14th & 15th Century Resources

Researched and Compiled for The Modern Maker by Sunny Briscoe

Websites for Study

Åhlén, Cathrin. “Katafalk.” Katafalk, 2020, katafalk.wordpress.com/.
Katafalk is a costuming blog by a classically trained tailor, theatrical costumer, and reenactor that provides tutorials and inspiration for all kinds of handmade female bodied clothing, weaving, embroidery, and accessories for the Middle Ages and beyond.

Alberti, Giada Magdalena. “La Bella Donna.” La Bella Donna, 2020, fleurtyherald.wordpress.com/.
La Bella Donna has detailed information about Italian clothing and culture, including Italian clothing definitions.

Anéa. “The Anéa Costumes.” The Anéa Costumes, 2020, aneafiles.webs.com/articles.html. This website is a great resource of 15th and 16th century Italian clothing in art and information and images of most of the known extant Italian garments of the period.

Carloni, Andrea, et al. “Imago Antiqua.” Imago Antiqua, 2020, imagoantiqua.it/.
A resource dedicated to all things 15th century Italian, including clothing, accessories, food, etc. Especially, there is information about the recreation of extant items such as glasses, and the only known 15th century extant woman’s garment.

Donner, Morgan. “Morgan Donner's Sewing Party.” Morgan Donner's Sewing Party, 2020, www.morgandonner.com/.
A costuming blog dedicated to European medieval and renaissance clothing and accessories. Projects of note include handmade shoes and...

Fabbri, Paola. “Paola Fabbri.” Paola Fabbri, 2020, www.paolafabbri.it/.
An Italian language site dedicated to the recreation of mid 15th century Italian clothing. Especially interesting is the pages defining different clothing layers and the e-book that discusses extant clothing.

Jones, Heather Rose. “Another Look at St. Louis' Shirt.” Another Look at St. Louis' Shirt, 2020, heatherrosejones.com/stlouisshirt/index.html.
This site includes very high-resolution photos of the shirt of St Louis, currently housed in the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. Though the specific layer has been up for debate, it is considered the earliest known extant undergarment,.

Kelly, Tasha Dandelion. “La Cotte Simple.” La Cotte Simple, 2020, cottesimple.com/.
A wonderful site exploring the patterning and construction of 14th and 15th century clothing, including the curved front “Cotehardie” and the Grande Assiette sleeve seen in the Pourpoint of Charles du Blois.

Marangoni, Federico. “Reenactment Advisor.” Reenactment Advisor, 2020, www.reenactadvisor.com/.

Miller, Edyth. “The Compleately Dressed Anachronist.” The Compleately Dressed Anachronist, edythmiller.blogspot.com/?m=1.
This site explores women’s fashions from 14th and 15th century France and especially focuses on various kinds of headwear and fitting a plus sized body.

Morosini di Mettenini, Elisabetta. “Evolutionary Tailoring.” Evolutionary Tailoring, 2020, evolutionarytailoring.wordpress.com/.
A beginning costume blog exploring the use of early tailoring techniques and experimenting with proportional drafting methods for 15th century Italian clothing.

Neulakko. “Neulakko Living History, Medieval Clothing, Veils and Things.” Neulakko Living History, Medieval Clothing, Veils and Things, 2020, www.neulakko.net/.

Further Reading

Birbari, Elizabeth. Dress in Italian Painting, 1460-1500. J. Murray, 1975.  This book teaches the reader how to look at art for clues to making a garment by observing the fabric drape, inferring the cut based on how the pattern of the fabric flows, and includes some theoretical pattern shapes.

Crowfoot, Elisabeth, et al. Textiles and Clothing, C.1150-C.1450. Boydell Press, 2001.  This book has detailed photos and scaled line drawings of extant textiles and garment parts found in London. Information about fiber type, fabric weave, and construction seams are essential to creating clothing of this period.

Egan, Geoff, and Frances Pritchard. Dress Accessories: C.1150-C.1450. London, 2013.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0851158390/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i0 This book has good resolution photos and line drawings of medieval accessories such as buttons, pins, etc., and theories about their making.

Fransen, Lilli, et al. Medieval Garments Reconstructed: Norse Clothing Patterns. Aarhus Univ. Press, 2011. https://www.amazon.com/Medieval-Garments-Reconstructed-Clothing- Patterns/dp/8779342981/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=woven+into+the+earth&qid=1594057 017&sr=8-2 This is a companion book to Woven Into The Earth, featuring scaled and graded

patterns in of some of the garments found in Herjolfnes Greenland. It also includes close up photos and line drawings detailing the fabrics and seams used in those garments.

Frick, Carole Collier. Dressing Renaissance Florence: Families, Fortunes, and Fine Clothing. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005DIAPXG/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0 This book is all about clothing culture in Renaissance Florence. Chapters include information about sumptuary laws, clothing inventories, tailors orders for garments, and an excellent glossary.

Included in the book is cultural context, construction theories, a glossary, and a thorough bibliography .

Herald, Jacqueline. Renaissance Dress In Italy, 1400-1500. Humanities Press, 1981.https://www.amazon.com/Renaissance-Dress-Italy-1400- 1500/dp/0713512946/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Renaissance+Dress+In+Italy%2C+1400- 1500&qid=1594057754&sr=8-1 This is THE English language resource for 15th century Italian clothing information, with lots of photos for reference, information of the evolution of clothing, jewelry, accessories, contemporary commentary, costs, materials, descriptions, inventories, a thorough glossary, and an extensive bibliography. Sadly, it is out of print, but some copies may still be found at various on line booksellers, and it is available from libraries.

Kammel, Frank Matthias, and Johannes Pietsch. Structuring Fashion: Foundation Garments through History. Hirmer Publishers, 2020. https://www.amazon.com/Structuring-Fashion- Foundation-Garments- through/dp/377743406X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Structuring+Fashion%3A+Foundatio n+Garments+through+History&qid=1594057704&sr=8-1 There is only a little bit here that is relevant for 15th century clothing, but that bit includes information and photos of the Lengburg Bra, and the gown belonging to Osanna Andreasi of Mantua, the earliest known extant Italian women’s garment. There is also some excellent information about support garments for later eras.

Newton, Stella Mary. The Dress of the Venetians: 1495-1525. Scolar Press, 1988. https://www.amazon.com/Venetians-1495-1525-STUDIES-TEXTILE- HISTORY/dp/0859677354/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=The+Dress+of+the+Venetians&qid =1594057612&sr=8-2 While only barely covering information in the 15th century, there is quite a lot of information about identifying different styles, with commonly found examples in art. There is also a very good glossary and information about clothing culture and critiques in the period.

Østergård Else. Woven into the Earth: Textiles from Norse Greenland. Aarhus University Press, 2004. https://www.amazon.com/Woven-into-Earth-Textile- Greenland/dp/8772889357/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=woven+into+the+earth&qid=15940 56967&sr=8-1 An excellent resource of the garments and related items found in Herjolfnes, Greenland. There are lots of detailed colored photos of the actual garments, diagrams of

stitches, details about the construction, and info about the fibers including twist, content, and dyes.

Owen-Crocker, Gale R and Netherton, Robin. Medieval Clothing and Textiles. Series https://www.amazon.com/s?k=medieval+clothing+and+textiles+Netherton+Owen- Crocker&ref=nb_sb_noss

Thursfield, Sarah. The Medieval Tailor's Assistant: Making Common Garments, 1100-1480. Bean, 2015. https://www.amazon.com/Medieval-Tailors-Assistant-2nd-1100-

1480/dp/0896762955/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=The+Medieval+T ailor%27s+Assistant&qid=159405 6792&sr=8-1 This book is an essential source covering the patterning, draping, and construction of medieval garments and accessories. It discusses evolution of clothing through time including simple line drawings to show the different garments.