the gray squirrel) was especially popular. popular.
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In all places, a long-sleeved, ankle or floor length white linen undergown with a moderately high rounded neckline (possibly key-hole) was worn. Variously called Chemise (French), Smock (English), etc. In all places, a long-sleeved, close-necked, floor length colored undergown of linen, wool, silk, or possibly cotton the very rich, was worn under the outer, fashion gown, layer. The sleeves are close fitting at the forearm and wrist and in some places and times are made overly long and pushed up to form wrinkles on the forearm. The neckline is usually a close-fitting key-hole and the body must be fairly fitted in order to work with the fitted fashion gown worn over it, there is some speculation that this layer may also have been laced to th e body in places and times with extremely fitted overgowns. This is the layer with the long pendant sleeve cuffs and the visible lacings (when present). Generally worn belted. Generally the bliauts-style is worn with the hair in t wo long braids at the sides of the head and a variety variety of veils. Some places and times also wear the style with wimples or the barette and filet. Brooches, belts, rings, veils, possibly braid weights in some places, and crowns or coronets.
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c. 1100-1180 Cut in one piece from hem to shoulder with sewn on sleeves and a number of gores let into the skirt to create the desired fullness. These gowns also generally achieve their tight fit through the use of lacings at the side seams. The sleeves are fitted to the forearm and then flare into moderately wide wide cuffs that reveal the ruching of the sleeves worn underneath.
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Made in two pieces with a tight bodice (cors ) and a separate, pleated or gathered on skirt ( gironé ). gironé ). The selvages of the fabric are use for the waist edge and hem, with the skirt falling in tight vertical pleats that run parallel to each other. The sleeves are tightly fitted on the upper arm and flare abruptly at the forearm to an extremely wide hanging sleeve that reveals the ruching of the sleeve worn beneath. The Cors/Bodice tends to be made overly long and is cinched up to form wrinkles or pleats around the torso from hip to underbust with the same lacings that pull it close to the body. This bodice style style is usually tightly fitted and is usually laced at the sides. The undergown usually has a high, key-hole neckline while the outer, fashion gown usually has either a deep V-neckline created by using a long vertical slit (like that used in Byzantine fashions from the 6th – 10th centuries) or a heavily ornamented key-hole neckline. Most women wearing this style wore a double wrapped belt (ceinture ) with tassels or decorative metal tips on the ends. The style probably developed to take advantage of silks coming out of the East that had decorative borders woven into them that ran along the selvages. These gowns were made of light silk or or very fine wool.
French Bliauts
Polish Bliaut
Southern France
Spanish Bliaut
French Bliaut Giorne
French Bliaut
English Bliaut
Italian Bliauts
Swiss Bliauts
Austrian Bliaut
Swedish Bliaut
English Bliauts
Spanish Bliaut
German Bliaut
Italian Bliaut
Italian Bliaut
Tuscan Bliaut
German Bliauts
German Bliaut
English Bliaut
A transitional style - fashion moves away away from the tight fitting styles to looser, looser, less fitted gowns that are often worn unbelted, but which retain the wide pendant cuffs of the bliauts-style. A sort of hybrid between the bliaut and the 13 th century style.
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White linen shift with high round neck and long sleeves. Floor length, or longer, linen or wool gown with long sleeves. The sleeves have have a distinctive shape created by enlarging the arm scye and tapering the sleeve to a very fitted wrist. The Gown is fitted at the shoulders but is cut and expanded with long gores to create fullness from the neck through the body and into the skirt. The elegent puddle of fabric at a noblewoman’s feet was a way of displaying her wealth. Floor length, or longer, linen, wool or silk gown with long straight sleeves that end just above the the wrist. The sleeves are cut very full at the arm scye like the gown below, but are not fitted at the the wrist. The Gown can be constructed with the front seam of the arm scye left open, allowing the sleeves to be worn hanging behind the arm and looking, from the front, as if one is wearing a sleeveless sleeveless cyclas. The elegent puddle of fabric at a noblewoman’s feet was a way of displaying her wealth. Half-round and ¾ round mantles with a cord or strap across the chest chest are seen most commonly commonly for nobles. For traveling, extremely cold weather, or occasions when the mantle is impractical, wool gowns made like those those described above but lined with fur were available.
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There is some variety possible here, with the simpler headdresses seen primarily around the turn of the century being gradually replaced by the more structured structured styles. Queens at their coronation and unmarried ladies are often shown with their hair loose, though possibly covered by a veil or worn with the barbette barbette and filet. Married noblewomen wore their hair up, generally in two bunches or buns at the back sides of the head which creates a distinct shaping to the head and frame for the face. The hairstyle was usually then covered by a net made of netted silk which could be almost any color, including gold or silver, and could could even be richly embellished. A barbette and fillet (almost always white linen) were worn over the net, or the filet might be replaced with a crown or coronet. In some places, especially especially Germany, the linen filet might be worn inside the crown or coronet. German ladies are also known to have worn their hair down and loose, o r braided back into a single braid running down their back, rather than in the tw obun style favored by the English and French ladies. Linen or wool hose, cut on the bias and reaching to the knee or just above. above. Ladies hose were supported by tablet-woven garters. Noble women did not wear belts at this time, though working women might. The only visible jewelry were rings and the large brooches used to close the neckline of the gown. Contemporary art does not show noblewomen wearing necklaces, though some extant pieces have been dated to this time. Stripes or bands of patterned sil k/fabric, tablet woven trims, or embroidery are commonly used to embellish gowns and overgowns. In addition to placing these bands in familiar places (necklines, wrists/cuffs, and hems) bands can also be placed to form stripes throughout the body of the garment. Horizontal stripes are the most common, but vertical stripes can also be seen. Entire garments made of brocades and other patterned fabrics also begin to be seen. The focus is on the display of costly fabrics and embellishments whi le maintaining great modesty, rather than on showing off the figure.
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The cyclas, the precursor to the sideless surcote, appears now. now. The cyclas is a sleeve-less surcoat that is made like the earlier overgown with hanging sleeves, but without any sleeves sleeves attached at all. The common theory is that the cyclas descended directly from the surcoat men wore over their armor, armor, however it is more likely descended from the earlier hanging-sleeved overgown with some influence from the military garment. Like the earlier 13th century styles, for noblewomen the Cyclas is made longer than floor-length. The elegant puddle of fabric at a noblewoman’s feet was a way of displaying her wealth.
Other changes occur in cut and construction. There is a gradual shift from Loom Shaped/Geometrical construction to true cutting and fitting. The 10-gore type construction can be found in late 13th century sculptures in Europe. This is not intended to be a tightly fitted gown or a substitute for the kirtle or cotehardie, but rather a radical shift in the way clothing is made to fit the body.
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There is a shift taking place here h ere from purely Islamic styles to more European styles of clothing. clothing. The clothing of Moorish Spain in the 13 th century shares much in common with the styles worn elsewhere in Western Europe while retaining Islamic elements.
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Linen Cotton Silk wool
Loosely cut with wide sleeves and a keyhole neckline, usually tied at the throat and made of thin, gauzy white linen or cotton. Men, women & children also wore loose pants cut long and fitting snuggly at the ankle. These pants were made of the same fabric as the smock, and could have a richly embellished embellished drawstring. Text sources also indicate the women might have also worn leg wraps that cover the leg from knee to ankle. Loosely cut floor-length tunics with long, moderately wide sleeves sleeves and high, round necklines with no obvious closure at the neckline. The richer you were, the the more generously you cut your robes. robes. The tunics of the nobility were embellished with gold and pearls at the neckline and cuffs, as well as tiraz bands on the upper arms. The tiraz bands could have Arabic script or geometric designs. Extremely expensive tunics were made out of patterned silks and brocades. There were two types of outer garment: the practical Burnus and the decorative Rida. Rida. The Burnus was a semi-circular cloak with a hood, generally made of wool. The Rida was a rectangular wrap wrap of richly embellished silk directly descended from the Palla and usually worn in the same way. Although some authors classify long rectangular veils worn over the head and held before the face in outdoor scenes as “veils”, I believe that these are simply Pallas being used as they were since the early days of Rome. According to text sources, it was very common for Moorish women to veil their faces when out in public but images with veiled faces are very rare. rare. One miniature from the Book of Games shows two women wearing wearing tall turban-like hats of wrapped scarves with white face veils that look almost like modern surgical masks covering the mouth, nose and chin. Regular head veils veils are commonly shown, with black & white being the the most common. They are usually fastened under the chin by a small pin and held in place on the top of the head by a fabric or tablet woven filet or another scarf. There is also some evidence for some women going with their hair uncovered and no hat or headdress, though I don’t know the reasons for it.
3 archetypal methods of making clothing:
– used in a shape relatively unaltered from the shape created on the loom and draped on and/or around the body. – constructed of loom shaped rectangles and simple geometrical cuts and sewn to create loosely body-shaped garments. – the fabric is intricately cut and shaped to the body by being cut into pattern pieces and then sewn together.
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– Coverings for the human body. –
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Amount and type of clothing worn depends on the physical needs, social position and geograph geographic ic location of the wearer.
– A system in which change is the most desirable commodity. commodity. –
Clothing is not fashion, but it is the means through which fashion is created and expressed.
When clothing styles change quickly , the changes are driven by rather than necessity.
When clothing styles change very slowly , the changes are driven by rather than fashion.
1) Positive value must be placed on change & “newness”; the “old” becomes devalued. 2) R ange of of choices available: available: multiple types of garments, increased numbers of garments, expanded combinations of garments, & a wider range of colors, decorations, fabrics, etc. 3) Growth of a commercial society; moving cloth & clothing production production out the home, increased trade, faster travel, expanded access to a wider variety of goods, & improved economies. economies. Results in a rise in luxury consumption. 4) Rise in luxury spending & increased choices for all levels of society so styles trickle down into the middle and lower classes. Circulation drives drives the elite to seek new & different styles to maintain social & fashion superiority.
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Women’s hemlines continue to
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Fashion begins to evolve and change at a much faster pace than it had ever done previously but styles are still “pan -European” with only relatively minor variations between regions. The so-called Little Ice Age begins in the early 14th century and an increasing desire for warmth and tolerance of multiple heavy layers begins.
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Wool Linen Silk imported from the East of from the silk mills in Italy Cotton imported from Egypt was used for padding, in quilting, and in serviceable cloth like buckram and fustian, but rarely as a fashion layer Woodblock printing of fabrics becomes fairly common by the end of the century Italian brocaded and damasked silks featured repeating patterns of roundels and animals in imitation of the Chinese and Ottoman silks. Parti-colored garments become very popular. Checkered and plaid fabrics are occasionally seen used for garments, such as the plaid cotehardie from the St. Vincent altarpiece in Catalonia. Fur is primarily used for lining and trimming garments
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Called the smock or shift, documentation exists for two styles: a sleeveless “tank -top” style made famous as the “bath house shift” and possibly worn during hot weather, and a long sleeved version normally worn. Both styles were at least mid-calf to ankle length and made of white linen. The Kirtle was an ankle or floor-length gown that laced up (usually down the center front or back) and had long early in the century, with short sleeves becoming common by the end of the century. The Kirtle was usually usually tightly fitted and acted as the supportive layer for the fashion gown worn over it. Later in the century it might be worn on its own, but only informally. For formal occasions it was always worn under nother fashion layer. The Cotehardie is the fitted fashion layer worn over the kirtle. The cotehardie could lace up the the front, button up the front (with buttons reaching to the hips or all the way to the floor), or more rarely it could lace up the back. The long sleeves were tightly fitted and usually buttoned from the elbow to the wrist with the cuff frequently extending down over the hand. Sometimes the wearer left the sleeves of the cotehardie unbuttoned, allowing them to hang down from the elbow and the sleeve of the kirtle worn underneath underneath to be seen. Gradually the cotehardie developed sleeves that were deliberately cut to imitate this fashion, and eventually evolving evolving into the tippet. The tippet was a cuff that attaches to the edge of the short cotehardie sleeve forming a band around the bicep and supporting a streamer – the last remains of the old hanging sleeve with its buttons. Tippets are typically depicted as being made of white and are probably made of linen to allow them to be washed and bleached. The Cyclas of the 13th century evolves in the early 14th century into the elaborate sideless surcoat. When outdoors, women wore cloaks or mantles lined with fur, or later in the century, century, they wore a looser fitting fur-lined garment called the Houppelande that would evolve into an elaborate style of fashion gown in the early 15 th century. Stockings coming up to or just over the knee, sewn from wool, sometimes linen, usually cut on the bias and supported by tied or buckled garters. garters. Cotehardies were often worn with decorated belts made of tablet weaving with metal mounts or metal links.
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Wool Linen Hemp Silk Pomegranate & artichoke patterned silks, richly colored velvelts and wools and nearly transparent linen and silk were characteristic of the period The fashion for slashing begins in mid-century in Italy and Germany
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By this time the kirtle is generally short sleeved. When doing strenuous or dirty work, the sleeves of the smock are allowed to show but are usually rolled up to keep them clean. Generally false sleeves of rich fabric are worn pinned to the short sleeves of the kirtle to cover the smock sleeves. These false sleeves are what show underneath the fashion gown layer.
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Fitted like a Cotehardie through the body, but often with a hidden closure so probably back lacing The Cotehardie hanging sleeve lengthens and broadens into the Houppelande sleeve OR Narrow sleeved with a loose fitting, pleated body and high buttoned collar Can be worn with or without a belt, but the belt is normally worn just under the bust when present
High collar can be worn standing up or laying down on the shoulders The undergown or smock also has a high collar and, when the collar is worn folded down onto the shoulders the undergown collar can be seen as a second layer on top of the gown collar Wide, open sleeves or voluminous sleeves with a fairly narrow wrist – sleeves become progressively larger towards c.1415 then begin to shrink again Pleated and belted under the bust
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Relatively narrow, narrow, to almost non-existent, collars Neckline is usually open to the belt, but narrow so only a small triangle of the underdress shows Worn over a kirtle, sometimes the lacings at the center front of the kirtle show Necklines are sometimes filled in or covered with a white linen cloth worn around the neck and tucked into the bodice Sleeves are wide and loose fitting, but not bagged though they gradually gradually become more and more fitted as you approach c.1450 Pleated and belted but the cut is progressively less full as you approach c.1450
Germany 1439
Italy 1440
Portugal 1445
Italy 1438
Flemish 1443
Flemish 1450
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Worn over another dress layer (the Kirtle) Popular in France, England and the Lowlands Worn in multiple variations by multiple classes Often trimmed and/or lined with fur Wide neck opening sits at the point of the shoulder, with a collar several inches wide and has a high cut back neckline Front neckline and center front seam use t he selvage so the neckline will not stretch and curves around the bust (continuous straight line) The front opening is laced o r hooks closed, may extend down onto the abdomen, sometimes hidden by the wide belt A few examples of side laced gowns exist for both the overgown and kirtle layers The bodice and sleeves become very fitte d by c.1470 The waist is just under the bust to high-ish waist The skirt is very full at the hem but is made as a circle skirt, rather than pleated or gathered onto the bodice Usually has fitted sleeves Usually trimmed with fur at the collar, cuffs and hem though these can be made of velvet or brocade The collar forms a V-shaped flap on the back that generally hangs down over the belt Back of the neck can be a V-shape or a deep scoop Can be worn with or without the wide belt Usually worn with a hennin of some style The front lacings of the kirtle are usually hidden by a Placket that is pinned over the kirtle and under the overgown. The Placket creates a look like a square necked undergown but the neckline of the kirtle retains the rounded shape from the 14 th century Sometimes worn worn the neckline filled in with sheer, or more rarely, opaque, fabric Large jeweled collar-type necklaces are common
Italy 1480
England 1470
German 1470
Italy 1470
Italy 1485
Italy 1490
Italy 1490
Italy 1493
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Transitioning a very straight V-neckline of the Burgundian gowns to a more rounded neckline that is wider and shallower The collar meets at a higher point on the bust Collar is probably cut separately & applied to the gown now Approaching c.1500 the collar begins to disappear disappear and the wide, shallow V-neckline come back onto the shoulders and begins to become a square neckline Retains the center front opening A style common in German areas but nowhere else looks very much like the V- necked “Burgundian “Burgundian Gown” but the sides of the bodice don’t meet – the gown is laced into place over the kirtle, which shows through the deep open V of the lacings. In Italy, the low rounded neckline becomes a high, round neckline in front with a lover V-neck at the back by midcentury. Later it becomes a V-neckline in front that displayed the kirtle, called called a Gamurra, in front. Sleeveless overgowns were popular & the gamurra sleeves were displayed. In the summer a lighter weight undergown, called a Cotta, was worn. A sideless overgown, like a long elaborate tabard, called a Giornea could also be worn with the Gamurra or Cotta. B the end of the century sleeves were made in sections that tied to each other and to the gown at the shoulder. These sleeves might might also be slashed, allowing the chemise sleeves to puff through the slashes along the arm & at the shoulder and elbow. Sheer partlets, partlets, often heavily decorated were sometimes worn over the gown. In Spain the Verdugada was a gown with a bell-shaped skirt stiffened with hoops made of reeds reeds became popular. The skirt of the Verdugada displayed the lines of casings for the reeds, often highlighting them by using contrasting fabric or ribbons for the casings. Another distinctively Spanish style also also appeared at this time – trumpet shaped sleeves that flair out from the shoulder to create a very wide wrist. These are sometimes slashed along the top o f the sleeve.
Italy 1475
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Linen smocks/chemises worn as the underwear layer, often elaborately embroidered and banded wrists and necks ending with a linen and/or lace ruffle or frill that would eventually become the ruff. Slashing gained in popularity and in formality Lace slowly becomes a prominent feature of clothing Guards (bands of contrasting fabric) are used to ornament skirts, sleeves and necklines Outer fashion gowns continue to be worn over a kirtle that provides the supportive layer Necklines are almost universally square
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The high waist of the 15 th century moves down to the natural waist and then continues to descend until it becomes a V-shaped point in front. Gowns opened down the center front at first and were somewhat loosely fitted through the body before flaring from the hips into a full skirt with a train that was often left open to reveal the skirt of the kirtle worn beneath. Bodices have a moderately low, square neckline which could be filled in with a Parlet in a variety variety of styles. Black velvet partlets lined with white and having a high flared collar were popularly worn over top of the gown. Some partlets were made in the same same fabric as the gown and give the appearance of a high-necked gown. Sheer or opaque linen partlets might might be worn over the smock or chemise and under the gown. Sleeves on the fashion gown become larger, with large turned back cuffs (often lined with fur) worn over elaborate false sleeves worn over the kirtle sleeves or chemise sleeves. As Spanish influence increased, gowns become more tightly fitted and bodices began to be cut separately and sewn to the skirt. These new, more fitted bodices laced at the side or side back seams, or used hooks & eyes in those locations. The Spanish Farthingale also became a feature of French dress as a result of increasing Spanish influence. By 1530 the farthingale was a standard part of court dress in both England and France. Kirtles had been made with decorative fronts and plain back but as decoration on the kirtle skirts became more elaborate, the kirtle began to be covered with a Forepart. By 1530 the earlier cuffed sleeves evolved into Trumpet Sleeves, which are tight on the upper arm and flare out below into very large turned back cuffs worn over very large, highly decorated false under-sleeves that often matched the forepart. These turned back sleeves disappeared around 1550 in favor of full Round Sleeves. Black velvet or silk hoods with veils at the back worn over linen undercaps were popular in France, England and the Low Countries. These hoods became more complex and evolved into the structured French Hood.
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The high waist remains fairly high. The fashion gown generally has a closed skirt. The neckline of the bodice gradually gets lower and lower, with the bust area filled in with a decorate placard called a Brustfleck. Gradually the front neckline descends to the waistband of the skirt and the area below the Brustfleck is secured with lacings over the kirtle and/or a white placard worn over the Hemd (smock). This style combines the characteristics of the late 15th century laced gown and the early 16th century one in style. The sleeves of the German gowns rapidly develop elaborate puffing and slashing as well as being decorated with bands of contrasting fabric and rows of panes or strips of fabric over puffed linings. Partlets, called Gollers Gollers (collars), of various styles were often worn to cover the neck and shoulders. The most popular style was a round capelet of black velvet lined with silk or fur and a standing neckband. Skirts are trimmed with bands of contrasting fabric and could be tucked up into a belt to display an underskirt as they were closed all the way around. After Charles V became the the Holy Roman Emperor in 1530, elements of Spanish dress were quickly adopted. German ladies favored a variety of hats, often adorned with large feathers, worn over highly decorated cauls to the hoods worn e lsewhere. Unmarried girls in Germany continued to wear their hair loose.
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A style of hat unique to England England was the English Hood, which was a wired headdress shaped like the gable of a house. house. Early English Hoods had long, embroidered lappets that hung down and framed the face and a loose veil that covered the hair in back of the hood. Later versions were worn over several layers of undercaps that completely hid the hair and allowed the veil and lappets to be pinned up in various configurations. The French Hood gradually replaced the English Hood in England as the style was more flattering and allowed some of the hair to show. show. Towards the 1540s hats worn over elaborate cauls also became popular as an alternative to the Hoods. In winter, winter, fur hats in various various shapes were also worn. One, called the Lettice Lettice Cap, is shaped like an English Hood made out of fur.
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In the warmer climates, it was more common to leave the hair uncovered. Hair could be braided or wrapped with ribbons and pinned up or confined in a net. A variation on a Spanish style from the 15th century was still worn in the early part of the 16 th century – the hair was pulled back from the face and braided down the back. The 16th century variation added a type of Hood called a Corazon over the hairstyle. The Corazon was shaped very much like like the early French Hood in front, but instead of a veil in back, it formed a tube that the braid was placed inside. The tube, with the hair, hair, could then be wrapped in ribbons or left plain.
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Generalizing 16 th century Italian clothing styles is nearly impossible because each Italian city-state had its own style that was unique to that time and place while sharing some common elements with other Italian and Spanish styles
Sleeves could take a wide variety of shapes, waistlines could be extremely high to quite low, skirts could be open or closed. Italian women use a variety of neckline shapes, including both rounded and squared.
Flemish Hood 1500 England 1502
Italy 1503
Germany 1502
Italy 1508
Germany 1507
Germany 1506
Spain 1505
Spain 1510
Germany 1514
Germany 1513
Italy 1514
Germany 1516
Italy 1516
England 1516
Spain 1518
Germany 1525
Italy 1527
Germany 1526
England 1527
Germany 1525-30
England 1527
Germany 1526
England 1533
Spain 1530
England 1535
Germany 1539
England 1536
Italy 1536
England 1540
Italy 1540
England 1544
Italy 1545
England 1545
Spain 1548
England 1546
Germany 1545
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Wool and linen for the lower classes Silks, velvets, satins, furs, lace, cotton and taffeta for the wealthy. Increased availability of dyes means the rich have a wealth of colors to choose from
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The later 16 th century sees the introduction of the corset, more often called Stays, Stays, in period. The earlier version laces up the back and uses a stiff wooden busk at the center front to create a very flat line from bust to waist. A very late version, which closes closes with laces up the front but could sometimes be adjusted in size via additional lacings lacings at the back. back. In England this late period Stays removes the wooden busk and replaces the straight angle with a shallow curve from the bust to the abdomen. The job of the corset was not to squeeze the waist to a smaller size, but to support the bust and reshape the torso into an inverted cone-shape. The bodices and sleeves of later 16 th century gowns are actually meant to replicate the body shape of men – with broad shoulder and a narrow waist. Padding on the hips, combined with the reshaping of the torso makes the waist look proportionally smaller by means of contrast.
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The increased wealth brought in from the New World brought about many new areas of conspicuous consumption consumption in dress, such as the use of massive quantities of lace, embroidered and even jeweled fabrics, and the introduction of ruffs and collars. Spanish style was known in 16 th century Europe for its elegance. The Spanish people typically wore black for daily wear, but donned bright colors for festive occasions. Even after Charles V divided his empire between his two sons in 1558, the Spanish continued to influence fashion for the rest of the century. Spanish clothing was severe and very rigid, with black being the predominant color. The Spanish farthingale settled into a formal contraption made of wire hoops supported on a specially shaped skirt giving the wearer a d istinctive cone shape by 1545. Bodices and skirts appear to have been made separately and skirts were made without trains. Necklines in Spain are quite high, generally with tight standing collars topped with ruffs. Spanish sleeves gradually became extremely tight from the shoulder to the wrist with the hanging over-sleeves giving giving way to padded rolls over the shoulders. Linen ruffs rapidly grew from a narrow frill around the wrists and neck to broad cartwheel ruffs that required wire platforms to support them by the 1580’s.
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French Farthingale, which appeared first in France and later in England, was similar to the Spanish farthingale in that it was a structure of fabric and wires intended to provide a specific shape to the skirts. skirts. The French farthingale formed a cylindrical, or “drum shaped”, skirt. To soften the outer edge of the French Farthingale, the overskirt was pulled up and pinned to the edge of the structure underneath, forming first a small poof and later a more formal ruffle all around the edge. A version of the French French farthingale worn on informal occasions or by the lower classes was a large padded roll that added width to the skirts around the hips. French French bodices continued to be laced or hooked up the back sides as in earlier styles.
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English gowns continued to be primarily fastened with hooks and eyes down the center front, as in earlier fashions. English partlets were generally made of embroidered linen and often had matching sleeves that would be worn over the smock sleeves. sleeves. Sets were often given as gifts. English sleeves tended toward the “demi-cannon” shape – wider at the shoulder and tapering to a fitted wrist. By the end of the century these sleeves were often so large they t hey had to be supported internally using inner-sleeves stiffened with reeds called Farthingale Sleeves. Long loose coats, with short sleeves or no sleeves at all, and worn over a full bodice and gown, also became very popular.
As the result of the Spanish influence, German fashions became a melding of the Spanish and German styles.
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Italian bodices retained the front-lacing of the previous period, with the ties laced in parallel rows. Italian gowns featured a broad U-shape at the waist in contrast to the V-shape V-shape seen on nearly all the other regional styles.
Italy 1550-5
Italy 1557
Italy 1560
England 1562 Flemish 1560
Italy 1565
Italy 1565
England 1572
French 1571
Italy 1570
Spanish 1571
Spanish 1571 England 1575
England 1578 German 1579
French 1580 England 1580
Spanish 1584
England 1585
Spanish 1585
Italy 1590 England 1589
England 1592
Spanish 1593
The End
England 1592
