Medieval Costume in England and France: The 13th, 14th and 15th Centuries (Dover Fashion and Costumes) [Paperback]

Mary G. Houston (Author)

Book Description

Series: Dover Fashion and Costumes | Publication Date: April 11, 1996

Carefully researched, meticulously detailed account of the style and construction of period costumes. Includes descriptions and illustrations of royal apparel, elaborate ecclesiastical dress and vestments, academic and legal garments, and civilian dress of all classes. Also discusses jewelry, armor, textiles, embroidery and hairdressing.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Medieval Costumes In England And France is a carefully researched volume offering costume aficionados and enthusiasts of the medieval period a meticulously detailed and splendidly illustrated study of clothing worn in the Middle Ages. Lucidly written accounts of the style and construction of costumes worn in the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries are followed by accurate descriptions and illustrations of royal raiment, elaborate ecclesiastical dress and vestments, academic and legal robes, as well as civilian dress for all classes. Mary Houston is a noted costume historian who brings her special expertise to discussions of accessories and such related subjects as ornaments, jewelry, armor, textiles, embroidery and hair-dressing. The 350 black & white line illustrations are taken from contemporary books, manuscripts, pictorial and sculptural representations. Medieval Costumes In England And France provides superbly documented information that is both clearly and succinctly presented in the text. Medieval Costumes In England And France is a "must have" reference for theatrical costume designers, members of organizations like "The Society for Creative Anachronism", science fiction & fantasy conventions, Madrigal performances, or even halloween parties and costume balls! -- Midwest Book Review

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (April 11, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486290603
• ISBN-13: 978-0486290607
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #539,049 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good place to start, March 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Medieval Costume in England and France: The 13th, 14th and 15th Centuries (Dover Fashion and Costumes) (Paperback)

While this book may be a good place to start, it shouldn't be your only source. It includes no photos of primary sources, but instead only modern drawings of various sources. The "patterns" are highly simplified and are the author's guess as to a plausible construction of the garments, rather than a Janet Arnold-style examination of extant pieces. Take these "patterns" with a large grain of salt! However, I did think the section describing religious vestments is detailed and informative, since I knew almost nothing about that subject.

Unfortunately, the section of this book covering the 15th century is much less detailed than those covering the 13th and 14th centuries, and only shows a few examples of the complicated and rapidly evolving fashions of that century, with no detailed "patterns". The fancy women's hats from the 15th century (which include the pointy and double-horned styles most people think of as "medieval") are only described briefly, with no actual construction information.

This book is fine as far as it goes, but anyone wanting to do historical costuming will need much more detailed and accurate information. In particular, look for books with photographs of the actual paintings, sculpture, or illuminated manuscripts that show the clothing. Be careful when using books that only show a modern artist's rendering, as this one does.

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great place to start, May 7, 2001

By 

Wendi Dunlap "That was pretty good. Now how '... (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Medieval Costume in England and France: The 13th, 14th and 15th Centuries (Dover Fashion and Costumes) (Paperback)

Houston's book seems to be an excellent overview of the costume of the late medieval period. While it doesn't delve much into the actual construction of the clothing (i.e. patterns, stitching, etc.), it's quite good at giving a solid visual representation of the changes that occurred during these centuries, and as such I think it's a great starting point for study.

As other reviewers have mentioned, the illustrations in here are redrawn from primary sources, so serious students of costuming will want to look at the primary sources whenever possible. Most will also need to seek out other sources to find better information on the construction of the clothing as well. But even so, this book is so inexpensively priced that I can't find too much to quibble about. Anyone, especially beginners, can buy it as an introduction and then move on to more detailed sources later.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reference; a "must-have" for costumers!, February 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Medieval Costume in England and France: The 13th, 14th and 15th Centuries (Dover Fashion and Costumes) (Paperback)

Don't let the tiny price fool you! This slim volume is worth its weight in gold for anyone seeking to study and/or replicate period costume. Clothing for the common folk, royalty and the clergy are meticulously examined and discussed. The only lack is any discussion of undergarments, the book focusing only on tunics, surcoats, cloaks, shoes and head coverings. We are left to wonder what sort of leggings, stockings, drawers, petticoats, corsets or chemises they might have worn.

It is easy to follow the development of line and cut through the centuries. Many detailed line drawings, along with some coloured plates give a good indication of details of construction and trim. It is easy to create patterns of any size from these drawings. Many drawings of the effigies of deceased monarchs and their consorts give an especially typical illustration of their favoured clothing. We can assume that the folk of their period followed their royalty's tastes during the reign and for some time afterward.

There is a very good section on embroideried trims and fabrics, and some treatment of jewelry as well. The head coverings for women are especially well covered. Armor and chain mail, and some weaponry are well discussed and illustrated.

A particularly interesting point is that the reigns of the monarchs of England, France and Germany are presented in table form for each century, complete w/ dates. Having this information compiled in this fashion is invaluable when one needs to be very accurate in construction of period garb, and may have not much more to go on than the name of the monarch of the time.