Women’s
Fashion in the First Half of the 14th Century
Part
Two
In my novels Yvonne, Lady of Cassio, Volume One of The
Lovages of Cassio, and in Grace, Lady of Cassio, Volume Two, which begins in
1331, (to be published in August 2021) I describe the characters’ clothes to
help readers visualise the protagonists. As I write, I imagine the contrasts
between wealthy ladies’ sumptuous apparel, well-to-do women, and poor people’s
clothes.
Stockings
Stockings were supported by garters, strips of wool or
linen, often embroidered, above or below the knees. Women who could afford them
wore stockings made from either wool or linen. Poor women wore coarse woollen
ones which, I imagine, were itchy.
Footwear
Shoes with points at the big toe were cut well and
shaped to fit either foot around the ankle. They were fastened with laces on
the inner or outer edge. Other shoes were designed like slippers, cut away over
the instep and fastened with a strap and buckle around the ankle.
Wealthy women’s footwear was often embellished either
with embroidery or charming patterns of squares, dots or flowers punched into the
leather.
Short boots for walking, and possibly riding, ended below
the calf, and were usually laced on the inner side or, occasionally on the
outer.
Hair and Headwear
Women
plaited their hair and coiled it around their ears. Their hair was always completely
covered in various ways.
A
veil and wimple.
A veil held in place by a fillet.
A barbette, a strip of linen passed under the chin and
on either side of the face over a hairnet secured by hairpins.
A fret, hairnet, often brightly coloured.
Many pins were required to secure each of these
headdresses.
Hoods were always worn by country women, and by other
women when travelling and for warmth.
Accessories
Gloves were worn by
women of every class. Wealthy ladies wore linen gloves to protect their hands
from sunburn.
Aprons did not have bibs
and tied around the waist. They were worn by ladies to protect expensive
clothes and by working class women. Sometimes a band of embroidery decorated
them below the waist.
Jewellery. Made of gold or
silver set with precious stones, rings, brooches, buckles etc.
Girdles either plain or ornamented
with gold or silver, sometimes set with gemstones, or worn around the hips and
buckled or tied in front.
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