Clothing Patterns From 13th-15th Century Northern Europe

by

by : 
Noelle M.

Summary

Most studies on the construction of medieval clothing either focus on direct reconstructions of archaeological finds or discuss general appearance without delving into construction methods, leaving a gap where trends in how certain pieces of clothing were patterned are overlooked. Although few actual garments have survived, there are noticeable trends in the construction techniques used. These trends can be used to reconstruct clothing from other sources such as illuminated manuscripts. This project synthesizes the current published knowledge of clothing construction between 1200 CE and 1400 CE, drawing data from both primary and secondary sources accessed through databases and books. The secondary sources are used to help build a better understanding of the primary sources. Data is analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative methods to determine the most likely construction techniques. The goal is to make this information more accessible to those interested in medieval clothing construction, particularly costumers and reenactors, who may wish to recreate medieval garments without directly reconstructing specific archeological finds.