Rosalie's Medieval Woman

Sleepwear
SLEEPING - SOCIALISING - PROCREATING - BIRTHING - CONVALESCING

What did the medieval woman wear to bed? Generally it depended on the circumstance of her being in bed. Was she there to sleep, procreate, give birth or was she unwell and convalescing?

Sleeping
It seems that the usual thing for a woman to do when sleeping, was to sleep naked- naked except for some kind of head covering.

The latest medical thinking believed that much of the body's heat was lost through the head and that for the sake of one's health, the head should remain covered.

Most images show this. It might be a veil, head wrap, coif or even hairnet.

The image at the right comes from a German manuscript, the Manesse Codex, in the early 14th century and shows a man who is besheeching his lady love. She is already in bed, wearing nothing but a veil. The prescence of her chamber maid suggests that this was not an unusual or unseemly thing.

Socialising
Wealthy medieval ladies often socialised in their bedrooms or solars, and when this occurred, a certain richness of dress would be retained. A lady might wish to remain snuggly warm on a very cold winter's day, but that's no reason to be any less elegantly dressed.

This miniature is from the 13th century, "Queen Blanche of Castile With Attendants."

She herself is wearing a heraldic gown and so is the smaller woman to her side. Both have veils and coronets- a crown in the case of the queen. The queen also wears a brooch, something not necessary for bedwear, showing that she has dressed in a manner suitable for receiving visitors.

There is a guest with a scroll in his hand casually leaning on the bed, hinting at a certain amount of familiarity with the queen. The musician at the foot of the bed also wears a coronet, although it is likely that one of the two smaller people wearing coronets could be her child. The similar heraldry hints that there may be a family connection.

Birthing
When images of a woman giving birth are shown, she is certain to be only partially naked.

The image at right is dated at 1435, by Uccello, The Birth of the Virgin. She wears a loose, green gown, fitted at the wrist and has her head modestly wrapped in a cloth.

Scenes depicting a newborn baby, freshly washed and wrapped in a towl and ready to be presented to the new mother usually show the mother fully clothed, which purposts medieval mothers incredibly quick to rise, attend to her post partum needs, dress and return to bed.

In reality, the images are more likely to show a new mother well after the birth itself.

Convalescing in bed
Convalescing following illness or birth always shows a woman completely dressed, often in loose-fitting clothes, but usually in her regular day clothes.

The image above at the right shows The Birth of the Virgin in 1435 by Uccello. With the baby freshly washed and the mother already dressed in a loosely-fitting gown, her female attendants are bringing food and drink.

Women who were unwell were usually attended by other women.

Procreating
When in bed for the purpose of having babies, there is no clothing worn other than the hat or headscarf to keep the head warm and prevent sudden heat loss through the head due to the energetic activity taking place.

As usual, both parties are naked. The concept of cute lingerie especially worn for wooing in the bedroom does not exist in the medieval period.

Notions that under every gown lies a sexy, laced leather corset or metal chastity belt are entirely wrong. It appears that even underpants were discarded at night.

For further, more information, visit SEX LIVES- Sex, contraception and sexual health. Please note: adult themes

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