clothes
&
accessories
dress
accessories
tippets
belts
&
girdles
purses
& bags
headwear
coifs
crowns, coronets
& circlets
hats & hennins
headdresses
veils
& wimples
hoods
footwear
jewellery
brooches
rings
necklaces
paternosters
& rosaries
reliquaries
gloves
aprons
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Medieval
Women's Dress Accessories
Women
of the medieval period were not much different to ourselves when
it came to dress accessories. Even a plain outfit can be made
significantly prettier with the right accessories. Belts, bags,
things to wear on the head and feet and of course, jewellery.
The medieval woman's options were many and varied.
Andreas Capellanus, a 12th
century author of De amore gives an insight into what dress
accessories were available and could be given as a gift of love-
A lover may freely accept
from her beloved these things- a handkerchief, a hairband, a
circlet of gold or silver, a brooch for the breast, a mirror,
a belt, a purse, a lace for clothes, a comb, cuffs, gloves,
a ring, a little box of scent, a portrait, toiletries, little
vases, trays, a standard as a keepsake of the lover, and so
to speak more generally, a woman may accept from her love whatever
gift may be useful in the care of her person, or may look charming,
or may remind her of her lover, providing, however, that in
accepting the gift it is clear that she is acting quite without
avarice.
The following pages look
at the different dress accessories which make up a medieval woman's
outfit.
TIPPETS
& LAPPETS
The arm accessories of the late 14th century
BELTS & GIRDLES
Belts and belt fittings
PURSES & BAGS
Purses, pouches, aumonieres and bags
HEADWEAR
What a woman might wear to cover her hair
- COIFS
- CROWNS, CORONETS
& CIRCLETS
- HATS & HENNINS
- HEADDRESSES -
A look at some of the fantastic headdresses of the middle ages-
crespines & cauls, templers & bosses, cylinder cauls,
the horned headdress, padded rolls, the heart-shaped headdress
- VEILS &
WIMPLES - Frilled, goffered, edged, layered, veils, gorgets
and wimples.
- HOODS - Keeping toasty
warm in a medieval winter
FOOTWEAR
14th century shoes, slippers and sandals
JEWELLERY
The medieval woman's guide to bling and the significance of
gemstones
- BROOCHES - Marriage
brooches, pilgrim badges & cloak fasteners
- RINGS - Women's finger
rings
- NECKLACES - Necklaces,
pendants and collars
- PATERNOSTERS &
ROSARIES - Church approved jewelry
- RELIQUARIES
- For your holy relics
GLOVES
- for rich and poor
APRONS
Although she is Italian,
I've again turned to Margherita Datini, the wife of a wealthy
Italian merchant and a member of the upper classes, to serve as
our model medieval woman in terms of items she is known to have
owned.
Her dress accessories are listed concisely in 1339. She had a
number of headdresses of a variety of shapes and sizes, a fur
cap, a cloth cap, a straw hat for summer, two leather belts with
silver gilt buckles, wooden pattens with leather laces, one pair
of backless leather slippers with thick soles called pianelles,
white linen undersocks, long hose of silk or wool, at least two
veils, one of silk made in Venice.
She also owned at least two purses of embroidered wool, a peacock
feather fan and handkerchiefs made of Sicilian silk. It is noted
that Margherita carried her veil, purse, fan and handkerchief
at her side at all times.
Copyright
© Rosalie Gilbert
All text & photographs within this site are the property of
Rosalie Gilbert unless stated.
Art & artifact images remain the property of the owner.
Images and text may not be copied and used without permission.
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