the medieval period in england is classified
as the time between the fall of the roman empire to the
beginning of the renaissance,
ranging from the years AD 449–1500. for the anglo-saxons, anglo-danes, normans and britons,
clothing during the medieval era differed widely for men and women as well as
for the social hierarchy.
the
majority of records on women’s fashion during the medieval period come from the
mid-fourteenth century onwards. around the year 1340 there was a change in
women’s clothing, to tighter-fitting garments, lower necklines, and more
curvaceous silhouettes.
clothing
was over-lapped and tightly bound. the corset became a
staple in a woman’s wardrobe, and the open surcoat, a garment with an
open bodice and a skirt that trailed to the ground. in
fact, by the end of the 14th century, the gown had replaced all garment items
aside from the surcoat.
the
basic garments for women consisted of the smock, hose, kirtle, gown,
surcoat, girdle, cape, hood, and bonnet.
the
development of the skirt was also significant for women’s medieval clothing because it provided more comfort and liberty for the women as opposed to the tightly bound outfits.
the headdress, in various
forms culminating in the hennin was
an important element in women's dress, often complicated arrangements of hair
and fabric, sometimes including veils over
the face or hanging behind the head.
for those interested in knowing how medieval men dressed, do hop over to wikipedia.
fash'on... BAM!
