Burdened with children and landlords’ rent;
What they can put aside from what they make spinning they spend on housing,
Also on milk and meal to make porridge with
To sate their children who cry out for food
And they themselves also suffer much hunger,
And woe in wintertime, and waking up nights
To rise on the bedside to rock the cradle,
Also to card and comb wool, to patch and to wash,
To rub flax and reel yarn and to peel rushes
That it is pity to describe or show in rhyme
The woe of these women who live in huts
The late medieval poem Piers Plowman paints a pitiful picture of the life of the medieval peasant woman.

Source: books.google.rs

Any poor woman unable to litigate
Or defend herself shall choose an attorney
Who shall speak on her behalf.
The poorest hemp-spinstress shall be as free as a priest shall.
Dušan’s Code 1349 (Medieval Serbian constitution)

(via mediumaevum)

I hope this will help with your reenactments and fanart. :)

  1. Anglo-Saxon (600 – 1154): Simple Veils, Head-tires, Combs, and Pin
  2. Norman (1066-1154): Couvre-chef, hair uncovered, and extreme length
  3. Plantagenet (1154-1399): Wimple, Barbette, Fillet and Crespine
  4. Plantagenet (14th century): Horizontal Braiding, Gorget
  5. Plantagenet Crespine ( 1364-Late 14th century)
  6. Lancaster (1430-1460): Heart-shaped and Turban Headdresses
  7. York (1460-1485): Butterfly and Hennin
More info and styles at the source.

Source: sites.tufts.edu

Honor Loyalty Duty project by Green Shield Armoury
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Honor Loyalty Duty

project by

Green Shield Armoury

  • 1,656 Plays

Beatriz de Dia (born c. 1140 - flourished circa 1175, Provence) was the most famous of a small group of trobairitz, or female troubadours who wrote courtly songs of love during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries.

A chantar m’er de so q”ieu no voldria

I must sing, whether I want to or not.

I feel so much pain from him whose

friend I am,

For I love him more than anything.

But neither grace nor courtesy has

any effect on him,

Nor my beauty, my decency, or my

intelligence.

I am despised and betrayed,

As though I were worthless.

Listening guide

The “Cathedral Dress” from Micro S/S 2012© Iris van Herpen back of the dress
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The “Cathedral Dress” from Micro S/S 2012
© Iris van Herpen

back of the dress

A woman teaching geometry, from a 14th century illustration attributed to Abelard of Bath In this 14th century illustration from a copy of Euclid’s Elements, a woman is shown holding a compass and square, teaching geometry to a group of monks.
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A woman teaching geometry, from a 14th century illustration attributed to Abelard of Bath

In this 14th century illustration from a copy of Euclid’s Elements, a woman is shown holding a compass and square, teaching geometry to a group of monks.

Source: womenshistory.about.com

The antifeminism common to fables and ecclesiastical texts develops the image of a woman sexually insatiable.  image: Joan of Monbaston - illumination, taken from a Roman de la Rose - mid-fourteenth century Ms. Fr 25526, fol. 106 v °, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris
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The antifeminism common to fables and ecclesiastical texts develops the image of a woman sexually insatiable. 

image: Joan of Monbaston - illumination, taken from a Roman de la Rose - mid-fourteenth century

Ms. Fr 25526, fol. 106 v °, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris

Velvet covered wooden platforms ornamented with silver lace and silk tassel Italian 1580-1620 Copyright of Bata Shoe Museum 2010, Toronto, Canada
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Velvet covered wooden platforms ornamented with silver lace and silk tassel
Italian 1580-1620
Copyright of Bata Shoe Museum 2010, Toronto, Canada

Source: fashionismymuse.blogspot.com

I just read this, and hope it’s true. Why is it that male and female button down shirts button opposite of each other? “It dates back to when men usually carried swords. Since most people are right handed (and therefore hold their sword with their right hand), the sheath would be fastened to the left hip. When shirts were made for men, the buttons were attached to the right side so that when the sword was drawn, it wouldn’t catch on the overlap between the button and hole sides of the shirt. Women would have a hand maid that would dress them. It is easier to put on shirts if the buttons are on the right side since most people are right handed and so for someone else to put on your shirt then it is easier if the buttons are on thier right side, your left. Having buttons on the left therefore was a sign of affluence and soon all womens’ shirts had buttons on the left. Men did not have someone to dress them therefore there buttons remained on the right while the womens’ migrated.”
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I just read this, and hope it’s true.

Why is it that male and female button down shirts button opposite of each other?

“It dates back to when men usually carried swords. Since most people are right handed (and therefore hold their sword with their right hand), the sheath would be fastened to the left hip. When shirts were made for men, the buttons were attached to the right side so that when the sword was drawn, it wouldn’t catch on the overlap between the button and hole sides of the shirt.

Women would have a hand maid that would dress them. It is easier to put on shirts if the buttons are on the right side since most people are right handed and so for someone else to put on your shirt then it is easier if the buttons are on thier right side, your left. Having buttons on the left therefore was a sign of affluence and soon all womens’ shirts had buttons on the left. Men did not have someone to dress them therefore there buttons remained on the right while the womens’ migrated.”

Medieval Macedonia / Thrace, 14th-16th century AD. Exquisite gilded silver/bronze fertility bracelet. Given from a mother to her daughter upon her wedding, to be worn until she bears her first child. Made of bronze with layer of silver wash and gilded details. An ornate central cross with four crosses and star within, raised “breast” details on the edges of the body.
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Medieval Macedonia / Thrace, 14th-16th century AD.

Exquisite gilded silver/bronze fertility bracelet. Given from a mother to her daughter upon her wedding, to be worn until she bears her first child.

Made of bronze with layer of silver wash and gilded details. An ornate central cross with four crosses and star within, raised “breast” details on the edges of the body.

Source: ancientresource.com

Flattish hand-size stones could be rubbed over woven cloth to smooth it, polish it, or to press in pleated folds. Simple round linen smoothersmade of dark glass have been found in many Viking women’s graves, and are believed to have been used with smoothing boards. Archaeologists know there were plenty of these across medieval Europe, but they aren’t completely sure how they were used. Water may have been used to dampen linen, but it is unlikely the smoothers were heated. image: The Scar Dragon Plaque, now on display at the Orkney Museum, Kirkwall. (source)
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Flattish hand-size stones could be rubbed over woven cloth to smooth it, polish it, or to press in pleated folds. Simple round linen smoothersmade of dark glass have been found in many Viking women’s graves, and are believed to have been used with smoothing boards. Archaeologists know there were plenty of these across medieval Europe, but they aren’t completely sure how they were used. Water may have been used to dampen linen, but it is unlikely the smoothers were heated.

image: The Scar Dragon Plaque, now on display at the Orkney Museum, Kirkwall. (source)

Source: oldandinteresting.com

Medieval half doll by Dressel & Kister of Passau. She shows a molded golden hairband with raised purple “jewels”. The dark-grey hair is twisted to a chignon at the backside and it is painted with finest white streaks.
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Medieval half doll by Dressel & Kister of Passau.

She shows a molded golden hairband with raised purple “jewels”. The dark-grey hair is twisted to a chignon at the backside and it is painted with finest white streaks.

Source: halfdolls.blogspot.com

CombFranceca. 1500boxwood with bone, ebony and pewter inlays“Collecting Treasures VII”Blumka Gallery
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Comb
France
ca. 1500
boxwood with bone, ebony and pewter inlays
“Collecting Treasures VII”
Blumka Gallery

Source: artnet.com

Detail of a bas-de-page scene of a woman at a spinning wheel being kissed by a man, from the Smithfield Decretals, Southern France (Toulouse?) with marginal decoration added in England, last quarter of the 13th century or 1st quarter of the 14thcentury, Royal 10 E. iv, f. 139
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Detail of a bas-de-page scene of a woman at a spinning wheel being kissed by a man, from the Smithfield Decretals, Southern France (Toulouse?) with marginal decoration added in England, last quarter of the 13th century or 1st quarter of the 14thcentury, Royal 10 E. iv, f. 139

Source: britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk