A Medieval Noblewoman’s Guide to Dressing Up
By Sophie Andrade
A look inside Eleanor de Montfort’s wardrobe, and why it was important for a 13th-century countess to dress extravagantly and beautifully.
People in the Middle Ages liked to layer up. Including underwear and outerwear, an everyday outfit regularly consisted of at least six different garments. There were three main pieces: a tunic, surcoat, and mantle. The tunic, basically a long plain shirt, was worn by both men and women. A woman’s tunic was longer than a man’s and had slightly narrower sleeves. The lower parts of the tunic sleeves were fastened with several buttons, a trend that began in the thirteenth century. The neck of the tunic was fastened with a brooch, the quality of which reflected the wealth and status of the wearer. A girdle, a type of thin belt, was tied around the waist to further secure the tunic. Since they had no pockets, ladies often hung their keys and coin purses from their girdles. Both brooches and girdles made for popular gift items in the thirteenth century. Henry III gave and received more girdles than any one person could ever wear.