A 15th century sleeveless kirtle & surcote

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The bands are sewn to the edge of the armcyes (meaning part of the gusset) and folded back in. I chose to make this one by using back-lacing because I wanted a supportive kirtle so it needed to be fitted. However, this type of garment could have very well been passed over the head and use no fastning what-so-ever. Here's a close-up of the handsewn edge and eyelets. On the right is a close-up of the front gore. This cote is made of linen. The actual color is closer to the color seen in the first picture.

Here are a few pics of the finished project. Since it's linen, it really wrinkles a lot, I've only had it on for 10 minutes and it already looked like crap. I'm wearing my 17th century muffin hat with a turnback on these pics but I intend to make myself a decent flemish kerchief pretty soon.

Supported by the girdle

The overall look

Inspirational image from
Charles of Angoulême's book of hours

There is evidence of sleeveless kirtles through out Europe at that time ;

Douze dames de rhetorique,
1475 (France)

Birth of the virgin,
1476 (Germany)

Diebold Schilling's chronicals
(Switzerland)

The construction

The construction was inspired by a number of extant garments typified as Nockert type-1

but I've added a shoulder seam in order to save on fabric length and waste.

Nockert type-1

My pattern layout

I also believe this type of supportive sleevess kirtle to be the type of garment often worn underneat front-laced kirtles and therefor, under the burgundian "V" neck gowns as well. Here are a few exemples of what I'm refering to ;

Guillaume de Lorris & Jean de Meung, Le Roman de la Rose (made for Louise of Savoy late15th)

Hans Memling, The Moreel family altarpiece 1484

Christine de Pisan,
L'épître d'Othéa 1450-1475

Le roman de la Violette

Guillaume de Lorris & Jean de Meung, Le Roman de la Rose (made for Louise of Savoy late15th)

And here are pictures of me wearing the surcote as a supportive kirtle ;