14th Century Surcote With Peaked Sleeve

Description

Early fourteenth century apricot woollen surcote with peaked sleeves which are partially lined with faux mink fur. Underneath ag reen wollen tunic with buttoned sleeves is worn. My hair is worn in braided buns above my ears and I am wairing a hairnet which is covered by a slik veil, my neck is also covered by a silk veil.

Inspiration

Lady Love (Minne) shoots an arrow on the Lover. Detail of a painting found on the inside a boxlid, Germany, c.1320.

(l) Lady playing with squirrel from The Luttrell Psalter, East Anglia c.1325-1335(BL Add. MS 42130). This psalter shows the peaked sleeve surcote at the hight of it's fashion. This lady is wearing a peaked surcote with a boat neckline over a tight sleeved dress. On her head she is wearing a open fronted hood.

(r)Young lady with her lover. Redrawing after the Lutrell Psalter from Medieval Costume in England and France by Mary.G.Houston.
The lovers are both wearing a surcote with peaked sleeve. The sleeve of the womens surcote is lined with fur and this sleeve starts to look more like a tippet than a peaked sleeve. The underdress of both is most likely a 15th century kirtle.

Patterns used

Pattern from the Medieval Tailor's assistant, written by Sarah Thursfield.

More information

One of the earliest examples of this kind of surcote with peaked sleeves is this painting from 1320 (above) and is probably worn over a thirteenth century style tunic which is fairly wide on the body and has tight fitted sleeves. This type of surcote was also worn still worn after 1330 when the 14th century kirtle(often refered to as the cotehardie)came into fashion. My theory is that as the sleeve became more fitted and the fabric of the "peak" narrower it evolved into the surcote with tippets.

This type of overdress was most likely not worn by the working class. The peaked sleeves make it impractical to work in. The sleeves where often lined with a contrasting color fabric or with fur. The dress had often fichets so that one could easily acess the purse slung from the belt.

The elegance of this dress appealed to me and also the fact that this overdress could be worn with late thirteenth century style tunic as well as with the 14th century kirtle. I started out with the pattern that I found in the Medieval Tailor's assistant, this was almost similar to the pattern of my Herjolfnes dress, so I used that instead. I had some trouble with the set in of the sleeves as I couldn't figure out what the author meant with the drawing in the book.

Accessoires

(l)Close-up of my fur lined sleeve and silk headdress,
(r) a detail of a french ivory carved mirrorbox dated to 1320, the lady is wearing a similar veil arrangement.

Costume made in 2006.