The Famous Headdress of Guðrún Ósvífursdóttir
One of the most famous pieces of clothing in Icelandic saga literature is the headdress that appears in Laxdæla saga.
Elite Vikings wore beaver furs, study finds
Beaver fur was a symbol of wealth and an important trade item in 10th-century Denmark, according to a study published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.
Byzantine dress and fashion, with Jennifer Ball and Elizabeth Dospěl Williams
A conversation with Jen Ball and Betsy Williams on the study of Byzantine dress and fashion. How do we know what people wore? Was clothing gendered? Why are dress and jewelry studied separately? And can we talk about fashion in Byzantium, or was fashion, as some believe, a modern development?
Medieval Noble Ladies and Their Servants: Who Wore What and Why
How clothing instantly messaged status, wealth, and place in noble society – from the royal ladies through the ranks of their household servants.
Rose de Burford and English Embroidery
My new book, How to Survive in Medieval England, published by Pen & Sword, is a guide to travelling in history: what to expect, how to dress, how to stay safe and what to look for on the menu.
Viking-Age embroidered textiles found in woman’s grave
To an untrained eye, the artefact looks brown and dull, but it is actually something very special: embroidered wool fabric more than 1000 years old, preserved on top of a turtle brooch.
Medieval Scottish Garment Accessories with Lydia Prosser
Talking about medieval Scottish garment accessories with Lydia Prosser. How would medieval people dress and accessorize? Lydia Prosser is a PhD student at…
Suffering for fashion: The pain of medieval pointy shoes
Shoes with a pointed tip led to a sharp increase in bunions in the late Middle Ages, new research finds.
Vintage Fashion: Second-Hand Clothing in Medieval France
This article sheds light on the circulation of second-hand clothing in the southern French city of Montpellier and its immediate surroundings in the late medieval period, by looking at the sale of used clothing and donations of second-hand clothes.
‘Sfacciate donne fiorentine’: Sumptuary Laws in Medieval Florence
The preoccupation with the way women dressed was constant in Florence during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, so much so that in almost every decade some new legislation would appear trying to respond to the new fashions that were becoming popular in the Italian city.
Viking trousers, missing for over a hundred years, discovered again
Archaeologists in Denmark have found the remains of a Viking elite individual lost for over 100 years. Attached textile fragments are already shedding light on this important person, revealing he was wearing a pair of uniquely decorated long trousers.
A Medieval Noblewoman’s Guide to Dressing Up
A look inside Eleanor de Montfort’s wardrobe, and why it was important for a 13th-century countess to dress extravagantly and beautifully.
Medieval clothing and clothiers with John S. Lee
Clothing is a vital part of both our identities and our economies. So, how was cloth made and distributed in the Middle Ages? This week, Danièle speaks with John S. Lee about medieval cloth-making, and the role of the medieval clothier.
Medieval Silkworm Farming: A Global Perspective
How silkworms have influenced trade and agriculture throughout the world in a story spanning millennia.
Creating Viking Age Clothing in the 21st Century
Today’s cultural image of a Viking is of a hulking man fit with a horned helm and piles of fur. Is there a better way of creating clothing that melds fantasy and reality?
Two medieval textile exhibitions open in Washington D.C.
Dumbarton Oaks Museum and the George Washington University Museum, both in Washington D.C., have open new exhibitions that look at fashion, clothing and textiles from the medieval world.
Unravelling the history of decorative metal threads
When it comes to historical fashion, nothing stands out more than an item woven with shiny metal threads.
Cultures of Clothing in Later Medieval and Early Modern Europe
In this introductory essay, I intend to clarify the discipline of costume history by offering an overview and synthesis of the scholarship of the last two decades
Nalbinding: Protecting an endangered heritage craft for the future
Nalbinding is a craft that has been done for thousands of years. This form of knitting has been shrouded in isolated corners of heritage interpretation and within living history groups; but are there other groups of interested individuals who could help learn and develop this craft?
How to create your own medieval costume
Here are some tips to create your own thrifty costume! With these suggestions you’ll have your own “medieval” wardrobe!
Working in the Middle Ages: The Medieval Clothier
Clothiers were the entrepreneurs at the heart of the cloth trade which became England’s leading industry in the late Middle Ages. No other industry created more employment or generated more wealth.
Sumptuary Legislation and Conduct Literature in Late Medieval England
This study is an examination of attempts to control dress in late medieval England.
Overlooked and Undervalued: Underwear in the Middle Ages
Despite being one of the most important garments, underwear is the part of medieval clothing that is often ignored and unexplored in historical fiction and costuming. What can we say about this element of fashion, which has been overlooked for far too long?
Dress pins from Anglo-Saxon England
This thesis examines the development, production and function of dress pins in Anglo- Saxon England.