the basic undergarment was the linen
smock which was worn night and day no
under drawers were worn this was both
practical and discreet as without ready
access to private latrines the ability
to relieve oneself quickly and
discreetly without having first to
remove a garment was important women
wore kurtal 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 tucks
and by wearing belts the belt pulled the
curdle into shape at the waist and
provided the means of carrying items
from purses to tools such as drop
spindles a distaff could also be tucked
into the belt leaving the hands-free for
spinning the side 'less surcoat or over
tunic was an additional protective layer
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it was sleeveless and had side openings
which allow access to the purse or tools
attached to the belt the surcoat 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 pots 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 tying a garter of fabric
strips were woven tape below the knee
the knot 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
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women kept their hair long and plotted
it to keep it tidy clean and out of the
way the plots which were often bound
with linen tape were warned coiled or
looped on either side of the head once
pinned up the plots were secured by a
Filat of linen tied at the back of the
head a linen kerchief would be placed
over the head and hair pinned to the
fillit at the sides of the head to avoid
it being blown away are just sliding off
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a change in fashion began around 1340
tailors began to cut clothes with curved
seams tight sleeves fit it into shaped
arm holes of figure-hugging gowns and
the skirts flared out 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
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women still wore belts to carry purses
etc but belts were no longer required to
control the fabric at the waist as they
would rest on the curve of the hip the
sightless circuit became more elegant -
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 hoes remain the same but the
fit would gradually improve too
especially for men as the new fashion
was for shorter tunics resulting in a
demand for finally fitting hers shoes
could also be fashioned with buckles and
the leather decorated with punched holes
or slashes the coils of Platts 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 Platts and just
above the ears and coiled or looped out
of the way as with the maids hair a fill
it of linen kept everything in place and
provided a means for pinning into place
whatever headdress was worn the wimple
was a linen cloth that 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 unveil 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
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