(A compendium of information from discussions on the 12th Century Garb Yahoo Group list. This page is a catch-all. For specific information on the bliaut, the Bliaut! page. For veils, see the Headgear page.)
Gowns Other Than a Bliaut
“I am wondering what the older, less cutting edge of fashion, widow would be wearing. Welsh, Norman, Saxon, Viking…
I like a simple 4 gore, squarish sleeve gown… nothing exciting, no set in sleeves or tight lacing… no lacing necessary, at all. Will this fit our period?
~ Gwen verch Rhys / Jennifer Hill
Message #358, November 18, 2002
“The simpler gown, without lacing, was apparently worn though out our period by the lower classes and as the everyday working clothes of the upper class. It was called a cote, but is not the same cut as the later 13th century cote.
“Umm, set in sleeves? Does anyone have evidence for set in sleeves in 12th century garments?”
~ Rowena / Brenda Sibly
Message #359, November 18, 2002
“There also seems to a few pictures of the type of garb you describe with the addition of droopy sleeves earlier in the 12th century. I don’t know a lot about the details, but these dresses certainly look fairly much like what was being worn in earlier times (except the sleeves) and in our period by lower classes, and certainly look to loose to have been laced. Nearly always worn with a cloak and veil.
“But wear straightish sleeved garments – probably more people, even minor nobility were wearing them than the more impractical fashions.”
~ Teffania / Tiffany Brown
Message #361, November 19, 2002
“Looking back at some of my pics, I realize that those tight-lace gowns really are for the upper nobility pretty exclusively- everyone else is wearing those comfy simple 4 or 2 gore gowns with simple plain sleeves. And as for cloaks- I was just looking at them specifically choosing how I want mine done (I Am getting that lisk brocade cloak- it’s raw silk outer and ecclesiastical silk lining!) I realized that all the pics of “true” 12thC. cloaks seamed to be clasped at the neck, whether circle or more often half circle, clasped with a large round brooch at the neck, or just draped over the shoulder. Most of the strap across the chest cloaks I found were early 13th C. Which works for my persona as I cover the life time of Eleanor of Aquitaine.
“As far as I am concerned, there is really so little 12ht C. stuff out there that using some 11th and some 13th is perfectly valid, especially since fashion didn’t really change much during this time in history.”
~ Aénor d’Anjou / Kirsten Wienand Vaughan
Message #371, November 21, 2002