Perhaps the most important thing to remember regarding male dress in the 15th c. is that it is layered - three layers to be precise, and sometimes more!

All in all, Northern European mens clothing in the last half of the 15th c. is when it gets down to brass tacks, very similar, at least the first two and most commonly seen layers in re-enacting, with little to distinguish the classes save quality of cloth and dye. A linen shirt and brais, wool hose, a doublet (don't forget the ubiquitous hat or cap). They look much alike except for subtle differences (how tight are the hose, the finess of the cloth, doublet closure, etc). Where ones class really sticks out is in the third layer - the gown.

Take me for an example, I have a couple sets of hose, red, murray, and blue & white parti colour. I have two very nice button closure doublets, one in scarlet, and one plum. At this point, depending on the cap I wear, I could still be nothing more than a prosperous artisan, although the doublet colours start to show some difference. Were I to put on one of those short sleeved wool gowns that buttoned or pointed closed that you see artisans wearing in Mid 15th c. French and Flemish miniatures, and a cap, I could easily pass for an artisan.

Since I am portraying a gentleman, this wouldn't do at all. What I wanted, and what I ended up comissioning from Gwen was a short pleated riding gown with the slit sleeves that seem to be omnipresent on a certain class of people. We went back and forth looking for sources, and the best representations of what I wanted were to be found in Rene of Anjou's paintings. We looked at the class of people, and I decided that the fellows accompanying the Heralds of the Bukes of Brittany and Bar who best seem to be described as gentlemen servants of noblemen fitted the class of person I was portraying.

We went back and forth about material, and colour, and we came to the conclusion for a 'light weight' garment that would see day to day use, a wool was best. I asked for the finest she could possibly obtain, and she thought that black would be a nice distinction marking me out from the other men at arms who will be wearing similar gowns (not that we have a lot of them!) in the company. We settled on hook and eye closure to best get the look of the paintings.

Because of various scheduling troubles, it took a little while - which didn't bother me as I was not in a rush, and I don't mind waiting for high quality work.

It arrived yesterday, and it is magnificent. I had seen a patch of the material, which looked to be fine quality, but to see the garment in person was a whole different thing. I had not seen this high a quality wool used in a reconstruction before. Gwen has captured the look of this garment better than any other attempts I have seen, and I believe it is an accurate reconstruction of this type of garment. When I tried it on over my scarlet doublet, and I put on my dress chaperone, it looked like I had just stepped out of the pages of Rene's Book of Love or Book of the Tournament. With the all important third layer on, there is no mistaking the class of person I am portraying. Now I just have to practise carrying myself with the proper air and polishing my rusty manners.

All I need now to complete my basic outfit is a set of those thigh high riding boots - I can hardly wait to get a pair. When I get a decent picture taken of this outfit, I'll be sure to post it.

Here is a so-so photo of me in the new gown. Sorry for the quality of the pic, but it is the best we could do on short notice.

Like the smug smile.

In-Laws secluded driveway..... They already know I'm a raving looney. I actually kept cracking up because Jenn kept cracking up (because she says I always try to look too serious).

gerry embelton, eat your heart out! !

Thanks for the compliments - it is all Gwens hard work. I just wish I had a better photo to show the gown, you really can't see all the lovely pleats. Maybe I can get a professional to take a couple of pictures with a better camera, and get it from the sides and back as well.

I don't think Gerry would be envious of standing on my in-laws asphalt driveway in NH. I'd trade the snow for an event at Grandson castle (or any other scene of the Swiss/Burgundian war) any day.

Just retake the photo with the flash on ... it should work as an infill even with a cheap camera and avoid the camera trying to adjust to the brightness of the snow.

I bravely wore it for a day and a half and received many compliments. However, late in the second day the weather took its tole on me, and I resigned to strip down to shirt, chausses & braes (like all the rest of the "authentic crowd"---ala the field workers in Tres Riche Huers ).

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(mka Tim Finkas)