Medieval Drama Links Page 3

MEDIEVAL COSTUMES

a. General

Basic Dark Age and Medieval Costume

Written by Trevor Barker, the article provides useful introductory information about men and women’s costumes and accessories.

Extant Clothing of the Middle Ages

A first-class study, with photos, of costumes, material and trinkets that have survived from the middle ages - assembled by Cynthia du Pré Argent.

European Medieval Costumes

This interesting Czech site presents a large collection of photographs taken of surviving medieval and renaissance costumes. The little information given is in English.
(The link takes you to the first page. To move on, click ‘Next’ at the bottom right-hand corner. Click a photograph to enlarge it.)

The Meanings of Medieval Clothes

Rachel Hartman presents a most useful and thought-provoking account not only of the clothes but also the materials used and the social and legal controls imposed on what people wore.

The History of Costume

Some 500 plates illustrating costume from antiquity till the middle of the nineteenth century, first published in Munich between 1861 and 1880. The site was created by L. Otis Sweezey.

Footwear of the Middle Ages (with special emphasis on Britain and Denmark)

A detailed and comprehensive account compiled by I. Marc Carlson.

b. Women

Cloaks and Other Garments

A series of very useful illustrated instructions (by I. Marc Carlson) to make:

Fifteenth Century Female Flemish Dress: A Portfolio of Images

An excellent collection of images of women from paintings from the 15th century by artists working primarily in the north-western part of Europe.

From Gunnas to Houppelands - Medieval English Dresses

A simple introduction, with bibliography, to the changes that took place in the style of women's dresses from 460-1460, written by Affreca McNaven.

Hats

Cynthia Virtue provides detailed information on the design and making of complex women’s medieval hats:

A reticulated, wire-framed headdress
A heart-shaped, wire-framed hat
Headdresses from the 15th Century
A butterfly hat

Medieval Scottish Women's Clothing and Medieval Scottish Men's Clothing

Sharon M. Krossa has written two excellent introductory articles, that contain brief bibliographies and form part of a collection of her articles on Medieval Scotland. Also included is Leine Pattern, a simple description - amusingly written - of how to make a leine, a type of smock common in sixteenth-century Ireland and possibly Highland Scotland.

Use of Bells on 15th and 16th Century Dresses

By Cynthia su Pré Argent, this site - amusingly named 'Folly Bells: jingle all the way' - shows how bells can be used on medieval outfits.

c. Men

Basic T-Tunic

Another useful article written by 'Duchess Leah Kasmira of Natterhelm'.

Chaperons and How to Make Them

A useful account of the simple medieval hood that, over time, became an all-purpose hood.

Cloaks and Other Garments - A series of very useful illustrated instructions (by I. Marc Carlson) of how to make:

Bocksten Bog Man's Cloak (Middle 14th Century)
Reconstructed Sknurmantel (Late 12th-13th Centuries)
Skjoldehamn Trousers (Middle 14th Century)

Making Simple Medieval Pants for Men

Easy-to-understand instructions with a pattern written by a medieval re-enactor who glories in the name of 'Duchess Leah Kasmira of Natterhelm'.

Men's Hats

More very useful illustrated instructions (by I. Marc Carlson) of how to make:

By Type	By Region
Felt Hats Felt Caps Caps Coifs Berets/Bagcaps and Flat Caps Hoods, Chaperons and Liripipes	English Hats French Hats Germanic Hats Italian Hats Spanish Hats

More Men’s Hats - from 1300-1500

Cynthia Virtue provides useful, illustrated information in this article that begins: ‘Some of the most silly hats that have ever been invented as serious wear on this planet were in use during this time in Europe.’
There is supplementary information on: