The basic undergarment was the linen smock
which was worn night and day.
No underdrawers were worn. This was both practical and
discreet as, without ready access
to private latrines, the ability to relieve
oneself quickly and discreetly
whithout having first to remove a garment was important.
Women wore kirtle or gown over
the smock
and sometimes more than one for warmth.
Their garments were economically made from a length of wool
or linen cut into squares,
rectangles and triangles which
avoided wastage.
The garments were loosely fitted and were pulled on
over the head.
Shaping was limited to gathers, pleats or tocks and
by wearing belts.
The belt pulled the kirtle into shape at the waist and provided
the means of carrying items from purses to
tools, such as dropspindles.
A distaff could also be tucked into the belt,
leaving the hands free for spinning.
The sideless surcot or overtunic
was an additional protective layer.
It was sleeveless and had side-openings
which allow access to the purse or tools
attached to the belt.
The surcot also hid the purse from view.
An apron could also be worn to protect the other garments
from soiling. The Luttrell Psalter
created around 1340 shows
aprons with different decorative stitches
controlling the gathers like this honeycomb
style stitch.
The apron also provided a place to wipe the hands,
to wrap around hot parts or to carry loose items.
The hose or stockings were usually made from wool
or linen fabric.
They were not cut on the straight grain of the fabric
but diagonally across as
this gives a slight stretch to the fabric.
It was still difficult to create a well
fitting pair of hose.
The hose were held in place by tiner, garder or fabric strips
or woven tape below the knee
They not could be moved to the side of the knee
to keep it out of the way when active/
Shoes or boots of leather
would have been tied with the leather laces
Women kept their hair long and plaited it
to keep it tidy, clean and out of the way.
The plaits which were often bound with linen tape
were worn coiled or looped on either side of the head
Once spinned up, the plaits were secured by a fillet of linen
tied at the back of the head.
A linen kerchief would be placed over the head and hair
pinned to the fillet at the sides of the head
to avoid it beind blown away or just sliding off.
A change in fashion began around 1340.
Tailors began to cut clothes with curved seams,
tight sleeves fitted into a shaped armholes
of figure-hugging gowns
And the skirts flared oud long and full.
Necklines grew wider and more open
The new fitted garments allowed freedom of movement,
but now they needed additional openings to put them on
and fastenings of lacings or buttons to close them.
The wearer might also have required some assistance
in dressing and undressing.
Women still wore belts to carry purses etc.
but belts for no longer required to control the fabric at the waist
as they would rest on the curve of the hip.
The sideless surcoat became more elegant too.
It was given a wider neckline
and an inward sweeping cut at the open sides
which served to emphasize the curvatures of the waist and hips
The cut of hose remained the same
but the fit would gradually improve too
especially for men,
as the new fashion was for shorter tunics
resolved it in a demand for finely fitting hose
Shoes could also be fashioned with buckles
and the leather decorated with punched holes or slashes
The coils of plaits were best done
with the assistance of a maid
and even if they were not going to be seen
were done with care.
Hair was combed through and divided into plaits
just above the ears and coiled or looped out of the way
As with the maid's hair
a fillet of linen kept everything in place
and provided a means for pinning into place
whatever hairdress was worn
The wimple was a linen cloth
that was wrapped around the face and neck
and covered the hair completely
The custom of married women wearing head coverings
is an ancient one.
Initially worn by matrons in the Eastern Mediterranean
as a mark of status,
veiling had become associated with modesty
and religious practice.
By the Middle Ages married women were rarely seen outdoors unveiled.
Hoods could be added
for an extra layer of warmth
and to ensure that the veiling stayed in place
The change in cut heralded a new European fashion.
Status could now be indicated
by the cut of the textiles
and their conspicuous wastage
and not just by the textiles themselves.
With this new look
the silent language of dress
had just become more expressive.