Making a *thrifty* medieval dress (15th century kirtle on the cheap)

Using historical garment construction methods, thrifted fabric, and natural dyes, I make a medieval 15th-century linen work dress! The research I did for this project relied heavily on information that’s been collected and generously shared online through various SCA-related websites. Links below. 00:00 Intro 1:20 Inspiration 2:07 History rant 4:50 “Gothic“ art? 6:17 Methodology 7:04 Construction 12:29 Botanical Dye 14:30 Dressing up like manuscript art - Historical Hair 16:30 PHOTO SHOOT 17:51 Closing thoughts ft prancing in dress I’m an amateur sewist and amateur historian, so nothing presented here is an expert opinion. Kind feedback and corrections are welcome and appreciated. ---Further Reading & Links--- Diagrams of extant medieval garments ~marc-carlson/cloth/ A pattern of the Moy bog gown by Kass Mcgann ----Dye Notes---- For anyone interested, here is my dye process. -Washed with normal detergent -Scoured with washing soda and a drop of dish soap for ~4 hrs -Mordanted with staghorn sumac leaves (fairly low %WOF, steeped for ~6 hours), rinsed and dried -Washed with detergent -Mordanted with alum -2 hr hot onion skin dye bath (skins of ~40 brown onions) -Rinsed and dried -Final wash with detergent after 3 days to sit ---Notes, Corrections, Clarifications --- -Though the term is lifted from medieval texts, ’cotehardie’ probably did not actually mean ’women’s gown’ in the middle ages. It is, however, a common term in use today to describe the outer Gothic Fitted Gown. -On white nationalism and medievalism: various forms of ’medievalism’ have been employed by white nationalist movements (notably the Nazi party and present-day Identitarians) to construct ethnic origin myths and/or to construct a historical basis for a white/european sameness. These ’medievalisms’ are often compatible with the myths of the middle ages that exist within the popular imagination (both are grounded in Romanticism), so I think it’s important when we nerd about this history to not leave space for that garbage. -The Christian faith has indeed spread in a grassroots way in some times and places in its history. Christianity as the *institution* of the Catholic church is a different story, and that is more what I was referring to. ---Images--- In order of appearance. Public domain unless otherwise specified. License information below. Thumbnail: Lady and unicorn from Platearius’s Livre des Simples Medicines, illuminated by Robinet Testard. FR 12322, / Bibliothèque Nationale de France Garment from Herjolfsnes. Photo by Lennart Larsen. CC BY-SA 2.0 / National Museum of Denmark The Hunt by Paolo Ucello / Ashmolean Museum Detail (4 figures) from Way of Salvation by Andrea di Bonaluto Horse from a fresco at Castello della Manta. Kirtle from a Book of Hours. MS 677, f. 211r / Morgan Library Buncha ladies in dresses, via Wikimedia Blue kirtle from the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, Illuminated by Limbourg Brothers, , / Condé Museum Christianity map via Wikimedia The Baptism of Clovis by Master of St Giles / National Gallery of Art Madonna and child by Giotto Nun marginalia from a manuscript of Roman de la Rose (what one?), via Wikimedia La Cattedrale, Milano by Giacomo Brogi, via Wikimedia 12th-century sculpture at Chartes Cathedral, France: by Cancre, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Tebaide by Paolo Ucello / Galleria dell’Accademia, Firenze Michaelangelo’s David Ferial psalter and book of hours, illustration by Bernat Martorell / Arxiu Històric de la Ciutat Big Ben: by Paasikivi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Sexy boatneck from The Book of the Queen, Selected Works of Christine de Pizan, 1410-1414, MS Harley 4431, / British Library Herjolfsnes illustration by Herbert Norris (d. 1950), from Costume and Fashion, published 1924. Veronica Gambara. Painting by Antonio da Correggio c. 1517–1520 / The Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia Lucrezia Sommaria. Painting by Ridolfo Ghirlandaio c. 1510 / National Gallery of Art Italian hair taping from a manuscript miniature: MS lat. 757 f. 380v / Bilbliothèque Nationale de France CC BY-SA 2.5 description: CC BY-SA 4.0 description: Music--- “Journey in the New World“ by Twin Musicom CC BY 4.0 Source: Artist: “Anon - Medieval Dance Tunes.“ Medley of medieval music performed by Paul Arden-Taylor, Elizabeth Wright & Malcolm Peake. Public Domain. Via Musopen “Village Consort“ by Kevin MacLeod Link: License: “Horses and Trains“ by Jesse Gallagher, Youtube music library