CLOTHES OF MEDIEVAL ENGLAND

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CLOTHES OF MEDIEVAL ENGLAND

• How did clothing develop in England from Medieval
  Times to the Elizabethan Era?

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Materials Available

• Wool - flocks were for wool not meat. England
  exported wool to Europe.
• Leather- Sometimes decorated with patterns and
  silver and gold. Best leather from Spain.
• Fur- for the kings and nobles. Showed importance
  and richness. The king wore Ermine. Best fur came
  from Russia.
• Linen- Made from a plant called Flax. Softer than
  wool and used for finer garments.
• Silk- Spread from China. Used for thread and
  embroidery. Dyed to brilliant colours
• Cotton- Found in North Africa and later the
  Americas

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How Fabric was Made

• Wool, cotton, linen and silk all required
  cleaning, spinning and weaving to made a fabric.
• Spinning was done by use of a spindle and later
  spinning wheels
• Looms were household implements and fabric making
  was an activity for peasants.
• Leather required tanning to prevent it from
  rotting. Special plants were powdered for tanning
• Quality furs were for the rich but the poorer
  would catch and skin rabbits and foxes.

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How Fabric was Made

• Spindle

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How Fabric was Made

• Spinning Wheel

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How Fabric was Made

• Small home Loom

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How Fabric was Made

• Large Loom

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Colours of the Times

• Fabric was dyed using plants. Madder root
  produced a range of reds from pale pink, through
  deep red to rich browns
• Yellows, greens and oranges were derived from
  flowers like marigolds
• Blues from pale to dark slate come from Woad
• Blue dyed fabric would be over dyed in a madder
  solution to give plum colours.
• Material was surprisingly colourful.
• Black coloured fabric was the hardest to achieve
  as the black faded easily.

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Names and Meanings of Colours

• Plum Murrey
• Golden Brown Tawney
• Khaki Puke
• Pink Carnation
• Blue/green Watchet
• Light yellow Cane, Primrose and Straw
• Grey Rat

• Greys, buffs and olives were very common as easy
  colours to dye.
• Various shades of grey were achieved from mostly
  maintained black items

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Who Wore Which Colours
Colours for the Poor
Colours for Servants

• Rat
• Puke
• Yellow/ Green
• Yellow
• Brown

• Blue

Colours of the Rich

• Black
• Plum

• Colours for Underwear
• White, also used for aprons

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Clothing Items Kirtle

• Women and girls wore Kirtles which were
  shapeless dresses with wide sleeves.
• Fashion changed for most people very slowly
  because clothing was expensive
• Clothing would be handed down or remade

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Clothing Items - Kirtle

• By Elizabethan times Kirtles were made of richer
  colours and designs.
• Bodices fitted over the dress
• Brocade with gold threads were added

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Clothing Items - Tunics

• Men and boys wore smocks or tunics usually of
  linen or wool.
• Leggings were worn under a tunic

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Clothing Items - Capes

• Capes with or without hoods were worn by men,
  women and children.
• Capes were long and could be wrapped around a
  person and used like a blanket to keep warm

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Clothing Items - Surcoats

• Surcoats were for richer women and were
  sleeveless long coats.
• These surcoats allowed the dress and sleeves to
  be shown off.
• The long train was developed from the surcoat.

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Clothing Items- Cotehardie

• Cotehardies were expensive coat for the richer
  men.
• Made from damask and silk, cotehardies were
  decorated with patterns or badges.
• Sleeves were often cut with a zig zag finish

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Clothing Items- Armour

• Worn by knights.
• 1100s metal helmets and chain mail
• Leather armour was also worn.

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Clothing Item - Armour

• By 1500 metal plate Armour which fitted the
  knights body

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Shoes

• Shoes could be made from leather or material
• Wealthy ladies often worn brocade that matched
  their gowns
• Mens dress shoes were often not functional or
  practical

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Head Covering

• Head covering were essential for both men and
  women as hair was not easy to keep clean and
  parasites were very common.
• Headwear was to keep others parasites out but
  often keep your own in.
• This ladys head covering is called a wimple

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Clothing of Queen Elizabeth

• Elizabethan gowns had detachable sleeves and
  tight bodices which laced into place.

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Clothing of Queen Elizabeth

• Elizabeths coronation robes were hand me downs
  from her sister Queen Mary, cut down to fit her
  slender figure

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Clothing of Queen Elizabeth

• Later Elizabethan fashion was the addition of a
  ruffed collar, also detached from the gown.

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The End.