Fitted male coat forming the outer layer or the middle layer of an ensemble
Description:
In some areas in Western Europe, male garments became more fitted in the 1300s. The unfitted cotes became the tailored and fitted cotehardies. Layers associated with cotehardies would be a linen undershirt, sometimes an early form of the doublet and braies and hosen. Layers over the cotehardie could be gowns and houppelandes
In some cases the cotehardies are shorter to the point of reaching just to the crotch depth. Others are seen longer to the point of knee length. Some have decorative dagged edges. They often feature a large number of closely spaced buttons
Male cotehardies could have long or shorter sleeves including short sleeves showing off the doublet below, sometimes featuring sleeve streamers. The sleeves of the cotehardie or the layer under the cotehardie are very tight.
This cotehardie is a parti colored light weight linen cotehardie with a dagged liripipe hood.
Inspiration Images
Common Materials
Fabrics:
Wool
silks
brocades
velvets
Ornamentation:
cloth or metal buttons
Effective Substitutions
Fabrics:
cottons
linens
linen blends
wool blends
Ornamentation:
Ensemble Components
linen undershirt
likely an early form of the doublet
. Turn shoes, slippers or low boots
braies and hosen
Layers over the cotehardie could be gowns and houppelandes
Fitted male coat forming the outer layer or the middle layer of an ensemble
Description:
In some areas in Western Europe, male garments became more fitted in the 1300s. The unfitted cotes became the tailored and fitted cotehardies. Layers associated with cotehardies would be a linen undershirt, sometimes an early form of the doublet and braies and hosen. Layers over the cotehardie could be gowns and houppelandes
In some cases the cotehardies are shorter to the point of reaching just to the crotch depth. Others are seen longer to the point of knee length. Some have decorative dagged edges. They often feature a large number of closely spaced buttons
Male cotehardies could have long or shorter sleeves including short sleeves showing off the doublet below, sometimes featuring sleeve streamers. The sleeves of the cotehardie or the layer under the cotehardie are very tight.
This cotehardie is a light weight linen cotehardie with the outer layer having sleeves with tippets or sleeve streamers
Inspiration Images
Common Materials
Fabrics:
Wool
silks
brocades
velvets
Ornamentation:
cloth or metal buttons
Effective Substitutions
Fabrics:
cottons
linens
linen blends
wool blends
Ornamentation:
Ensemble Components
linen undershirt
likely an early form of the doublet
. Turn shoes, slippers or low boots
braies and hosen
Layers over the cotehardie could be gowns and houppelandes
Fitted male coat forming the outer layer or the middle layer of an ensemble
Description:
In some areas in Western Europe, male garments became more fitted in the 1300s. The unfitted cotes became the tailored and fitted cotehardies. Layers associated with cotehardies would be a linen undershirt, sometimes an early form of the doublet and braies and hosen. Layers over the cotehardie could be gowns and houppelandes
In some cases the cotehardies are shorter to the point of reaching just to the crotch depth. Others are seen longer to the point of knee length. Some have decorative dagged edges. They often feature a large number of closely spaced buttons
Male cotehardies could have long or shorter sleeves including short sleeves showing off the doublet below, sometimes featuring sleeve streamers. The sleeves of the cotehardie or the layer under the cotehardie are very tight.
This cotehardie is brocaded fabric with a silk lining featuring a flared skirt
Inspiration Images
Common Materials
Fabrics:
Wool
silks
brocades
velvets
Ornamentation:
cloth or metal buttons
Effective Substitutions
Fabrics:
cottons
linens
linen blends
wool blends
Ornamentation:
Ensemble Components
linen undershirt
likely an early form of the doublet
. Turn shoes, slippers or low boots
braies and hosen
Layers over the cotehardie could be gowns and houppelandes
Low slip on shoes that are constructed from 2 pieces of leather. They are sewn inside out and then turned right side out, thus the common name of turn shoes. Shoes like these, in one form or another, have been used throughout much of the period covered by the SCA.
This pair of shoes had a stiffening sole and tread glued to the shoe after construction. Although this is a modern consideration, it was done for additional comfort and safety for use at events. Accommodations like this are common in the SCA.
Inspiration Images
Common Materials
Fabrics:
Leather.
Ornamentation:
Effective Substitutions
Fabrics:
chrome tanned leather doesn’t shape and form that way oak tan/veg tan leather will.
Low slip on shoes that are constructed from 2 pieces of leather. This simplified shoe construction doesn’t require the shoe to be turned inside out after constructing and it looks much like a turn shoe when worn. Shoes like these, in one form or another, have been used throughout the period covered by the SCA
This pair of shoes is decorated by having a pattern of holes punched into the leather before assembling the shoe. Shoes decorated with punch decorations have survived dating back to Roman times. Sets of shaped punches can be purchased online for not much and the punching of the leather adds less than an hour to the total construction time.
This simplified construction technique doesn’t actually produce a turn shoe and can produce a shoe much like the turn shoe and can use chrome tanned leather.
Inspiration Images
Common Materials
Fabrics:
Leather.
Ornamentation:
Effective Substitutions
Fabrics:
This modification can work with chrome tanned leather. Oak tan/veg tan leather will work better.
Low slip on shoes that are constructed from 2 pieces of leather. They are sewn inside out and then turned right side out, thus the common name of turn shoes. Shoes like these, in one form or another, have been used throughout the period covered by the SCA
This pair of shoes is decorated by having a pattern of holes punched into the leather before assembling the shoe. Shoes decorated with punch decorations have survived dating back to Roman times. Sets of shaped punches can be purchased online for not much and the punching of the leather adds less than an hour to the total construction time.
Inspiration Images
Common Materials
Fabrics:
Leather.
Ornamentation:
Effective Substitutions
Fabrics:
chrome tanned leather doesn’t shape and form that way oak tan/veg tan leather will.
Low slip on shoes that are constructed from 2 pieces of leather. This simplified shoe construction doesn’t require the shoe to be turned inside out after constructing and it looks much like a turn shoe when worn. Shoes like these, in one form or another, have been used throughout the period covered by the SCA
This pair of shoes had a stiffening sole and tread glued to the shoe after construction. Although this is a modern consideration, it was done for additional comfort and safety for use at events. Accommodations like this are common in the SCA.
Inspiration Images
Common Materials
Fabrics:
Leather.
Ornamentation:
Effective Substitutions
Fabrics:
chrome tanned leather can be used with this simplified shoe. Oak tan/veg tan leather will work better.
The houppelande is an outermost layer of dress, which was worn by middle-to-upper classes, both men and women. It was worn over a more fitted undergarment. It is identified by volumes of fabric neatly pleated into a belt, and visually balanced by a large hat.
Additional Images of the garment:
Description:
Men wore houppelandes of varying lengths, depending on the fashion of the time and possibly the age of the wearer. This shorter version of the garments makes it a Houppelande à mi-jambe, more popular in the years following 1400 CE.
Sleeve style varied by region and time as well, from a straight construction to wide and open, or wide and closed again at the wrist.
Necklines and sleeves started similar to cotehardies, and varied to high buttoned collars and folded down collars. Fabrics were colorful, sometimes brocaded, and often lined to contrast. Later, the female houppelande was tightened at the sleeve, a deep V left in the neck, and became the ‘Burgundian’ gown.
Layers under the Houppelande include base layers of undershirt, braies/hosen, doublet, cotehardie and the outer houppelande
First seen in documentation in 1359 CE, the garments seem to have evolved from other outer wear such as garde-corps or herigauts, warm, billowy outer layers pulled over the head.
This Houppelande à mi-jambe is made from budget friendly linen/rayon blend and is reversible.
SCA Iowa Garb Guide 
