Cold Weather Garb

[insidiousraven]

I'd really like to see some pictures of people's cold weather attire!  I'm especially interested in things that are historically accurate. 

I thought I was told that most people had moved beyond cloaks into coats, but I can't find any pictures and I haven't actually seen a garb version of a coat.

[isabelladangelo]

Not the best pictures but...


Easter 039 by jubileel_insaneone, on Flickr

My stays, petticoat, and Spanish Surcote.  This is late 16th C but a surcote was what was worn rather than a cloak or cape.  Just like today with a jacket, you could wear a surcote year around.


DSC02372 by jubileel_insaneone, on Flickr

My dear SIL (and my nephew!) trying on her surcote.


074 by jubileel_insaneone, on Flickr

My velvet and fur 1530's English dress.   The fur was from cutter coats that I resewed up into various pattern pieces.  It's not fully lined in fur - as it would have been in the dead of winter- but that was because the event was inside.   

[insidiousraven]

Oh!  I always thought surcotes were just decorative, and didn't function as something to keep you warm.  What did the lower / middle class wear?

[isabelladangelo]

The middle class tended to wear similar outer garments but with just lesser materials (wool rather than silk, for example) as did much of the lower class.  Based on paintings of the later 16th C, peasants tended to dress in layers.  You'd have your kirtle/petticoat/underdress over your chemise.   Over this, you'd have another lined dress.  If both dresses were of a thick wool and lined in a thick wool, you'd probably be fine for most of winter.   You could wear a dutch cloak (it's an A-shape jacket with sleeves) or a cote of some sort - possibly even a cast off from one of the higher classes (they had thrift stores then too!).   I did find a great page you might be interested in:

http://www.employees.org/~cathy/cote_body.html

[stonebiscuit]

Not period, but I have a short cloak of cotton velveteen lined in poly fleece made from this pattern: http://sewing.patternreview.com/patterns/20509, view C. I added 5" long arm holes in the side seams, about seven (I think) inches from the bottom seam, to make it easier to wear closed. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures.

I also have several pair of fleece-lined leggings (mine are Anthropologie, but I think Target also sells them). When it's really cold I double them up with warm weather leggings, because I wear breeches and my lower legs get reeeeally chilly. Other: black gloves with a faux fur cuff (Target), and a variety of velvet scarves from various sources. And, obviously, sleeves: mine are made from Margo Anderson's narrow curved sleeve pattern in an 80/20 silk/poly blend lined in cotton broadcloath.

[gem]

I saw this period image in Isabella's link:


The woman's coat is very similar to a couple of garments in The Tudor Tailor. Here are some recreations from author Ninya Mikhaila's website:


Fitted English Gown (You can see a beautiful one made by forum member Silverstah in the Finished Garments thread from last fall.)


I think they call this a loose gown (?).

Another practical garment is the fitted jacket/waistcoat (it goes by various names):

It's similar to--but cut somewhat differently--than the jackets shown in a lot of Flemish paintings.

Whatever style of garment you choose, the order of the day is 1.) Layers and 2.) Practical fabrics, like heavily fulled woollens, which will be windproof and retain some of their water-repellant properties. And you'll also see that many garments of the period are lined in fur, like this gent's coat, or I've also seen early Tudor portraits (of women) where you can *just* see the little furry hairs poking up above the neckline of the bodice.

[insidiousraven]

These are really great!  Thank you guys so much.  So it looks like a cloak isn't entirely inaccurate, but isn't the best option either. I suppose I could make a wool dress and just not bone it - wear it over my kirtle when it gets cold.

[gem]

That would make a lot of sense! What I wear right now (and we're at the same fair, so the same weather!) is a wool fleece jacket that's pretty similar to the grey short jacket in the photo above, plus a long Celtic wrap for an extra extra layer. But for me, the most important thing seems to be a hat that covers my ears + something covering my neck. Even just my high-necked partlet and the coif in my avatar make a HUGE difference on chilly days--but they're not so warm that they're uncomfortable if the sun comes out and the afternoon warms up. I also have a pair of simple wool sleeves that I can pin on with a kirtle for a lightweight but warm layer.

[insidiousraven]

I have a love affair with cloaks, but since my kirtle is an attempt at historically accurate, I'd maybe like to add to it with a jacket or something similar.

Are knit gloves ok?

[gem]

1.) If you're going to be playing the flute, your fingers need to stay warm. So my vote is yes on whatever gloves accomplish that best for you.

2.) That said, I'd say it depends. Here's a pair of medieval knitted gloves at the V&A:


So if you have something like this or this, I'd say yes, but this or this, maybe not so much?  (I was trying to find pictures similar to gloves that I own--some of the stretchy "magic knit" variety vs a gorgeous pair of hand-knit wool Fair Isle gloves from Scotland.) I usually wear a pair of leather gloves with a sherpa lining, but now I'm inspired to get more knitted ones!!

[isabelladangelo]

http://www.museumoflondonprints.com/image/61261/small-knitted-woollen-mitten-16th-century

Knit Mittens are better (and way easier to make!)

or

http://sandmarg.tumblr.com/image/35710717752
Velvet Mittens

or

http://www.ashmoleanprints.com/image.php?id=399247

Leather gloves

However, there are some pairs of knit gloves:

http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O107792/pair-of-gloves-unknown/

http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O129530/pair-of-gloves-unknown/

The big thing about knits in the 16th/17th C; the gauge is TINY.  You are talking about 17 by 19 stitches per a square inch TINY.   So, keep that in mind. 



Try a gown over your kirtle and then a surcote - all together, you should be VERY warm. 

EDIT:  LOL!   Gem posted before I could!   Yes, they had knit gloves.  However, they were of a VERY small gauge and looks to be mostly for Liturgical use.   

[insidiousraven]

Thanks for all the info!!

On a side note, GEM - I just saw the new style guides for KCRF and the village cast and royalty are going historically accurate!  The new costumer is really great.

I can't wait to see how many hand sewn eyelets I see, and if they can really wrangle a whole bunch of teenagers away from brocades and  metal grommets!

[Butch]

I made a coat for my son when he was on cast in 2011.  I based it on these paintings:

http://www.lepg.org/market1.jpg
and
http://www.lepg.org/poultry.jpg

I used the smock pattern from Reconstructing History English Sea Dogs, but modified the front to be crossing over in front; kinda like a Japanese kimono.  I imagine one could just modify their favorite doublet to be a bit more roomy, and a bit longer, and then do the cross-over front mod.  My son mostly wore it open; it was quite warm.  I had used a chennel upholstry fabric.

[Orphena]

Also consider what you wear UNDER your gown - flannel / wool petticoat (or even bloomers!) can really help keep you warm.

[LadyStitch]

Something that has helped me stay warm other than the heavier stockings and flannel/ wool bloomers, was wearing a partlet with my gowns. I made a flannel partlet that I could close or open as needed with the temperature.  This helped greatly keep me warm.

Also something my friends that live in NZ love to layer petticoats under their long skirts.  Theirs are made of pleated muslin, and yes are heavy but they help catch the body heat, and keeps the cool air from coming in under their skirts.  I can attest it really does make a difference.