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Glossary of Medieval Costuming Terms,
Items of Clothing & Accessories.

You may well have noticed that whilst a garment shape may not alter greatly over hundreds of years, the name of a garment or fabric may differ from period to period. Listed here are common costuming garment names and a brief, simple description thereof.

Please note: armoring terms have not been included. Also, by no means do I suggest that a name or item of clothing was not used before the indicated date. The dates refer to common reference as I have found it.

Much of this information came from the excellent A Dictionary of English Costume 900 - 1900 by Cunnington & Beard, along with other books, sources and documents I have come across.

A
ackerton man's tunic for under armour.
agrafe large brooch for robe or cloak fastening.
agraffes hook-and-eyes used for clothing or armour.
aiglets metal tips on the ends of laces.
aiguillettes see aiglets.
ackerton man's tunic for under armour.
alb long, white robe worn by Christian priests.
almoner corded purse attached to a girdle or belt used to keep alms.
almuce large, cloth cape with attached hood and lined with fur.
amice white scarf worn on the shoulders of priests.
anademe fillet or garland of flowers or leaves for the head.
apron worn by artisans or workers to protect clothing for men and women. Usually rectangular linen sewn onto a waistband.
attire 15th century on. headwear of gold and jewels worn on occasions of state, later shortened to tire.
atour French name used in England for tall, conical headware made on a silver wire frame. As a foundation they used a bonnet. Usually made with gems and pearls and very fragile. see tire
aulmoniere see almoner.
aumonierre see almoner.
aumer see almoner.
aumener see almoner.
aumuse a kind of hood with shoulder coverings split at the front.

B
back or bak 14th century term loosely for any outer garment.
bag sleeve close fitted at the armhole, bag shaped at the elbow and buttoned at the wrist. Popular on the houppelande. Also called poky sleeve.
bak 14th century term loosely for any outer garment.
balandrana 12th & 13th century wide travelling cloak.
baldric 13th to 15th century wide belt worn at hips or over shoulder. Used to suspend sword, dagger, pouch etc, often decorated and with bells.
barbe 14th-16th century pleated linen veil and wimple often worn by widows and nuns.
barbette fine linen band passing under the chin like a strap, worn with a fillet.
barmecloth 14th to 17th century leather apron.
barmefell 14th to 17th century leather apron.
barmeskin 14th to 17th century leather apron.
baselard see anelace.
basen see bazan.
baudric see baldric.
bawdric see baldric.
beaver 14th century onwards. beaver skin hat.
bell late 13th to early 15th century travelling cloak. Circular, sometimes hooded, sometimes with side vents.
bend 1000 to end 15th century. Fillet or circular ornament worn on head.
birlet 15th century circular padded roll as worn with chaperons by men.
bliaud see bliaut.
bliaunt see bliaut.
bliaut 12th century. Loose tunic worn by men and women with very wide sleeves.
bliaus see bliant.
bonet 15th century headgear- small round cap, often with fur trim. Worn under the crown by the king. Often worn with a jewelled hat ornament.
bosses late 13th to end of 14th century decorative cauls of network or linen covering thick plaits of hair, generally artifically enlarged and arranged on each side of the head above the temples. Worn with a veil. Also templers.
bourrelet see birlet.
bracer yeoman's glove.
brael 14th century breech girdle.
braies long and loose underpants with a drawstring waist, progressively getting shorter as time passed.
brayette end of 14th century. narrow braie-girdle buckled in front.
breast-kerchief late 15th to mid 16th century kerchief wrapped about the shoulders and folded across the breast for warmth. Worn under the gown.
breeches 13th century- long underpants with a drawstring waist
brodekin see buskins.
brodkin see buskins.
brotiken see buskins.
bruch 12th C. kind of undergarment worn by men, possibly like breeches.
buskins 14th to late 17th century boot reaching mid-calf or to the knee favoured by travellers and country people. Women's buskins may be made of velvet, satin or Spanish leather for travelling.
burgundian gown popular late 14th to 15th century style of gown with a high waist, full skirt, fitted sleeves and deep V neckline, usually fur trimmed
burlet see birlet.
butterfly headdress 2nd half 15th century. Fez shaped cap with a wire frame having 2 anntennas supporting the veil.
buttons from at least the 13th century onwards in England
buttoner 14th century close row of ornamental buttons down the front of a houppelande.
bycocket hat turned up behind and down in front. Often called the Robin Hood Hat.
byecoket first mention 1464 see bycocket. 1464 Expenses and Accounts of Sir John Howard, there is a reference to an amount “Payd to the goldsmythe that made the bokelys, pendawntes and barrys to my masters salat and his byecoket.”

C
caban 14th & 15th century loose cloak with armholes.
cap from medieval times on.
capa A hooded robe or mantle.
cape also known as a cope or mantle from 12th to 14th century.
cappa clausa closed cloak worn by a lecturer with slits for the hands.
capuchon a hood pre-14th century or cowl.
camise see chemise.
camisia medieval shirt or smock for both sexes.
caul head covering worn by women, incorporating a decorated hair net of silk thread or goldsmithry, sometimes lined with silk. Later known as the crespine which developed into the reticulated headdress. Also a fret.
ceint, seint 14th & 15th century girdle.
chaisel
chaperon 14th century hood arranged in a variety of styles, often with a long liripipe or tippet which may be worn thrown over the shoulder. Worn by men and women.
chaperon 15th century headdress consisting of a circular roll or burlet, a liripipe or tippet, sometimes left dangling, and a cockscomb-like flopping crown.
chaplet 1. Originally a band of flowers for the head.
chaplet 2. 14th, 15th & early 16th century circlet set with gems worn by both sexes on festive occasions.
chausses 13th & 14th century tight covering for the legs, each seperate and tied to a belt or undergarment. It can be made of leather or cloth. Also hose, chaussembles.
cheisil see chaisel.
chemise from early medieval to end of 19th century. Undergarment usually of fine linen, sometimes known as a smock for a woman and a shert for a man.
ciclaton see cyclas
cingle a belt or girdle
cinglaton see cyclas
cingulum belt or cord worn at the waist
circlet A decorative circle of metal or goldsmithery worn on the head.
circular cloak A cloak, circular in shape
cloak Anglo-Saxon onwards. Loose outer garment of varying length falling from the neck over the shoulders. Many different names and styles. The 14th century ladies cloak is known as the mantle
cloche end of 13th century travelling cloak
clogs Wooden-soled overshoes to raise the wearer above the dirt. Also known as pattens and followed the shape of the fashionable shoe.
cloke-tunic
clot, clout-shoen 15th century man's shoe. Heavy, shod with thin iron plates for labourers.
clouts - a type of cloak
clouts - female form of braes
coat of arms a cloak, three-quarters of a circle, decorated with heraldic devices. Fastened on the right shoulder.
cocked cap medieval cap wrn with the brim turned up at the back. Usually felt.
cockers 14th to 16th century knee high rough boot worn by country folk.
cod medieval term for a bag.
codpiece 15th & 16th century front flap at the fork of long hose worn by men like a pocket.
cognisance heraldric badge of a noble family
coif end of 12 to mid 15th century close-fitting plain linen cap covering the ears and tied under the chin.
colobium plain tunic which preceeded the dalmatic
cope medieval voluminous circular cloak often with a hood, although sometimes without when used for ceremonial purposes.with a hood. Front opening.
cork 15th century shoe identical to the patten with a sole of cork.
coronet 14th century small, open crown of nobility, less decorative than royalty.
corse . see baldric
corset medieval garment of uncertain type- possibly ornate overgarment.
corset fendu Hungarian term for a sideless surcote.
cote from 13th century. Everyday loose tunic being the main garment of both sexes. A woman's gown- long, close-fitting with long sleeves which is often referred to as a gown, kirtle or kyrtle.
cote-hardie 14th to mid 15th century (men) tight-fitting, knee length tunic buttoned down the front to a low waist. After 1350 shorter sleeves were introduced and the tippet became popular.
cotte also cote
counter-fillet late 14th & 15th century fillet securing the veil.
courtepye 14th & 15th century upper garment like a surcote.
couvrechef medieval to 16th century. a fine veil in a light colour, sometimes edged in gold or richly embroidered. 13th century royalty or nobles were of silk or cloth of gold.
cowl the shoulder cape part of a hood
crackows 1. long-pointed toes on hose, sometimes fastened with chains to the garters
crackows 2. English word used to describe poulains.
crespine 16th century crimped or pleated frill.
crespine headwear consisting of two jewelled cauls or nets of stiff gold wire, semi cylindrical in shape and usually with a securing circlet and veil.
crespinette see crespine
cuf, cuff, cuffie 14th century cap or coif.
cucufa end of 13th century close-fitting plain linen cap covering the ears and tied under the chin
cuker 15th century part of the horned headdress to do with horns.
cyclas- I have three definations and I am unsure which is the more correct. All of these have been found in books of a high standard of information. The definitions are as follows-
cyclas 1. 12th century "A" shaped tunic with keyhole
neckline and split up the front front the bottom hem at the front. Also gardcorp, surcote, syglaton.
cyclas 2. 13th century male and female rich gown worn for ceremonial occasions.
cyclas 3. 14th century outermost garment, tightly fitted, laced at the sides and shorter in front. Worn over a gambeson

D
dagges popular from 1380 to 1440 ornamental cutting of edges of garments. Continued into 14th and to the end of the 15th century.
daggues see dagges.
dalk to end of 15th century. Usually a pin but also a brooch, clasp or buckle.
dalmatica full-length tunic with long wide sleeves. T shaped.
diadem large circle of gold or other precious metal worn like a crown.
dorelet medieval onwards hair-net embroidered with jewels.
dorlet see dorelet
doublet 14th century to 1670. Tight-fitting, short jacket worn next to the shirt, often made of two thicknesses and padded within.

E
english work (anglicum opus) medieval very fine Anglo-Saxon embroidery from the 7th to 10th century.
escarcelle rectangular pouch often worn at the back of the girdle, often with the miseriecord It was secured with a swivel T piece through a slot.
esclavine a pilgrim's mantle or cloak
estaches 14th century. French word for the strings to attach the hose. see points

F
feather pelts 14th to 17th century skins of various birds with feathers attached used for trimming garments in place of fur.
felet see fillet
felt mid 15th century on. Used alone, felt indicated a hat made of felt.
fent see fischet
fermail, fermayll 15th century buckle or brooch.
fibula type of brooch to fasten garments
filet see fillet
fillet 13th & 14th century narrow band to tie about the hair of the head made of stiffened linen and worn with a barbette or frett or both.
fischet see fitchet
fitchet 13th to mid 16th century vertical slits in the cotehardie through which the hands were passed either for lifting the gown whilst walking or to allow access to the gown underneath and the pouch suspended from the girdle or belt.
folly bells 15th century form of decoration of small bells suspended by chains from a girdle or shoulder band.
foot-mantle large cloak-like garment worn by women when riding
fouriaux 1st half of 12th century. Silk hair-dressing sheaths enclosing the two long plaits of ladies of high rank.
fret 13th to early 16th century trellis-work coif made either of goldsmithry or material.
frette 13th to early 16th century trellis-work coif made either of goldsmithry or material.
fringe medieval onwards used largely for ecclesiastical garments.
frontlet, frontel, frontayl 15th century on decorative band for the forehead worn by women, made of cloth, gold, velvet, silk etc worn under the veil.
frounce 14th century term for flounce

G
galoche 14th century onwards generic term for the protective overshoe.
galage see galoche
galoshes see galoche
galoss see galoche
gardcorp mid 13th to 14th century garment similar to a cyclas with a slit in the upper sleeve for the arm to go through, and with gathered armbands. Often with a hood and worn with hanging sleeves, the arms passing through a vertical slit in the upper arm.
garde-corps see gardcorp
garnache 13th to mid 14th century male tunic- loose with short cape-like sleeves cut in one with the body and falling over the shoulders. Sometimes called a tabard.
garter A tie, strip of leather or band to keep the hose in place on the leg, above or below the knee.
ghita 14th C woman's garment.
gimp see wimple
gipon similar to the acketon, but worn by itself, later becoming the pourpoint.
gipser, gipciere 14th & 15th century purse or pouch.
girdle A long cord, band or belt encircling the waist or hips worn in a variety of styles in differing time periods.
gite 14th & 15th century gown see also ghita
gloves from 12th century, but rare before 13th. The function and design of the glove is primarily unchanged.
goffered veil 19th century term for a headdress worn 1350-1420. see nebula headdress
gole 14th century name for the cape portion of the hood or chaperon.
golet 15th century name for the cape portion of the hood or chaperon.
gonel 14th century name for a gown
gore 14th century method of sewing- triangular pieces inserted in lower seams to increase the fullness of a gown or inserted at underarm seam in early garments to permit freedom of movement. Gore mentioned in Chaucer's Carpenter's wife, Alison. "Upon her loins, full of many a gore."
gorget 12th & 13th century neck covering. see wimple
gowce 14th & 15th century term for gussett
gown Term for long garment of both men and women of varying styles and designs.
gusset triangular pieces added to the underarms. Also see gore
guimpe see wimple
gunna saxon basic tunic or undergown
gwimple see wimple
gypsire leather pouch or wallet worn on a thin strap over the shoulder
gyrdells 1550 - girdles?

H
habit The distinctive dress of a particular rank or profession- particularly of religious orders.
hair sherte An irritating undershirt worn as pennance. It could be goatskin worn with the hair inwards or linen or wool woven coarsely with twigs and debris in the fabric.
handkerchief 14th century onwards. The same as today.
hanging sleeves 1400 to 1630 wide, long tubular sleeves with a slit cut through which the arm emerges. Used on a wide variety of garments.
harlot late 14th century expression for hose and breeches combined to resemble modern tights. Often considered indecent when first introduced.
harlotte see harlot
hawk-glove 13th century onwards. Glove reaching to the forarm with a wide cuff worn on the left hand as protection as the hawk was being carried on the wrist.
heart-shaped headdress 1420 to 1450 womens headware. Tall templers covering the ears and pointing upwards forming a u shaped dip above the forehead. Worn with or without a veil.
head-rail saxon. A veil covering the head.
hennin 2nd half of the 15th century. French term for the steeple-shaped head-dress. Rare in England. Worn with "loose kerchiefs atop hanging down, sometimes as low as the ground."
herigaut 1375 - early 14th century gown-like garment with three quarter to full sleeves, generally with the sleeves hanging. see garde-corps
herlot see harlot
heuk 14th & 15th century cloak or outer garment like a cyclas. When longer, reaching the knees, it was called the tabard.
heuke see heuk
heuse, huseau, housel, houseau 1240s to late 15th century long riding boot reaching to mid-thigh and fitted with buttons, buckles or straps on the outer leg.
hoggers garters
hoo headcovering, cap
hood Varying styles over the medieval period.
hooks and eyes used from 14th century
hoqueton see hauqueton
horned headdress 1410 to 1420, rarely to 1460. Headdress with wide templers to resemble horns which a veil curtains the back of the head.
hose A tight covering for the legs, often woolen. Usually seperated. Joined together as a pair of tights in the 15th century.
houppelande end of 14th and through 15th century loose outer gown worn by men and women, either shaped or cut on a single slanting line from armhole to hem. Fitted at shoulders. Early forms had high standing collars. Sleeves were often the bagpipe sleeve or had huge dagged sleeves.
howve 14th century name for a hood worn by men and women.
houve see howve

I
Irish mantle 15th century cloak.

J
jags see dagges
jagging see dagges
jerkin 1450 - 1630 mens jacket worn over the doublet but slightly longer, sometimes with hanging sleeves.
jupe 1290 to 1400 see gipon
jupon see gipon

K
kemes see chemise
kemise see chemise
kemse see chemise
kerchief A draped veil head covering.
kercher see kerchief
kirtle 9th to 15th C. The woman's garment popularly called the cotehardie is more accurately called the kyrtle which was the 14th to mid 15th century long, tight-fitting gown with long sleeves. Very tight around the waist, low off the shoulders and low neckline, with or without buttons down the front. Fitchets in the skirt were common. The first mention of a kirtle is a 10th century will which mentions "7 Kirtels with trim"
knightly girdle mid 14th to 1420 belt worn by male and female alike made of metal clasps joined together and fastened in front by an ornamental buckle or clasp. Worn on the hips, not the waist, over the gipon or cote-hardie but only by nobility.
knop medieval button or tassel, usually decorative.
kyrtle 9th to 15th C. see kirtle

L
lace woven or plaited braid like shoelace used for trimming or closing garments.
latchet medieval onwards. fastening strap on a clog or shoe.
lineclothes pair of 15th century mens linen underpants.
liripipe 1350 to end of 15th century. Long trailing tippet from the back of a hood or chaperon.

M
mahoitres from 1394. French term for shoulder padding in men's gowns and jackets.
mantelet medieval. short mantle or cloak.
mantle 12th century onwards. A circular, sleeveless cloak, long and loose often fastened with a cord linking two clasps at the neck. A mantle does not have a hood. During the 14th century, mens mantle's fastened on the right shoulder with 3 buttons, while the ladies remained fastened at the front, usually with cord.
mantil see mantle
mantlet see mantelet
maunche long sleeve worn by both men and women, esp in the 14th century
maunch medieval. long, hanging bag sleeve
melote medieval. Originally a sheepskin garment, later a cloak of any coarse fur. Usually worn by monks or friars at their work.
misericorde knight's dagger usually worn on the right hip
morse the fastening or clasp of a cope
mummer's hood hood with two elongates points off the side of the head. Worn by Mummers or Fools.

N
napron 14th and early 15th century term for apron from the word "anapron"
nebule see nebula headdress
nebula headdress 19th century name for the ruffled veil worn 1350 to 1420. Made of linen and draped over the head. Named as the three rows of ruffles of the veil resemble the nebules of heraldry.
neck-chain Gold or gilded brass chain usually worn by men or travellers who could cut off a link in leiu of money.
nifels 2nd half of 15th century name for a woman's veil.
nouch 13th to 15th century jewelled clasp or buckle or a collection of jewels.
nyefles see nifels.

O
orphrey 13th century onwards term for an item richly embroidered with gold thread, especially decorating the borders of garments. Later it came to mean narrow strips of any kind of embroidery, such as orphreys of blue, red and green, also plain velvet.
orfray see orphrey
orfrey see orphrey
orle 14th century border of fur.
ouch 13th to 15th century jewelled clasp or buckle or a collection of jewels.
ourle 13th century border of fur.
overslop 950 to end of 14th century term for a gown, stole, cassock or surplice.

P
paltock 14th to mid 15th century short under jacket to which sleeves and hose could be attached. Later known as the pourpoint
paltok see paltock
parrock 15th century loose cloak with arm holes.
parti-coloured hose mid 14th to mid 15th century. Hose of differing colours worn together, one of each on a leg.
parti-coloured gown or tunic constructed in two contrasting colours, the colours reversed on facing panels. Very popular in heraldic garments. Occasionally one side may be patterened or striped.
pattens 14th to mid 19th century overshoe to keep the shoe above the dirt. Usually wooden or cork soled with straps of leather.
paultock see paltock
pautener medieval name for the bag hanging from a girdle.
peer's mantle circular cloak to wear with parlimentary robes.
peer's robes parlimentary robes- houpeland-style.
pelicon full, fur-lined, loose outer garment or surcote
pelisse outer garment lined in fur or sometimes made of leather for outdoor wear
pelisson 14th to early 16th century furred over-gown. see pelicon, pilch
pellard see houppelande
pellotes 1244 similar to a sideless surcote with a high neck and deep-cut square armholes.
peplum a head veil
petticotte
petticoat small coat worn under the longer coat or gown at the end of the 15th century
phrygian cap 9th to end of 12th century. Late costuming term for the pointed cap with the apex turned over slightly towards the front.
pianelles 14th century backless leather slippers with thick soles
pikes 1395 to 1410 then 1460 to 1480. Long pointy-toed shoes known by the French as poulaines and the English as crackows. Worn by the fashionable.
pilch fur-lined garment, also a woolen or leather garment of unspecified design
pinson 14th - 16th century light, indoor shoe, often furred.
placcard see plackard
placcate see plackard
plackard 14th century womens front panel portion of a sideless surcote, often embroidered or trimmed with fur.
placart see plackard
plastron furred or jewelled band circling the neck and hanging in a band down the front used to secure the sideless gown by hooks to the kirtle.
points laces used to fasten parts of a costume together
poky sleeve see bagpipe sleeve
pouch A bag or wallet tied to the girdle or attached to the belt.
poulain see poulaine
poulaine 1395 to 1410 then 1460 to 1480. French term for piked shoes originally from Poland. Term rarely used in England, instead crackows.
pourpoint formerly known as the paltock. Short under jacket to which sleeves and hose could be attached. Later forms were padded at the chest.
poynts see points
pullayne see piked shoes
punge medieval purse
purfle 1365 ruffle on the hem of a garment
purse At first a pouch, but from 14th century onwards, small drawstring pocket often square with tassels.

Q
quafe see coif
quintise similar to a tabard, often dagged, worn over a robe.
quoif see coif

R
rail late 15th century to late 17th century neckerchief folded and worn round the neck tucked into the front of the gown.
rayle see rail
reticulated headdress developed from the crespine or caul.
revers 14th century onwards facings or borderings to a garment. Turned back edge.
revelins heavy shoes of undressed leather worn by English peasants
riband 14th & 15th century border of a garment.
rilling see riveling
riveling 12th to 14th century shoe of raw hide with the hair on the outside.
robe 1. pre 1375 a man's matching set- often 5 items of the one colour and fabric.
robe 2. 15th century. a singular loose-fitting man's gown. also houppelande
rochet see rocket
rocket 14th & 15th centuries. A woman's gown, usually white linen.
roget see rocket
roket see rocket
roll, rolle 15th century circular part of the chaperon for men.
roundlet 15th century term for male equivelant of padded roll. Part of the chaperon.

S
sack 15th century. mantle
sandal pre-medieval onwards. Shoe made of a sole and straps arranged over the foot.
sagum late 8th century woolen cloak, later a garment
Saxon embroidery see English Work.
sclavyn late 13th century to 15th century pilgrim's mantle
sclavine see sclavin
scrip medieval pouch or wallet.
seint medieval name for a girdle.
sendall see cendall
sherte shirt, buttoned and sometimes with needlework.
shirt early medieval on. Man's undermost garment worn next to the skin.
sideless surcote 1360 to 1500 Sleeveless, long over-garment surcote deeply cut around armholes to reveal the gown underneath- often fur trimmed and embellished with jewelled band or jewelled buttons
slavin late 13th to end of 15th century pilgrim's mantle.
sleeveless surcote see surcote with no sleeves.
slops 1. late 15th century A slipper.
slops 2. loose baggy garments. also overslops
slop-hose 15th to 18th century wide breeches worn by seamen.
smock late 13th to 17th century Anglo-Saxon term for chemise.
socks 8th century onwards. A short stocking worn with footless hose or under hose.
steeple hennin tall, pointed, conical headdress popular in the 15th century. Secured to a coif and worn with a veil. see also hennin.
streapeles leggings worn from knee to ankle; breeches
suckeny see surkney
super-cotehardie later edition of the surcote
supertotus medieval sleeved and hooded cloak worn by travellers.
supertunic 9th to end of 14th century, usually called a surcoat or surcote
surcoat see surcote
surcote 9th to 14th century tunic worn by both sexes, starting as a rectangular piece of fabric having a slit at the top for the head and slits for the sleeves. Then becoming the T-tunic which may have had wide sleeves at the wrist. Later, it became more shaped and eventually cut away to become the sideless surcote, then the super-cotehardie.
surkney medieval coarse, loose woolen frock worn by carters and shepherds.
swaddling bands medieval to end of 18th century long bandages for wrapping around the body and limbs of an infant giving it the appearance of a mummy.
syglaton see cyclas

T
tabard late 13th century and 14th century outer garment- circular, short mantle often ceremonial and heraldic.
tabbard see tabard
tache 15th to 17th century brooch, clasp, buckle or hook.
tasseaux circular or square ornaments on mantle where the cord goes.
tater 15th century. from tetour- a hood or chaperon with liripipe.
temples see templers
templers 1. late 13th to end of 14th century decorative cauls of network or linen covering thick plaits of hair, generally artifically enlarged and arranged on each side of the head above the temples. Worn with a veil.
templers 2. first half of 15th century ornamental bosses of goldsmithery or fine needlwork worn over the temples to enclose the hair. Supported by a fillet above the forehead.Often very elaborate and worn with a veil.
templettes see templers
tippet pendant-like streamer from the hood or around the arm made of cloth or fur. see liripipe.
tire name used in England for tall, conical headware made on a silver wire frame. As a foundation they used a bonnet or wimple. Usually made with gems and pearls and very fragile. Also called atour by the French.
trousers 10th-12th century leg coverings, loose, worn by peasants in England.
tressour 14th century chaplet of goldsmithry or material worn on the head.
tuft 15th century name for tassel
tunic, tunica 9th to early 14th century men's clothing, fitted at the shoulders, widening at the hips, hem reaches to the upper thigh. Sleeves were varied- fitted at the forearm, or mutton sleeve, most popularly bat-wing. The tunic became shorter amongst fashionable persons. Also cote.
tunicle
Turkey bonnet or hat. 15th century hennin, and similar to a Turkish Fez.

U

V
vamp 15th century onwards. Upper front part of shoe.
veil medieval onwards, often worn with a wimple. see coverchief.
vexillum
voluper 14th century term for cap as per Canterybury Tales, Carpenter's wife.

W
wimple late 12th to 14th century. A long veil covering the neck and often the chin, popular in the 13th century and onwards. Usually of fine white linen or silk. Worn with a veil or fillet or both.

XYZ
Yorkist gown 15th century fashionable French and English gown with long fitted sleeves, front closing V in bodice, bodice trimmed often with fur and full skirt with train. Often worn with steeple hennin and veil. see also burgundian gown.

 

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