Cotehardie

From MiddleWiki

Jump to: navigation, search

A 14th century style of dress for men and women in northern Europe typified by its tight fit. As it is a relatively simple pattern, attractive and worn during an interesting time period, the Cotehardie is a very popular form of garb worn in the SCA.

In common usage in the SCA the term cotehardie is used to describe the 14th century fitted dress, though it has recently begun to be surplanted by the term Gothic Fitted Dress.

Layers

The Cotehardie is an outer-garment worn over an inner kirtle (This is the name used largely for the woman's under-dress, I do not recall the proper name for the man's). The inner garment is virtually the same cut as the outer, though it usually laces up the front while the over garment usually buttons. Beneath the kirtle would be a chemise or shirt.

For men hemlines tend to be short knee length or higher depending on the time, place and age of the wearer.

The cotehardie could have tight sleeves to the wrist or middle of the hand (same as the kirtle worn underneath) or shorter sleeves with a hanging tippit. When shorter sleeves are worn, there is always a long sleeved kirtle worn underneath. The long, fitted sleeve usually has buttons from the elbow (or just above) to wrist.

Accessories

Hats and headresses of the time involve hoods for men and women (indeed the 14th century is a remarkable time for equality between the sexes, at least where clothing is counted.) Both sexes could go hat less; with women wearing their hair in plaits on the sides of the head (this is the time of the Princess Leia large buns hairdo from Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.) Women could also wear a filet and veil over top their carefully plaited locks.

Shoes tended to be pointy-toed, though not as outrageously so as the 15th century poulains. (Spelling?)

The short hemline necessitates the wearing of full hose for men. For women the dress is worn to the ground and women's hose end at the knee.

Resources

The Age of the Coathardie Yahoo Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aotc/

Personal tools