TENTH TO THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. FEMALE.
The head-dress of women now began to show a preference to confine the
hair with nets and to close in the face, which continued till the 15th
century. The circlet and long plait or plaits and the flowing hair
remained till the 14th century. In the 12th century we discover the hair
gathered in nets at either side of the head, covering the ears. A
low-crowned hat was bound over with a band of lawn or fine material
passing underneath the chin, otherwise the plaits were looped up under a
circlet which was also worn with the flowing hair.
A square effect was aimed at in the 13th century with tight side-plaits
bound into a shape or netted hair was strapped to the head as in Fig. 11
(see p. 65). A fall of fine material softened the hard effect, and many
ladies of quality bound the face, neck, and head in the wimple of fine
linen, sometimes gathering this to the same quaint shape of the netted
hair. I give a variety of these settings on page 65. A kerchief of linen
coming round the neck was brought up tightly round the face and
festooned on the top of the head, while another piece was pinned close
to the brows and fell loosely to the shoulders, being often held on by a
circlet as well.
This character was maintained till the early 14th century, when a style
of high peaked hats came into evidence, one shape of which became the
most imposing feature of historic costume in the 15th century. It was
still but a simple form in the middle of the 14th century, for another
shape first gained predominance. Early in this century also may be noted
a curious shape like the cap of liberty, usually with a long tail at the
back as drawn on page 59. This carried design to the eccentric forms of
the pig-tailed hood, and then the rival of the high peaked hat took its
place towards the end of the 14th century--a cushioned head-dress, which
rose and divided in a hornlike structure. It started as in Fig.
25, and I have illustrated its progress; the veil draping was a great
feature, giving plenty of scope for individual fancy. It was, as a rule,
richly decorated with gold and jewels, and the hair was completely
enclosed in a gold net and a tight-fitting cap to hold this erection.
Large drop ear-rings were much worn, and a fine chain of gems encircled
the neck or fell to the breast.
[Illustration: Plate IV.--
(_c_) Youth's Jacket of Linen Embroidered in Worsted. 1635-65.
_Pattern, see p. 299._
(_d_) Linen Male Jacket Embroidered with Gold and Silk. 1600-40.]
[Illustration: FIG. 6.--Tenth to thirteenth century.]
[Illustration: FIG. 7.
_Henry II._
_John_
_Henry I._
_Richard I._]
[Illustration: FIG. 8.--Twelfth to fourteenth century.]
In the 10th century a long close-fitting robe was in fashion, sometimes
with a deep =V=-shaped neck opening, though usually the neck was cut to a
round form. Some sleeves were tighter with a small cuff, but usually the
outer garment had a falling sleeve with a square or round end showing
the tight undersleeve. The outer sleeve varied much in length, from the
elbow or hand dropping even to the ground; it was narrow and widened
through the 14th century, when its edge was cut into various patterns as
in Fig. 18 (see p. 79). In the 13th century we notice a long sleeve
opened at the elbow for the under sleeve to come through, which
beautiful style continued to the middle of the 17th century.
[Illustration: FIG. 9.
_Norman, 12th century_
_Saxon, 12th century_]
[Illustration: FIG. 10.--Fourteenth century, 1st half.]
[Illustration: FIG. 11.--Fourteenth century, 2nd half.]
With the 10th century came the first corselet from the waist to the hip,
clasping a loose tunic with an under-dress taking a long pointed
train. The manner of tucking the tunic under the corselet when it was
worn over it, and so creating festoons, is worthy of notice as
interesting in arrangement and design.
The 13th century parti-coloured and striped dresses foreshadowed the
heraldic fashion, which must be studied for its proportion and treatment
of decorative colour-values in counterchange to get the true value of
its noble effects.
A great feature now appears in the chasuble-shaped front or setting to a
closely cut jacket. This ultimately becomes the decorative stomacher
through the later periods, and it is very interesting to note its
development.
In the 13th century this jacket was a fur construction of a long simple
form opened at the sides to the hips for the sleeves to come through; it
had a straight hem or was rounded at the front points, and a chasuble
form of it was treated as in Fig. 13 or in conjunction with a short
cape; it was chiefly a decoration of ermine. It grew into a complete
jacket, and in the 14th century it was heavily ornamented with gems; and
the simple front, from being a feature outside the jacket, was later
often enclosed at the sides. The jacket itself is beautiful in form and
proportion, and the curved band of design over the hips makes a nice
foil to the curved front. This pattern is plainly derived from the
effect of the rich girdle that was at first seen through the side
openings and few jackets are without it, the usual shaping of the neck
with most of these was square.
[Illustration: FIG. 12.--Nos. 1 to 7, 14th century. Nos. 8 and 9, 15th
century.]
In the first quarter of the 14th century the setting of the neck was of
a round shape, and after 1350 a raised or curved form is favoured. Later
still, and with the hornlike head-dress, a very deep =V= shape, open
almost to the belt was the mode, often being filled in with velvet. At
the same time some began to take up the fashions of a very high collar
and a round-shaped body and sleeves, as in Fig. 24 (see p. 89), with
which a wide pointed belt is seen. Some robes were opened in front up to
the height of the girdle, though many dresses were worn without girdles
after the 12th century. Decorated pockets are sometimes seen in the
later period, and an interesting hand-covering or falling cuff came with
them.
[Illustration: FIG. 13.--Nos. 1 to 3, 14th century. Nos. 4 to 9, 15th
century.]
The cloak as described in the 10th century still continued till the
12th, as well as the light wrap which may almost be placed with any
period, though mostly a feature of the more classic styles.
Skirts and underskirts were worn with trains. They were mostly banded
with wide borders of ornament up to the 13th century, the fullness being
often gathered to the back and front.
The chasuble-shaped overdress was worn to the middle of the 14th
century, sleeveless, and, laced or sewn tight to the figure from the arm
to the hip, or completely down the sides, generally reached just below
the knee.
The shoes were of much the same character as those of the male examples
illustrated, though they hardly reached the same extravagance in length,
owing, no doubt, to the feet of woman being hampered by her skirt; but I
suspect they even braved high wooden clogs, as we know they did the tall
chopins of the 16th century, to heighten their stature.
[Illustration: Plate V.--
(_a_) Jerkin. Period James I.
(_b_) Lady's Bodice of Slashed and Vandyked Satin. 1635-50.
(_c_) Jerkin of Embroidered Linen. 1630-60.
(_d_) Jerkin of Embroidered Linen. 1580-1635.
_Pattern measurements, see p. 293._]
TENTH TO THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. MALE.
From the 10th to the 15th century, we find costume developing rapidly
into elaborate and interesting designs. Close relations with the
Continent brought new ideas, and rich velvets and brocades interwoven
with gold enhanced the gorgeousness of attire, while the introduction of
heraldic design brought in a very picturesque element. Hats and
head-dresses began to become important features, enlarging to eccentric
shapes and proportions, only equalled in the extravagant part of the
18th century.
It may be noted that feminine fashion, as it assumes new characters and
proportions, affects the style of the male clothes in the same way, as,
when a high or pointed head-dress comes in, the male hat also increases
its size; the same with curved or angular designs, full or tight
sleeves.
The hair was worn long and rather squared in shape at the back till the
end of the 15th century. A tendency to shut in the face by close hoods
tied under the chin is remarked, and this forms a strong feature of the
13th and 14th centuries. Ear-rings were seldom worn after the 10th
century; but the neck was generally adorned with heavy chain
decorations.
Beards assumed a pointed shape in accordance with this development of
fashion, and double-pointed beards were revived between 1380 and 1386.
Hats of straw with mushroom brims and round tops came into vogue in the
11th century, covered with coloured materials and finished with a spike
or button at the top, and the crowns of these took a pointed shape in
the 14th century. The usual cap with folded brim had a loose crown, and
we find this began to lengthen and fall over to one side in the 11th
century, and continued to elongate till, in the 15th century, it often
dropped to the knee in a long thin point. In the 14th century it took a
fullness of loose folds, with serrated or foliated edges falling to the
shoulder as in Fig. 15 (see p. 73). A close helmet-shaped cap is seen in
the 12th century, with a falling point from the crown, and the 13th
century brought in the higher crowned hat, with a long peaked front,
turned up at the back. Feathers were worn at the front, back, or side of
hats, and sometimes on the front of the hoods; these increased
their dimensions in height and peak, till the straight-up high hat,
which was often brimless, came in the 15th century. The early hood or
cowl soon began to vary its design, for in the 13th century it was often
a part of, or attached to, a chasuble shape falling back and front, or
with the long front, stopping at a short cape length behind. A note of
interest in the 14th century appears, where the forehead part of the
hood is turned up, showing a coloured lining, and at times the
fashionable serrated edge surrounding the face is seen.
[Illustration: FIG. 14.
_13th century_
_14th century_
_15th century_]
[Illustration: FIG. 15.--Fourteenth century.]
[Illustration: Plate VI.--
(_a_) Collar and Cuffs set with Lace. 1600-30.
(_b_) Embroidered Leather Jerkin. 1620-40.
(_c_) Top of Stocking. Embroidered Linen. 1625-50.]
[Illustration: FIG. 16.--Twelfth to thirteenth century.]
The chasuble-shaped garment was a feature often worn over the coat until
the end of the 15th century, and was generally worn long with the
elongated fashion of the 14th century, and short with the shorter tunics
of the 15th century. They are found very wide in the 14th century, and
so fall well down over the shoulder, where they are often laced a short
distance up, creating an interesting feature. Cloaks were not so much in
favour with the heavier cowl and cape, but they were used, fastened by
brooches to either shoulder rather at the back, after the 12th century.
[Illustration: FIG. 17.--Fourteenth century.]
A very tight-fitting suit called Justacorps came into use from the
12th century, and developed a padded round-shaped body towards the end
of the 14th century; the closely-cut body was buttoned up to the throat,
or was set with a high collar for the first time. The tights came over
it, sometimes rather high up the waist, being laced to it. A long tunic
was chiefly favoured during the 10th and 11th centuries with short or
long cuffless sleeves, and a full bell-shaped falling sleeve showed a
close-fitting under one.
These tunics were chiefly open at the neck as in the earlier times,
though a slight difference to be noted is a =V=-shaped opening in the 14th
century, which is developed in the 15th century; they were also split up
the sides, even to the hips. Some were very full in shape, and were
gathered to either side as in the illustration; others had the body
closely fitted and full only in the skirt, but as a rule one finds this
latter shape only reaches just below the knee. They were often tucked
into the belt in front, showing a rich underskirt.
A girdle (besides a belt) was worn on the hips with the longer tunics,
as in Fig. 28 (see p. 94), the dagger and pouch being carried in front
on the girdle, and not the belt. A small dagger was often slung at the
back or front of the neck, as an ornament at the end of the 14th
century.
[Illustration: FIG. 18.--Fourteenth century.]
Tights to the waist were worn with both long and short tunics, and
retained the crossed binding up the legs to the 13th century, in the
various designs of page 53. Parti-coloured tights came in with the 14th
century, carrying out the heraldic character of dress, and this may be
found till about 1530. A sandal shoe was much worn up to the 12th
century, with strappings to various heights up the leg, this even over
the short top-boots, but the usual shoe opened down the front of the
instep to the toe, which was rather pointed in shape, and it was curved
or square at the ankle. The illustration gives a good variety of the
prevalent forms. The stocking-boot is also another characteristic of
this earlier time, as well as the commoners' woollen gaiters, worn as in
Fig. 30, on the seated figure, which were in use to the middle of the
16th century.
[Illustration: FIG. 19.--Twelfth and thirteenth centuries.]
In the illustrations which show no shoe on the tights, it will be
understood that a sole of leather was sewn on to the under part of the
foot. This practice is even seen to-day on the Continent, where the
clog is mostly in use. A soft boot, reaching to the calf, was worn till
the 15th century, with the top folded or trimmed with fur, the latter
being generally laced down the front, even to the instep: the shape of
these only varied in the length of the pointed toes as the style
developed.
The long-pointed shoes began to increase all through the 13th century,
and in the 14th century they reached their greatest length, when the
points were often tied up to a garter just below the knee. Wooden clogs
were much used, and were often considerably raised. Iron circular
supports were also in use at the end of this time; these were the
foretaste of the eccentric chopins of the 16th century, which were more
favoured on the Continent than here. The pointed toes also were made to
curl outwards, giving a splay-footed effect, late in the 14th century.
[Illustration: FIG. 20.--Fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.]