Fourteenth-century Italian Upper Class Couple (p.

31)
 MEDIEVAL
FASHIONS

TOM TIERNEY

DOVER PUBLICATIONS, INC.

MINEOLA, NEW YORK
 INTRODUCTION
The medieval era, or Middle Ages, is defined by historians The bliaud covered a chainse, or under-tunic, usually
as the period in western European history between the fall of colored saffron yellow. Originally made of heavy wool,
Rome in the fifth century and the rise of the Renaissance in linen or hemp, the chainse eventually evolved into a piece of
the mid-fifteenth century. The fifth through the eighth lingerie made of sheer, washable fabric. Another garment
centuries have been called the Dark Ages. Fashions during worn by men and women was the mantle, a luxuriant cloak
this time, overall, continued to reflect the influences of the fastened in front by a large brooch, buckle, or pin.
Greek, Roman and Byzantine cultures. Increased trade with the Orient and Far East brought new
The illustrations in this book begin with the Franco- dyes to Europe which were used to produce fabrics in
Norman era of the Middle Ages when feudal society became brilliant shades of scarlet, green, blue and purple. While
well established. With the rise of the feudal system in the materials tended to be rich and heavy, embroidered or fur
late 800s, style and extravagance of dress became a trimmed, at this point, delicate linens, embroideries, velvets,
reflection of one’s position in society. By the late 1400s, the and sheer gauzes became available.
cost of clothing and the lengths of items such as hoods, In the thirteenth century, the French weaver Batiste
trains and shoes became regulated by sumptuary laws which Chambray invented a closely woven, sheer fabric called
remained in effect until the early sixteenth century. batiste which inspired the creation of the surcoat. Based on
Among the earliest articles of clothing from this time was the sleeveless, cloth covering worn over armor by knights to
a tunic with long sleeves called a bliaud. It was worn knee fend off the glare of the sun, the surcoat was adopted by
length by men and floor length by women. By the eleventh both men and women as a replacement for the bliaud.
century, men wore the bliaud lengthened to the ankle. But at The woman’s surcoat was now open at the sides to reveal
the end of the thirteenth century, the bliaud, then called a a fitted dress with long buttoned sleeves called a cote-
tunic, was worn by young men a mere few inches below the hardie. This style was vehemently frowned upon by the
waist, which some people considered outrageously short. church as being too revealing. Men wore the cote-

Copyright
Copyright © 1998 by Tom Tierney
All rights reserved under Pan American and International Copyright Conventions.
Published in Canada by General Publishing Company, Ltd., 30 Lesmill Road, Don Mills,
Toronto, Ontario.

Bibliographical Note
Medieval Fashions Coloring Book is a new work, first published by Dover Publications, Inc., in
1998.

DOVER ^Ptflorial ^Archive SERIES

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International Standard Book Number: 0-486-40144-8

Manufactured in the United States of America

Dover Publications, Inc., 31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, N.Y. 11501
hardie too, cut shorter. Both men and women wore jeweled became a longer length of fabric, usually white linen, which
hip girdles, or belts. was drawn up under a woman’s chin and fastened on top of
In the fourteenth century, parti-colored clothes became the her head. Over the wimple, women wore a separate couvre-
rage, first with men and then with women. Garments were chef which was held in place by a crown or circlet. Variations
divided into halves or quarters; each section was sewn from a of these headdresses survived in many religious orders until
contrasting color. Shoes and stockings were different colors the twentieth century. In the twelfth century, blonde hair was
as well. fashionable. Some women sat for hours on enclosed terraces
By the fifteenth century, the surcoat began to disappear. waiting for the sun to bleach their tresses; others used false
Women wore a belted dress called la robe which had a long hair and cosmetics. During the thirteenth century women
sleeved, fitted bodice joined to a full skirt. Men wore jackets began to wear small, crownlike toques, a head-band and chin-
that covered a quilted garment with or without sleeves called band, all in white linen. In the fourteenth century the caul
a pourpoint. Originally worn under armor, the pourpoint came into fashion. This style concealed a woman’s hair in a
evolved into a vest. silken case covered with a heavy net of jeweled silver or gold
For outerwear, women wore flowing capes which were cord. Hair coverings varied widely, from a simple snoodlike
lined with fur in winter. A popular men’s cloak was the net to cylindrical cauls worn on cither side of the face, to a
houppelande. A trailing robe with long bishop’s sleeves, the padded horn or heart-shaped headdress fastened over the
houppelande was fastened in folds at the waist by a jeweled caul. Women often wore sheer veils on top of the entire
belt. combination. They plucked the visible hair at the napes of
Sleeves became important, particularly on the surcoat and their necks, at their temples and thinned their eyebrows.
the houppelande. While some sleeves hung over the hand, In the fourteenth century, the hennin, or steeple
others were dramatically longer, with openings at the elbows headdress, was introduced by Isabella of Bavaria. A tall cone,
for arms to extend through. Another style of long sleeves was it had a black velvet band across the top of the forehead.
called the dogaline. The sleeve openings, the size of large Always draped with a floating or wired veil, the height of the
circles, were folded back and fastened to the shoulders, hennin became so extravagant that the authorities imposed
revealing a rich fabric or fur lining. regulations here too. The higher the hennin, the more exalted
Dagged edges, a petal-like scalloping, were popular a person’s place in society.
decoration for all parts of clothing from hats to houppelandes; The chin-band came into style during the fifteenth
only stockings escaped this kind of embellishment. Small century. A folded white linen wrapped under a woman’s chin,
silver bells, favored ornaments for men and women, appeared fastening to a band around her forehead. In another style of
on belts, girdles, baldrics (a belt or sash slung across the body head covering, a stiffened head-band was shaped into a low
from the shoulder to the opposite hip), hats and the toes of toque or crown-like headdress.
shoes. Men and women wore similar soft leather or fabric shoes
Head coverings for men included skullcaps, helmets, with elongated toes. These low cut shoes buttoned or tied at
peaked bonnets, and hats with rolled brims. Crusaders the ankle. Soft and pliable, they were made of velvet or gold
sometimes wore straw hats over their metal helmets to deflect cloth and decorated with embroidery, strips of gold, and
the sun. By the eleventh century, soft fabric caps with peaked gems. One men’s style, the poulaine, had pointed toes which
tops were in general use. Men also wore toques or bag caps. became so long that they had to be stuffed to hold their
Full and round, they were gathered onto head-bands. shapes. Eventually the exaggerated toes were held up by fine
Sugarloaf shaped hats made of felt were worn with and chains attached to the knees. Also called a poulaine was a
without brims. Feathers as hat ornaments first appeared in the clog or patten made of wood, which was worn to protect the
medieval era; the peacock plume was most popular. soft soles of shoes.
By the twelfth century, the chaperon, a hooded cape, Men wore fitted and sewn stockings or tights. Made of
became the most common headgear for men. While the hood bias cut material, they were decorated with jeweled garters.
remained in fashion through the sixteenth century with only Stockings, held up at the waist with a belt or tie, were cross-
nobles allowed to wear long hoods, during the fourteenth gartered on the lower leg with bands of fabric or soft leather.
century, the peak of the hood lengthened into a liripipe. A Heavy chains and jeweled belts were popular accessories
streamer of gauze or ribbon which sometimes reached the among wealthy people who used them to carry pouches,
floor, liripipes were also restricted to use by nobility. Over purses, and daggers set with precious stones.
the years liripipes grew to such outrageous lengths that some
men wrapped them around their wrists. Stuffed turbans,
called roundlets were trimmed with liripipes too.
During the Middle Ages, the Christian church required
that women cover their heads. The predominant head
covering for women was a square, oblong, or round piece of
fabric called a couvre-chef, also called a wimple or a
headrail. In earlier centuries, the basic headrail was wrapped
around a woman’s neck and shoulders, held in place by a
circlet or crown. Beginning in the twelfth century, the wimple
 Ninth-century Nobility
Left: The Frankish noblewoman wears a mantle over a mail Norman noblewoman is wearing a mantle, bliaud, and
girdle with mail sleeves over a bliaud. Right: The chainse.

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 Ninth-century Minstrel and Frankish Lady
Left: The man is wearing a bliaud over cross-gartered over her bliaud. Her plaited braids are decorated with metal
tights. Right: The lady wears an embroidery-edged mantle tips and a couvre-chef.

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6
long sleeved tunic. The boiled leather cuirass, another type wearing an early version of the cote-hardie over a bliaud
of defensive armor, is worn over the chain mail. On accessorized with a felt hat.

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 8

mantle over a bliaud, and chainse. Right: The nobleman gartered stockings, and soft leather shoes.
Left: The nobleman is wearing an embroidered tunic or sherte Her fitted waist, a fashion innovation, was accomplished with
(the word shirt comes from it), a chemise type garment with lacings down the back.
sleeves, a mantle, and cross-gartered breeches. Right: The
noblewoman wears an embroidered bliaud over a chemise
with embroidered cuffs. She wears a mantle and a headrail.
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 Eleventh-century Middle Class Travelers on a Pilgrimage
Left: Over her chainse, the woman wears a fitted bliaud with into a turban. Right: The gentleman wears a long bliaud with
angel sleeves. Both garments are decorated with embroidery. angel sleeves and embroidery at the skirt hem. His hood
Her headrail, worn over a wimple, has been twisted and bound extends into a shoulder cape.

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 Eleventh - century Soldier and Knight
Left: The foot soldier wears a short tunic, cross-gartered metal battle helmet, or spangenhelm, over a chain mail
tights and leather shoes. A chain mail hood covers his iron hood. He wears a soft under-tunic or pourpoint covered by
skull-cap. Over his chest he wears a leather baldric, a diagonal his tunic of hardened leather tiles. His arms and legs are
sash for carrying a shield and knife; he holds a battle ax. protected by fitted chain mail sleeves and leggings; his
Right: The crusader knight is wearing a shoes are leather.

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 Eleventh-century Peasants
Left: Under her cloak, the woman wears a bliaud covered gartered. His cloak is tied at the shoulder. On his head he
with an apron which is laced for fit. She wears cross-gartered, wears a peaked cloth or phrygian helmet-shaped cap. His
soft leather stockings. On her head is a headrail. Right: The shoes are leather.
man wears a short tunic over loose drawers which are cross-

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 Twelfth-century Frankish Royalty
Left: The Frankish prince wears a long, elaborately trim. Circling her long bliaud is a double girdle of jeweled
embroidered bliaud with extremely long sleeves, perhaps to leather with silk ties.
keep his hands warm. His chainse is floor length. Tied at the
shoulder, his mantle has an embroidered band at the bottom.
Right: The princess wears an outfit with finely embroidered
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 leather belt and soft leather shoes. The man’s bliaud is

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 Twelfth-century Merchant and Noblewoman
Left: The commoner merchant wears a belted surcoat over a sleeved chemise, and a long mantle over all. The mantle and
bliaud. His mantle fastens at the shoulder; a pouch hangs bliaud are edged with jeweled embroidery. Her head gear
from his belt or girdle. On his head is a conical felt hat. includes a conical hennin, or high headdress, over her
Right: The woman wears a short-sleeved bliaud over a full- headrail, or veil.
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 Twelfth-century Norman Noblewoman
This noblewoman wears a fitted gown which is laced in the angel sleeves. Her crown is layered between a
the back. Her full skirt is gathered under an intricately shortened headrail and a long veil,
embroidered girdle or belt with embroidery matching

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 Twelfth-century French Commoners
Left: The hunter wears a short tunic with batwing or dolman Her headrail is wrapped like a turban.
sleeves. Bloused fabric at his waist covers a belt. He wears
knitted stockings, low cut leather shoes, and a felt hat. A
wicker arrow quiver hangs from his waist and he holds a
long bow. Right: Carrying a shoulder scarf or stole, the
townswoman wears a belted bliaud with dolman sleeves.
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 Twelfth-century Headdresses
a. Long plaits bound with ribbons with metal cylinders a chin strap cap with net caul covering hair. 1. Chinband and
covering the ends. b. Phrygian or close fitting cloth cap. c. A head-band of ribbon, m. Turban with moire leaves, n. White
peaked hat made of felt with castellated brim. d. Linen linen cap and chin-band under a gold crown, o. Men’s
gorget, or collar, e. Folded wimple worn over chin strap cap. version of the wimple with banded wool cap.
f. Wimple, g. Hood and cape. h. White linen toque with pie
crust edging worn over chin-band. i. Jeweled velvet toque
worn over gorget and chin-band.
j. Chin-band and toque of pleated linen, k. Toque worn over
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 Thirteenth-century Knight and Lady
Left: The crusader knight wears a chain mail hood under a is a full mantle with contrasting lining.
steel helmet with a chain mail tunic, leggings, steel knee
guards and shoes. Over the tunic he wears a surcoat with
dagged edging. Right: The English noblewoman is wearing
a white linen wimple and gorget with a jeweled circlet. Her
diapered pattern bliaud covers a white chemise. Covering all
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 Thirteenth-century German Upper Class Couple
Left: The maid wears a front laced, diapered surcoat over a Right: The man wears a hood with a liripipe under his cape
heavily embroidered short-sleeved bliaud and simple and tunic. He wears wool tights and soft leather, fur trimmed
chemise. On her head is a jeweled circlet. The lack of a boots.
headrail or wimple indicates that she is a maiden.

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 Thirteenth-century French Upper Class Couple
Left: The man wears a surcoat or garde-corps with hangingwears an ungirdled gown under her mantle. Both wear chin
sleeves over his bliaud. Right: The woman strap caps under their hats.

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 her head and shoulders. Her robe is brocaded silk. Her

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Left: The waist of the noblewoman’s gown has moved to slashed hanging sleeves, his cote has a fur trimmed collar.
just under the bosom; the skirt has an extremely long train. Around his neck he wears a circlet of fur.
She wears a steeple hennin with a loose veil. Right: The
gentleman’s cote, or jacket, is cut short, showing his legs to
advantage. Featuring padded and puffed shoulders and
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 Thirteenth-century Italian Bride
This young woman wears a robe of brocaded silk, shot metallic spangles and she carries a bouquet of flowers, with gold or
silver threads. The panel down the front has

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 Thirteenth-century Peasants
Left: This farm woman wears a wool bliaud, belted and bloused at the waist. Under her straw hat she wears a kerchief tied to form a
gorget. She wears soft leather shoes. Right: The man has removed his tunic and we see his braes or breeches which are gathered and tied
at the waist. The legs are caught up and tied to pointes at the waistband. He wears a cap with chinband. His feet are bare because he is
saving his shoes for special occasions.

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 ISBN O-MBb-MOlMM-fi
978048640144790000