Early Medieval Dress

Alexandra Finley

Early Medieval Dress – Women of the Nobility

Archeological evidence of early medieval clothing may lead the casual observer to conclude that the dress of that period was drab and plain. Most surviving articles of clothing have been worn and frayed by years of existence, and most no longer contain any trace of color. In reality, in their prime, these articles of clothing would have been not only extremely varied and personalized but also full of color.
Carolingian women’s clothing was an evolution of the peplos, a tunic like garment worn by not only the early Germanic tribes but also by the vast majority of Western European regional tribes (Owen-Crocker, 42). Different variations of this tunic could be found, and the pattern continued to evolve as the years went on. A typical dress from this period consisted of a tailored gown, usually ankle length, with sleeves that could vary from three quarter-length to full length. The sleeves were usually straight, though some were slightly flared (the trend towards highly flared sleeves originated in the early eleventh century). The name of this sleeved gown is elusive, but in existent wills from the period, the most commonly mentioned outfit is the cyrtel, a word that could also refer to a tunic worn by men (Owen-Crocker 217).
For women of the upper class, these gowns could be decorated according to personal taste. Ornamental design was common among the clothes of women of the upper class. Manuscripts and tapestries picture women with embroidery featured on many different locations of the gown, from the sleeves to the skirt. Existing scraps of fabric from the time period show evidence of geometric and leaf scroll designs (Owen-Crocker 309). Contrasting colors could be used to trim the neckline, wrists, and hem. These bands of color, especially in the Carolingian culture, could also be attached to the front of the gown and used to connect trims on the neck with trims on the arms (Owen–Crocker 216). Adding to the variety of decorations found on early medieval gowns was the existence of different types of looms which could produce patterned twills or even patterned silk, made from imported threads.
Many gowns depicted through manuscripts or sculptures are shown with a sash or belt at the waist. Additionally, buckles are commonly found in medieval burial sites. The presence of such buckles, as well as other metals, has provided the greatest source of fabric preservation within burial sites. Much evidence of period fabrics comes from remnants of cloth attached to buckles (Owen-Crocker 273). These belts appear to have been worn around the hips, providing somewhat of a shape to the wearer. The true divergence of male and female clothing and the beginning of the feminine form, however, did not appear until the fourteenth century (Pipponier 79). At this time, flowing garments were popular with both genders.
The two main textiles used in this time period were wool and linen. Most surviving fabrics are wool, probably because wool better survives waterlogged conditions. Wool is commonly found attached to buckles, as mentioned above, or on the backs of brooches. Still, there have been discoveries of preserved linens, when the right conditions are present. Written record shows that both linen and wool were worn. In an account of St. Etheldreda, Bede tries to highlight the asceticism of the saint by mentioning the she wore only wool (Owen-Crocker 133). The most luxurious fabric, however, was certainly silk. Royalty had used silk since the seventh century. Records from the 9th Century at St. Gall state that Carolingian courtiers wore Pavian silks. The silken robe was a definite sign of wealth, and surviving records describe them with great detail: they could be embroidered with gold thread with pearls and other gemstones attached to them (Pipponier 71). Fur also had various uses. It could trim necklines, line outer garments, or it could be used to fashion long robes (Cosgrave 106).
Coloring of these fabrics varied with social class and the intended use of the garment. Bright colors were the most popular, yellow being especially in vogue with the nobility. Reds and purples were also valued dyes of princes. Blue fabrics, dyed from woad, were frequently used, but dark greens and blacks were mostly used for the linings of garments (Pipponier 71).
For the wealthy, there were numerous options for design and execution. With the rainbow of colors achievable through natural dyes, methods of weaving, embroidered designs, and various trims found in early medieval clothing, it is hard to look at the clothing as dull or simple. The vivacity of women’s gowns is another testament to the misnomer of “Dark Ages.”

Works Cited
"10th and 11th Century Clothing in England: a Portfolio of Images." 10 Nov.-Dec. 2003. University of Vermont. 24 Apr. 2008 .
Carlson, I. Marc. "Kyrtles, Cotes, Tunics, and Gowns." Clothing of the Middle Ages. 24 Apr. 2004. 20 Apr. 2008 .
Cosgrave, Bronwyn. The Complete History of Costume and Fashion: From Ancient Egypt to the Present Day. New York City: Checkmark Books, 2001.
O' Mulvany, Muireann. "Tunics the Period Way." Tournaments Illuminated 9 June 1999. 11 Apr. 2008 .
Owen-Crocker, Gale R. Dress in Anglo-Saxon England. Rochester: Boydell P, 2004.
Piponnier, Francoise, and Perrine Mane. Dress in the Middle Ages. New Haven: Yale UP, 1997.