History of Tailoring
Written by:
Shana White
Known in the Royal Order of Chivalry as:
Baroness, Lady Adella “the Steadfast”
Master Couturiere
Political, social and economic events may have both direct and indirect influence on clothing styles in the Middle Ages. The availability of the raw materials from which costumes are made, the social stage on which they are worn and even practical needs which they must satisfy will each play a part in their development.
The architectural style of the 12th to 15th centuries, known as Gothic, is one of magnificent cathedrals and romantic castles, religious fervor, crusades, chivalry, courtly love and people dressed in rich trailing garments.
Few garments survive from earlier than the 16th century. Our knowledge of the costume of the medieval period comes from contemporary memorial brasses, sculpture, painting, frescoes and manuscripts. The history of costume of the later middle ages is marked by increasing variety in types of dress. This tendency which began to accelerate in the 13th century presents the costume historian with difficulties in terminology. The written records of the period abound in descriptions of items of luxurious dress, but these descriptions are not accompanied by illustrations of the garments or accessories that they describe. The applications of these terms to costume leaves the reader with a maze of terms in several languages that cannot be attached to particular garments with complete accuracy. For this reason textbooks, costume histories, and journal articles dealing with costume may be in conflict as to the names applied to particular items or the definition of terms.
Women's costume was strongly influenced by church doctrine, because sin entered the world through Eve and that women were the eternal cause of sinful lust. Women were therefore urged to conceal their physical charms occasionally without success. With the exception of very young girls and brides, the hair had to be covered and as little as possible of the anatomy revealed.
Both men and women were attacked by the religious moralist of the day for their rich and extravagant dress.
Spinning, weaving and the making of clothes were skills possessed by practically all women in the Middle Ages. Until about the middle of the 12th century, clothes had been made by women in their own homes.
Workers of the middles ages carried every part of the work from start to finish. How different that way of doing things is from our present method, where things are manufactured in factories by many workers, each one doing a small part of the work at a machine.
By the 12th century, European craftsmen had established a number of centers for the manufacture of cloth for export. Trade guilds had first been established in the 11th century when there were organizations of merchants designed to prevent the importation of competing goods. By the 12th century, the craftsmen had begun to form their own guilds. Only by apprenticing himself to a guild could a young boy become a practitioner of a craft, so that guilds were able to regulate the number of artisans and to set quality standards, rate of pay and regulate working conditions. After a while the craftsmen in the towns followed the example of the merchants and formed various guilds according to the kind of work they did. The movement spread rapidly, and in time there were guilds of carpenters, weavers, millers, butchers, grocers, tailors, goldsmiths, armourers, masons, shoemakers - in fact, practically every kind of work had a guild, and no one was allowed to engage in a craft unless he was a member of a guild.
Tailors underwent a lengthy and rigorous apprenticeship which made them skilled in the construction of clothing. Different items of dress were made a different craftsmen, tailors for making garments, professional lingerie makers for making wimples and veils, boot makers, or shoe makers.
The quality of your craft was very important. Everything made was carefully inspected. Certain men called searchers were appointed by each guild to see that the products of the members of the guild come up to the standard decided upon by the guild. The middle ages produced beautiful work, much of which still remains in Europe today for people to enjoy.
By the end of the crusades in the 13th century, many new products were imported into Europe. New fabrics were brought back by the crusaders, such as muslin, dimity, and silk damask. They also brought back a new fiber, cotton. By the end of the 13th century, there was greater variety in design, a richness of color and increase in the use of silk.
Cloth was both expensive and enduring, and one well woven garment might serve three generations, its usefulness not diminishing with age.
Embroideries were part of clothing in the middle ages. They were worked on linen with wool or silk thread. Gold and silver work was only sparingly introduced. In the 13th and 14th centuries, English embroidery was the finest in Europe. The quality of the stitchery was so fine that the work was highly sought after. Silver thread and seed pearls were introduced into the embroideries and appliqué work was widely used. In the 14th century, velvet gowns were favored.
Variations existed in the style of clothing worn by different nationalities in Europe, it is possible to give a general description commenting on any particular divergence from overall pattern.
Multiple layers of clothing provided the most practical way of dressing for comfort.
Men's undergarments consisted of a straight loose garment with sleeves, usually made of linen. This garment was called a chemise or smock, and subsequently a shirt about knee-length and often slit up from the hem at the center back and front. The chemise can occasionally be seen showing at the neck and wrists in prints or drawings.
Also braes or hose were worn. They were fastened at the waist with a belt, knee length or longer lengths. The ankle length was wrapped close with gathering. Peasants appear to have worn the chemise and braes either alone or together as their only garments. The under hose worn by gentlemen were probably shorter and closer fitting, even before shorter tunics made this necessary. Often the hose or braes were wrapped with cords to hold them against the leg. Men's hose in the 13th century became better shaped and longer, which led to shorter tighter tunics.
Over the men's chemise was worn a tunic, "cote". In 1154, the masculine garment was either knee length for average wear or ankle length for the nobility on formal occasions. The tunic was moderately full, belted fairly low and often decorated with bands of embroidery at the hem, neck, and sleeve edges. The tunic sleeves varied in construction, starting in the 12th century, variations including are: a close fitting sleeve with a decorative turned back duff; elbow length, full sleeve revealing a fitted sleeve underneath, a sleeve cut fairly close at the shoulder and widening to a full bell at the end. By the 13th century, sleeves were long and tightly fitted or cut very full under the arm, tapering to a close fit at the wrist. The wrists were at first wrapped over and fastened, then later buttoned.
There was a new factor in decoration, "jagged", cut edges to the hem, or edge of the shoulder cape, known as a "dagged" edge. This was the beginning of an obsession of lacerated edges with the well-dressed man of the late 14th century. Though rather shorter by 1200, the tunic received much more decoration in the form of jeweled embroideries and appliqué work, in rich colors, particularly at the neck, sleeves and hem. The tunic could be worn alone, and sometimes when worn alone had slits at the front, but was frequently worn with a surcote.
The surcote, "outer tunic", was often sleeveless, made of silk or linen and decorated with heraldry. This "cote" of heraldry or arms is where we get the term "coat of arms." The surcote first appeared at the last quarter of the 12th century. The shape of the surcote is a rectangle of cloth with a hole in the middle for the head to go through. It became part of ordinary dress, evolving into a sleeveless tunic reaching the knees, with armholes wide enough to give room for the cote sleeves. The surcote might be slit up the front and back and worn belted or unbelted. It became the principle garment for men of the 13th century. It evolved from an adaptation of the tabard worn over the crusading knights armor. During the 13th century, the surcote became gradually longer and then dangerously long, going down to the calf in the early 14th century. It was cut off by the middle of the 14th century. The surcote also developed sleeves in the 14th century. The sleeves were generally loose and long, and had a slit in front at elbow level for the arm to pass through so that they became hanging sleeves.
Men also wore a mantle "cloak or cape". The mantle fastened in the center of the front or to one side with a brooch or cord fastening. In the beginning of the 12th century, the royalty and the nobility wore their mantles so long that they had to be held up as they walked. By the 1300s they became more manageable with a length to the calves or heels, only being worn very long on ceremonial occasions. The formal mantle for full-dress was fashioned from rich cloth, velvet, or silk, fur linings were popular, though a contrasting colored silk might also be used. Around the middle of the 12th century many mantles were short, falling only to the upper part of the thigh. The hood became fashionable for all, attaching to the shoulder cape. The hood was in various forms; also the cape edges were popularly dagged.
In the 13th century the favorite cloak for riding was a semi-circular cloak with a center opening for the head. This cloak was good protection for weather conditions, and usually when traveling a hood was attached. This cloak was made in the shape of an eclipse, with a wedge-shaped piece cut out to shape the garment in front. A brooch in the center or on the side of one shoulder fastened it.
In the 14th century, a large circular cloak with an opening for the head was in use. Another type of cloak used was the garnche - a long cloak with cape line sleeves often lined or collared with fur, this garment was open at the sides under the arm.
Hair for men in the middle of the 12th century was worn short, unparted with the front hair tumbled on the brow, in a "bob." Beards and mustaches were less in evidence, and when worn were usually neatly trimmed. The "bob" hairstyle was worn until the middle of the 13th century. After that, a fashion arose for parting the hair across the top of the head and rolling the front lock into a curl turned under across the forehead, or combed into a fringe. Men were either clean-shaven or bearded, and beards were often forked.
During the 12th century, men wore two types of headdress, a close fitting coif and a hood with a cape attached. The coif was worn in doors or out, and when worn outdoors it was worn under a hood. The coif was very simple in style, round, with or without a brim turned up and with a small point on the top. They were made of felt or cloth. During the 3rd quarter of the 13th century, the peak of the hood grew longer; it was often 2 or 3 feet in length. By 1327 it was often 5 or 6 feet long when worn by fashionable gentlemen. This was called a lirapipe.
The undergarment of a woman was much like the man's chemise, but flowing to the ground, make of white linen of silk. It gathered into a round or square neckband, the fullness of the chemise sleeve puffed out at the write and at the shoulder. The sleeve fastened at the wrist by laces or points.
Another distinctive type of garment was a chainse, for upper-class women. It was long and seems to have been pleated. Pleats thought to be made by wringing the garment when wet and being left to dry. The chainse was worn over the chemise alone without and outer tunic as a "house dress", in the late 12th century. It is possible that it may have been a summer garment, since it was washable and made of lightweight fabric.
Over the chemise was worn a tunic, also called a cote or gown. The sleeves tapering from waist to wrist, sometimes the sleeves were close fitting, ending in a long, pendant cuff or band that hangs all the way to the floor. This garment had a low waistline, whether belted or not the belly is emphasized, then the garment spreads into skirts; which are suddenly gored wide at the hips. Decoration is in horizontal bands, the neckline lowered. Women wore embroidered or jeweled belts with rope and tassels at the end. The belt was tied once or twice around the lower waist.
Toward the middle of the 14th century, clothes became more fitting, unlike the somewhat shapeless clothes that had been prevalent during the early Middle Ages. The fitting gowns were often achieved by lacing down the back, from the neck to waist or on the sides. Some women wore the gown laced tightly to emphasize their figures under the surcote, which was visible through the wide armholes.
The surcote that women wore was more commonly called the cyclas. Women adapted this type of garment later than men, yet as a feminine vogue it lasted for considerably longer.
At the end of the 12th century, the cyclas had a low round neck, no sleeves and a very wide, deep armhole reaching nearly to the hips. It was more fitting at the waist and hips. It was more fitting at the waist and hips than that of the men's surcote and the fuller skirt reached to the ground and formed a small train at the back. The cyclas normally lacked in embroidery or elaborate decoration, but was fashioned from costly materials. Usually the cyclas was pulled up and bloused over a belt or tucked into the sides at waist to display the decorative border of the tunic underneath. In warm summer months some women wore the surcote over the chemise, but this was considered daring and immoral behavior.
The Cotehardie appeared in fashion and was common for many years. This close fitting gown varied in length according to the status of the owner. Sleeves of various lengths and shapes as well as heraldry were variations to this ladies' garment.
The women's mantles and cloaks were the same as those of the men.
At the beginning of the 12th century, the women's hair was almost entirely hidden by veil, wimple or both. About 1130 women began to wear their hair parted in the center and braided into two plaits, which were fastened and weighted with ornaments at the end. By 1135 the hair was divided into two tresses, which were held together by a ribbon, wound in and out and around them. This necessitated the addition of false hair for many women and eventually silk cases stuffed took the place of the visible false hair. In the 13th century women wore their hair braided around the head or over the ears. It may have been parted in the center or across the top of the head with the front portion being brought forward and curled. Queens and unmarried girls might wear their hair flowing.
In the 13th century women wore the barbette widely. This was a band of linen put on under the chin and brought up over the head, the two ends being fastened a little to one side of the head at the top. It could be worn with a fillet around the head or covered with a cap shaped like a wide pillbox. The rim of this might be jeweled or have a circlet or coronet worn over it. Toward the end of the 13th century this cap could be worn with a short veil thrown over it. Unmarried girls would often crown their unbound hair with flowers or a jeweled circlet.
Babies were wrapped in swaddling clothes; this meant that their arms and legs were bandaged to the body from the neck to the feet. By the time they are 9 months old, they began to wear simple long dresses with long sleeves.
Shoes worn in this century were simple and shaped to the foot and having a moderate point. They were of fabric, silk, or leather; dyed in rich colors, or gilded for the nobility, jeweled and embroidered. Loose leather boots were worn by many men, with a better fitting, short roll-top style for the noblemen.
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