Female, Full Entry

1150 CE Female Bliaut 4

Title: 1150 CE Female Bliaut 4
Entry #: GGB2021.036
Alternate Names:  
Year: 1150 CE
Time range: 1150-1250’s CE
Era: High medieval
Gender: Female
region: Europe
Countries/cultures: Europe, france, england
Maker: Vincent De Vere
Difficulty: 2
Confidence: Image Examples

Intro:

Women’s or men’s over-garment characterized by the tunic like construction with side closures resulting in a more fitted silhouette.  The attached skirts were full and floor length for women and shorter for men and the sleeves were commonly fitted above the elbow and trumpet shaped or widened out below the elbow.

Description:

Although similar to the basic t tunic dress the differences in the sleeves and the under-bust to waist area distinguish them.  The sleeves vary in style, but predominantly are characterized by the fitted upper sleeve and the widened lower sleeve.  The lower sleeve by be in the form of a trumpet sleeve or as extreme as examples that drag the floor.  A lined sleeve that could be turned back to expose an expensive inner liner would also be seen. 

The other major distinguishing feature is the under-bust puckering of the fabric.  There remains multiple ways to achieve this look, but many have had success by elongating the under-bust to waist dress length by some number of inches and by adding lacing on the side of the dress to achieve the fitted look. Most evidence of the dress is found in areas of French fashion influence.

This bliaut is purple linen with gold silk around the collar as well as lining the sleeves. 

Inspiration Images

Common Materials

  • Fabrics:
    • Some think images of fine pleats to represent silks
    • fine wools
    • rich fabrics
    • perhaps linen
  • Ornamentation:

Effective Substitutions

  • Fabrics:
    • cottons
    • linen blends
    • wool blends
    • muslin for undergarments
  • Ornamentation:

Ensemble Components

  • Underdress
  • Bliaut overdress

  • various head coverings

Accessories

  • a belt wrapped around the body
  • pouch or purse
  • wimple or veiled head covering

Source/Links

https://www.eg.bucknell.edu/~lwittie/sca/garb/bliaut.html

http://danikaulakisart.com/bliaut.pdf

https://adamselindisdress.blog/2014/04/28/12th-century-dress-the-bliaut/

Version: 3
date: 3/6/2021
Source of Period Pic: Chartres cathedral ,Angers cathedral, France, sculpture at West Portal , Sculptures on the exterior of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Chartres
Model:
Photographer: Vincent De Vere
  

Female, Full Entry

1150 CE Female Bliaut 2

Title: 1150 CE Female Bliaut 2
Entry #: GGB2021.034
Alternate Names:  
Year: 1150 CE
Time range: 1150-1250’s CE
Era: High medieval
Gender: Female
region: Europe
Countries/cultures: Europe, france, england
Maker: Vincent De Vere
Difficulty: 2
Confidence: Image Examples

Intro:

Women’s or men’s over-garment characterized by the tunic like construction with side closures resulting in a more fitted silhouette.  The attached skirts were full and floor length for women and shorter for men and the sleeves were commonly fitted above the elbow and trumpet shaped or widened out below the elbow.

Description:

Although similar to the basic t tunic dress the differences in the sleeves and the under-bust to waist area distinguish them.  The sleeves vary in style, but predominantly are characterized by the fitted upper sleeve and the widened lower sleeve.  The lower sleeve by be in the form of a trumpet sleeve or as extreme as examples that drag the floor.  A lined sleeve that could be turned back to expose an expensive inner liner would also be seen. 

The other major distinguishing feature is the under-bust puckering of the fabric.  There remains multiple ways to achieve this look, but many have had success by elongating the under-bust to waist dress length by some number of inches and by adding lacing on the side of the dress to achieve the fitted look. Most evidence of the dress is found in areas of French fashion influence.

This is a simplified bliaut made from blue linen blend fabric constructed in a simplified way.  It lacks decoration or lining but is a very simple to construct garment

Inspiration Images

Common Materials

  • Fabrics:
    • Some think images of fine pleats to represent silks
    • fine wools
    • rich fabrics
    • perhaps linen
  • Ornamentation:

Effective Substitutions

  • Fabrics:
    • cottons
    • linen blends
    • wool blends
    • muslin for undergarments
  • Ornamentation:

Ensemble Components

  • Underdress
  • Bliaut overdress

  • various head coverings

Accessories

  • a belt wrapped around the body
  • pouch or purse
  • wimple or veiled head covering

Source/Links

https://www.eg.bucknell.edu/~lwittie/sca/garb/bliaut.html

http://danikaulakisart.com/bliaut.pdf

https://adamselindisdress.blog/2014/04/28/12th-century-dress-the-bliaut/

Version: 2
date: 3/6/2021
Source of Period Pic: Chartres cathedral ,Angers cathedral, France, sculpture at West Portal , Sculptures on the exterior of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Chartres
Model:
Photographer: Vincent De Vere
  

Female, Full Entry

1150 CE Female Bliaut 1

Title: 1150 CE Female Bliaut 1
Entry #: GGB2021.033
Alternate Names:  
Year: 1150 CE
Time range: 1150-1250’s CE
Era: High medieval
Gender: Female
region: Europe
Countries/cultures: Europe, france, england
Maker: Vincent De Vere
Difficulty: 2
Confidence: Image Examples

Intro:

Women’s or men’s over-garment characterized by the tunic like construction with side closures resulting in a more fitted silhouette.  The attached skirts were full and floor length for women and shorter for men and the sleeves were commonly fitted above the elbow and trumpet shaped or widened out below the elbow.

Description:

Although similar to the basic t tunic dress the differences in the sleeves and the under-bust to waist area distinguish them.  The sleeves vary in style, but predominantly are characterized by the fitted upper sleeve and the widened lower sleeve.  The lower sleeve by be in the form of a trumpet sleeve or as extreme as examples that drag the floor.  A lined sleeve that could be turned back to expose an expensive inner liner would also be seen. 

The other major distinguishing feature is the under-bust puckering of the fabric.  There remains multiple ways to achieve this look, but many have had success by elongating the under-bust to waist dress length by some number of inches and by adding lacing on the side of the dress to achieve the fitted look. Most evidence of the dress is found in areas of French fashion influence.

This bliaut is green linen blend decorated with silk around the neck, sleeves and hem.  The sleeves are lined in a bright contrasting red linen blend.

Inspiration Images

Common Materials

  • Fabrics:
    • Some think images of fine pleats to represent silks
    • fine wools
    • rich fabrics
    • perhaps linen
  • Ornamentation:

Effective Substitutions

  • Fabrics:
    • cottons
    • linen blends
    • wool blends
    • muslin for undergarments
  • Ornamentation:

Ensemble Components

  • Underdress
  • Bliaut overdress

  • various head coverings

Accessories

  • a belt wrapped around the body
  • pouch or purse
  • wimple or veiled head covering

Source/Links

https://www.eg.bucknell.edu/~lwittie/sca/garb/bliaut.html

http://danikaulakisart.com/bliaut.pdf

https://adamselindisdress.blog/2014/04/28/12th-century-dress-the-bliaut/

Version: 3
date: 3/6/2021
Source of Period Pic: Chartres cathedral ,Angers cathedral, France, sculpture at West Portal , Sculptures on the exterior of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Chartres
Model:
Photographer: Vincent De Vere
  

Full Entry, Male

1150 CE Male Bliaut 1

Title: 1150 CE Male Bliaut 1
Entry #: GGB2021.037
Alternate Names:  
Year: 1150
Time range: 1150-1250’s CE
Era: High medieval
Gender: Male
region: europe
Countries/cultures: Europe, France, england
Maker:
Difficulty: 2
Confidence: Image Examples

Intro:

Men’s over-garment characterized by the tunic like construction with side closures resulting in a more fitted silhouette.  The attached skirts were full and shorter than floor length for men and the sleeves were commonly fitted above the elbow and trumpet shaped or widened out below the elbow.

Description:

Although similar to the basic t tunic dress the differences in the sleeves and the chest area distinguish them.  The sleeves vary in style, but predominantly are characterized by the fitted upper sleeve and the widened lower sleeve.  The lower sleeve by be in the form of a trumpet sleeve or as extreme as examples that drag the floor.  A lined sleeve that could be turned back to expose an expensive inner liner would also be seen. 

The other major distinguishing feature is the puckering of the fabric in the torso.  There remains multiple ways to achieve this look, but many have had success by elongating the chest to waist length by some number of inches and by adding lacing on the side of the garment to achieve the fitted look. Most evidence of the style is found in areas of French fashion influence.

This bliaut is purple linen with embroidered applique around the keyhole neck.

Inspiration Images

Common Materials

  • Fabrics:
    • Some think images of fine pleats to represent silks
    • fine wools
    • rich fabrics perhaps linen
  • Ornamentation:

Effective Substitutions

  • Fabrics:
    • cottons
    • linen blends
    • wool blends muslin for undergarments
  • Ornamentation:

Ensemble Components

Accessories

  • a belt wrapped around the body
  • pouch or purse

Source/Links

Version: 3
date: 3/6/2021
Source of Period Pic: Historiated initial R from the frontispiece of a 12th-century manuscript of St. Gregory’s Moralia in Job, Dijon, Bibl. Municipale, MS 2
Model:
Photographer: Vincent De Vere
  

Female, Full Entry

1100 CE Female Norman Gown 4

Title: 1100 CE Female Norman Gown 4
Entry #: GGB2021.030
Alternate Names: Gown, Cotte, 
Year: 1100 CE
Time range: 1000-1200 CE
Era: High Medieval
Gender: Female
region: Western Europe
Countries/cultures: Norman, Anglo Saxon, England, france
Maker: Elspeth Stonehaven
Difficulty: 1
Confidence: Image Examples

Intro:

A common tunic dress style garment prevalent both in England as well as central Europe for the time leading up to and after the Norman invasion of 1066 CE

Description:

A common style worn by women in pre and post Norman invasion in England as well as France consisted of a tunic style underdress and over dress.

The underdress called a chemise, chainse or smock would commonly be made of linen. 

The over tunic or cotte would be longer for higher status women or shorter for working class. Sleeves are shown in some painting both tight to the wrist as well as bell or trumpet sleeves. Commonly made out of wool and perhaps decorated with embroidery or the applique of contrasting fabrics.

Commonly work with this would be simple turn or bag shoes, and a head covering such as a wimple and veil. 

This dress is constructed as a tunic style dress,  A blue bell-sleeved over dress, or gown, worn over a green and white underdress, with a chemise under that.

Inspiration Images

Common Materials

  • Fabrics:
    • Underdress – Linen, including non-flax linens
    • Overdress – Wool
    • Wimple/veil – Linen or silk for high status women
  • Ornamentation:

Effective Substitutions

  • Fabrics:
    • Underdress – linen, linen blends, cottons
    • Overdresses – Wool blends, linens, linen blends, some heaver cottons
    • Wimple/Veil – linen, silk, poly (watch out for candles!)
  • Ornamentation:

Ensemble Components

  • Underdress – below the knee, long sleeved, white or off white light fabrics
  • Overdress

  • Headwear
  • Shoes

Accessories

  • Belt
  • Pouch
  • Bag

Source/Links

Version: 2
date: 3/5/2021
Source of Period Pic: Figure of Grammatica, from the Hortus Deliciarum – 12th century
Model: Elspeth Stonehaven
Photographer: Vincent De Vere
  

Female, Full Entry

1200 CE Female Sideless Surcote 2

Title: 1200 CE Female Sideless Surcote 2
Entry #: GGB2021.040
Alternate Names: pellote 
Year: 1200 CE
Time range: 1100-1300’s CE
Era: High medieval
Gender: Female
region: European, western europe
Countries/cultures: England, france, spain
Maker: Beocca the Fair of Hastings
Difficulty: 1
Confidence: extant examples

Intro:

Outer layer garment with deeply cut arm holes worn with often form fitted undergarments that came in many variations and with examples for all sexes.

Description:

Sideless Surcotes are easily spotted by the deeply cut arm holes.  They commonly expose a more fitted garment beneath such as kirtles or fitted cotes. 

Parti-colored sideless surcote worn with a mantled hood.

These over dresses could vary from heraldic lesser modified cotes to heavily modified overdresses with narrow vertical front bands.  Easily sewn and open for many variations and modifications. Used in many parts of Europe during the first part of the high middle ages

Variations can include constructed materials, fur trim, heraldic displays, variations of depth of armhole, width of plastron (front and back bands,) width of hem, style of fitted under dress.

Inspiration Images

Medieval Combat Society

Common Materials

  • Fabrics:
    • Salk
    • celvets
    • brocades
    • fine wools
    • extant examples found constructed from silk damasks and jacquard
  • Ornamentation:

Effective Substitutions

  • Fabrics:
    • Silks
    • velvets
    • brocades
    • fine to medium coarse wools
    • wool blends
    • linen and linen blends
    • substituting poly velvets for silk velvets, or cotton velveteen – Not stretch velvets or crushed velvets.
  • Ornamentation:
    • High quality fake furs for trimming and lining. 

Ensemble Components

  • Sideless Surcote
  • Kirtle or cote
  • Underdress/undergarments

  • knee length hose
  • turn shoes or slippers
  • mantled hood

Accessories

  • belt
  • (worn under the surcote and over the fitted garment)
  • coif/hat/veil – works well with a barbette and fillet

Source/Links

http://www.wodefordhall.com/surcote.htm

http://www.bayrose.org/AandS/handouts/Sideless_Surcoat_web.pdf

Version: 2
date: 3/6/21
Source of Period Pic: http://www.insecula.com/oeuvre/O0000311.html
Model: Beocca the Fair of Hastings
Photographer: Vincent De Vere
  

Female, Full Entry

1200 CE Female Sideless Surcote 1

Title: 1200 CE Female Sideless Surcote 1
Entry #: GGB2021.039
Alternate Names: pellote 
Year: 1200 CE
Time range: 1100-1300’s CE
Era: High medieval
Gender: Female
region: European, western europe
Countries/cultures: England, france, spain
Maker: Jacqueline Storme
Difficulty: 1
Confidence: extant examples

Intro:

Outer layer garment with deeply cut arm holes worn with often form fitted undergarments that came in many variations and with examples for all sexes.

Description:

Sideless Surcotes are easily spotted by the deeply cut arm holes.  They commonly expose a more fitted garment beneath such as kirtles or fitted cotes. 

Parti-colored sideless surcote worn with a mantled hood.

These over dresses could vary from heraldic lesser modified cotes to heavily modified overdresses with narrow vertical front bands.  Easily sewn and open for many variations and modifications. Used in many parts of Europe during the first part of the high middle ages

Variations can include constructed materials, fur trim, heraldic displays, variations of depth of armhole, width of plastron (front and back bands,) width of hem, style of fitted under dress.

Inspiration Images

Common Materials

  • Fabrics:
    • Salk
    • celvets
    • brocades
    • fine wools
    • extant examples found constructed from silk damasks and jacquard
  • Ornamentation:

Effective Substitutions

  • Fabrics:
    • Silks
    • velvets
    • brocades
    • fine to medium coarse wools
    • wool blends
    • linen and linen blends
    • substituting poly velvets for silk velvets, or cotton velveteen – Not stretch velvets or crushed velvets.
  • Ornamentation:
    • High quality fake furs for trimming and lining. 

Ensemble Components

  • Sideless Surcote
  • Kirtle or cote
  • Underdress/undergarments

  • knee length hose
  • turn shoes or slippers
  • mantled hood

Accessories

  • belt
  • (worn under the surcote and over the fitted garment)
  • coif/hat/veil – works well with a barbette and fillet

Source/Links

http://www.wodefordhall.com/surcote.htm

http://www.bayrose.org/AandS/handouts/Sideless_Surcoat_web.pdf

Version: 2
date: 3/6/21
Source of Period Pic: http://www.insecula.com/oeuvre/O0000311.html
Model: Jacqueline Storme
Photographer: Jacqueline Storme
  

Full Entry, Male

1350 CE Male Cotehardie 6

Title: 1350 CE Male Cotehardie 6
Entry #: GGB2021.059
Alternate Names: Cote 
Year: 1350 CE
Time range: 1340-1400 CE
Era: High Medieval
Gender: Male
region: Western europe, central europe
Countries/cultures: France, England, germany
Maker: Vincent de Vere
Difficulty: 3
Confidence: Image Example

Intro:

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

Accessories

  • low slung belts, around the hips
  • pouches
  • garters
  • hood

Source/Links

http://www.chesholme.com/wfiles/2-1-Cotehardie.pdf

http://starsandgarters.org/2020/10/04/patterning-fitted-garments/

Version: 2
date: 2/26/21
Source of Period Pic: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bologna_marriage_men.jpg
Model:
Photographer: Vincent de Vere
  

Female, Full Entry

1370 CE Female, Cotehardie 5

Title: 1370 CE Female, Cotehardie 5
Entry #: GGB2021.051
Alternate Names: Gothic Fitted Dress 
Year: 1370
Time range: 1350-1400 CE
Era: High Medieval
Gender: Female
region: Western europe, central europe
Countries/cultures: France, England,
Maker: Vincent de Vere
Difficulty: 2
Confidence: Image Examples

Intro:

Fitted female garment forming an outer or middle layer.  

Description:

Purple and gold parti colored cotehardie over white kirtle
  As female garments became more fitted in the 1300s the unfitted tunic like dresses became more tailored and fitted. 
 A loose shift or slip like garment could be worn as a base layer.  There is limited evidence for underwear.  The bust could be supported with just the fitted layers.
 A kirtle layer worn between the shift and the cotehardie could be laced up the front and the sleeves could be buttoned or laced.  The kirtle layer is often fitted as to be supportive in the bust and not as long as the cotehardie layer. 
 The cotehardie layer over the kirtle later adds to the support of the bust line.  The neck line could be plunging or more modest.  The dress is often shown with a large number of closely spaced buttons on a front closure. The sleeves could be short, short with sleeve streamers (a very stereotypical cotehardie look) or longer.  Some examples extend over the hand almost to the fingers.  The cotehardie layer would be floor length.  The belt is often shown slung low on the hips.

Inspiration Images

Common Materials

  • Fabrics:
    • fine cloths
    • silks
    • brocades
    • fine wools
  • Ornamentation:

Effective Substitutions

  • Fabrics:
    • Silks
    • linens
    • linen blends with rayon or cotton
    • brocades.
    • Some cotton poly brocades can work to mimic the look of rich brocades, but the higher the poly content the more unpleasant the garment is to wear.
  • Ornamentation:

Ensemble Components

  • Slip/shift
  • Kirtle Cotehardie
  • purse

  • coifs/undercaps/hoods
  • belt
  • turnshoes

Accessories

Source/Links

http://www.chesholme.com/wfiles/2-1-Cotehardie.pdf

http://starsandgarters.org/2020/10/04/patterning-fitted-garments/

Version: 2
date: 2/26/2021
Source of Period Pic:
Model:
Photographer: Vincent De Vere
  

Full Entry, Male

1350 CE Male Cotehardie 5

Title: 1350 CE Male Cotehardie 5
Entry #: GGB2021.058
Alternate Names: Cote 
Year: 1350 CE
Time range: 1340-1400 CE
Era: High Medieval
Gender: Male
region: Western europe, central europe
Countries/cultures: France, England, germany
Maker: Vincent de Vere
Difficulty: 3
Confidence: Image Example

Intro:

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

Accessories

  • low slung belts, around the hips
  • pouches
  • garters
  • hood

Source/Links

http://www.chesholme.com/wfiles/2-1-Cotehardie.pdf

http://starsandgarters.org/2020/10/04/patterning-fitted-garments/

Version: 2
date: 2/26/21
Source of Period Pic: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bologna_marriage_men.jpg
Model:
Photographer: Vincent de Vere