This is a list of things I need to know as a writer of another age…
ALB: long white linen tunic which became an exclusively liturgical garment after 6th century.
• AMIGAUT: slit at neck of garments for ease of donning. Also a decorative panel around armhole.
• AMUSSE: simple headdress in the form of a flat hood falling to the shoulders.
• BALDRICK: sword-belt, later an ammunition belt for soldiers, worn from shoulder to opposite hip,early times onward.
• BARBETTE: band put under chin and fastened on the top of the head, worn by women, 12th-14th centuries.
• BELUQUE: woman’s mantle – 15th century.
• BLIAUT(D): 12th century dress of fine material, largely pleated, worn by men and women.
• BRACCAE or BRAES: loose trousers ending below knees or at ankles, and tied there, Roman, early European.
• BRANC: woman’s smock – 15th century
• BRODEQUIN: light shoe worn inside boots and houseaux.
• CABAN: first fitted coat with sleeves. 14th century.
• CAMLET: camel-hair fabric – 12th century
• CAMOCAS: silk cloth striped with gold and silver made in a castle in Palestine beginning in 12th century.
• CAUL: jeweled net worn as women’s head-covering, 14th-15th centuries.
• CHAINSE OR CAINSIL: long tunic of fine linen with long sleeves tightly fitted at the wrists; always white and usually pleated. Worn under bliaut(d).
• CHAPERON: hat contrived from winding long ‘liripipe’ round cap, later made as complete headgear.
• CHASUBLE: circular cape with aperture for head.
• CHAUSSES: garment for covering leg and feet, originally held with criss-crossed thongs to the knee.
• COAT OF ARMS: long tunic strengthened with metal rings worn from 11th century on.
• COIF: close-fitting cap of white linen later embroidered or made in black.
• COLOBIUM: blouse or sleeveless coat worn in ancient Gaul and throughout the middle ages. Abandon in later centuries for the dalmatic.
• COPE: hooded cloak, sometimes with sleeves, worn for protection against rain.
• CORNET: long point of a hood. In 15th century, also name for separate woman’s hat, which covered skull and temples with point upstanding for comfort.
• CORSET: in medieval times, two definitions: 1) long or short surcoat with or without sleeves worn by men in the 12th-15th centuries; 2) a woman’s fur lined winter gown lacing in front, worn between 14th and 16th centuries.
• COTE: tunic or gown
• COTE-HARDIE: gown for men or women.
• COTHURNES: high boot covering the whole foot and leg to the calf, worn by hunters.
• COURTEPY: very short, hip belted tunic.
• CULOT: short tight breeches worn during reign of Henry III.
• CYCLAS or GARDCORPS: outer gown, usually sleeveless, with side and front openings.
• DAGGINGS: mainly German fashion, where hems and ends of bands are cut in various patterns, such as toothed or open-worked designs.
• DOUBLET: quilted garment, stuffed with cotton or waste material, stitched and worn under a hauberk.
• EPITOGA: wide, ungathered robe, belted and sometimes with sleeves, mainly worn by academics in 13th century.
• ESCAFFIGNONS or ESCHAPINS: a small light shoe made from rich material.
• FACINGS: edgings on garments made from fur or fine cloth, originating in 12th century.
• FALSE SLEEVES: 14th century, unbuttoned lower part of sleeves which hang down, sometimes to ankle length.
• FILLET: band tied round the head.
• GAMBESON: padded garment worn under hauberk; also know as a gibbon, pourpoint or doublet.
• GANACHE: loose outer garment
• GIPON or GIPPON: a type of doublet made of padded, quilted material; in 14th century, same as a doublet.
• GONELLE or GONNE: long tunic worn by knights.
• GORGET: linen neck-covering
• GORGIAS: gauze used in late 15th century to mask pronounced décolleté of women’s dresses.
• GUIMP: piece of light material used to cover face, neck and chest.
• HAUBERK: military corselet of mail or leather
• HEAD-RAIL: Saxon head covering for women
• HELM: military headgear made of leather or metal.
• HENNIN: cone-shaped or cylindrical headdress for women.
• HERIGAUTE: similar to house or garde-corps, open at sides and worn 13-14th centuries.
• HEUZE or HOUSEAUX: tall leather thick-soled boots, sometimes open-toed, varying from half-leg to half-thigh height.
• HOSE: knitted or cloth, a covering for the foot and part of the leg, later to become two-piece in 16th century.
• HOUPPELAND: voluminous gown worn by men and women, late 14th century, most of 15th.
• HUQUE: short outer flowing robe, open at sides; knight’s version had slit in front.
• HUVE: headdress of 14-15th centuries with a tapered cornet held to head by long pins.
• JACK: padded military jacket, up to 30 layers, worn over hauberk, and brightly decorated; not to be confused with doublet.
• JOURNADE: very short, full, belt less tunic.
• LIRIPIPE: long ‘tail’ descending from hood or chaperon
• MAFORS: a long narrow over-the-shoulder veil worn by women up through the 11th century.
• MANTLE: first appearing in 15th century, term for a cloak.
• MARRAMAS: a cloth of gold, used mainly for ecclesiastical adornment in 14th century.
• MITRE: gold circlet for the head first appearing in 7th century.
• MORSE: fastening of cloak.
• MOUFLES or MITONS: extension of sleeve which covers the hands.
• NEBULAE HEADDRESS: narrow halo-shaped headdress of gauze
• PARTI-COLOURED DRESS: divided vertically in half, a 12-14th century garment in two colors of cloth.
• PELICAN: fur-lined garment worn between the chemise and cote during 12-15th centuries.
• PHRYGIAN CAP: cap with bulging coxcomb peak in front, early European, 12th century.
• PIGACHE: shoe with a long, upturned pointed toe – 12th century.
• POINTS: metal-ended laces used to attach upper hose to doublet.
• POULAINES: very long-toed shoes
• POURPOINT: under-doublet
• RAMSHORN HEADDRESS: cap with coiled earpieces, 13th century.
• ROBE DEGUISEE: garments reserved for most elegant wear, usually new and in daring fashion.
• ROBE GIRONNEE : loose pleated dress fixed at waist.
• RONDEL: crescent-shaped, circular or halo shaped headdress.
• ROWEL: round of cloth worn by Jews (compulsory): yellow in 13th century, then red and white in 14th.
• SABLE: rarest and most sought-after fur used for adornment.
• SAMITE: rich silk cloth, unmade after Middle Ages.
• SCARF: originally an over-shoulder satchel, became strip of cloth worn from shoulder to hip and tied at waist in 14th century.
• SIDELESS GOWN: woman’s gown open at the sides to the hips, 14th-15th century.
• SIGLATON: gold brocade made in Lucca in 14th century used for luxurious garments.
• SKULL CAP : small round cap covering top of head; some had small points and tails. 12th-15th centuries.
• SLIPPERS: in 12th century, footwear which covered foot only to instep.
• SNOOD: simple net used to cover headgear. Adornments such as pearls and jewels added in 15th century.
• STIVALI: summer light boots close fitting to the leg and usually in black, but sometimes red.
• SURCOTE: outer garment which replace the bliaut(d) during 12th century.
• TABARD: sleeveless outer garment with open side-seams worn by men usually in tourneys, and always worn by heralds.
• TEMPLET: metal ornament around which women’s hair was coiled and rolled above the ears – 15th century.
• TIPPET: white linen bands with strip hanging down worn tied on above elbows, 14th century
• TOURET: woman’s veil covering forehead – 13th-15th centuries.
• TRESSOIR: golden plait of silk embroidered with metal and gems worn by 13th century women.
• WIMPLE: women’s head and neck covering, 12-15th centuries
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