Size Chart
Note: In our women’s clothes we’ve abandoned ‘standard’, modern sizing because it is far from standard, and tends to cause more confusion than provide accurate information. So, please judge your size by your chest and waist measurements. We do not give waist and hip measurements because the kirtle is an ‘A’ line style and flares out from the bust so that fit at the hip is generally not an issue.
Size | Max. Bust Measurement | Length (from shoulder) |
2 | 36″ / 91cm | 56″ |
3 | 40″ / 102cm | 56″ |
4 | 46″ / 117cm | 57″ |
5 | 50″ / 125cm | 57″ |
6 | 54″ / 137cm | 57″ |
Size 6 is available made-to-order only.
Wool Colors:
Red, Burgundy, Royal Blue, Hunter Green, Purple, Black
Dark Brown, Camel, Patterned Wool (Please don’t hesitate to email, call or text us (708-502-1937) with any questions about available patterned wools)
Note: Please note, with the difficulty of accurately representing colors on a variety of monitors, the color names are meant as descriptions along with the swatches. Please use both when deciding on what color to order. Also, despite how the colors may appear on your monitor the same color names in Wool, Silk and Linen are different and do not exactly coordinate.
We are pleased to offer our medieval kirtle, a simple, elegant gown that pulls on without lacing. Medieval artwork of the 10th – 14th centuries often depicts simple, smooth gowns with tapered sleeves and full skirts. In the 12th and 13th century, this gown is often worn as a simple overdress by common women and wealthy ladies as well being used as an under gown with apron dresses, bliauts and pendant sleeved gowns. In the later 14th and 15th centuries the kirtle remains an overdress for commoners, while being depicted beneath the cotehardies, sideless surcoats, and houppelandes of the high born. Very often these images show undergowns of widely contrasting colors and in our quest to provide you with the means to create that wonderfully medieval look our kirtle is available in a rainbow of colors.
This versatility and long period of use makes our kirtle perfect for many different periods and portrayals. Wear it as an undergown with our popular Apron Dress, bliaut, scoop-sleeve dress , half-sleeve gown, or our houppelande, to look the part of a well-born lady, or on its own, perhaps with a hood, thin belt and linen chemise for the simpler fashions of the 13th century. Finally, whatever your period of choice, the kirtle is the perfect solution on hot, summer days, where you keep cool while still maintaining the proprieties of a lady!
The kirtle’s neckline is shaped to peek out from the neckline of your gown so that it can be seen beneath the overdress. The sleeves are slightly fitted to avoid bunching when worn with an overdress and provide a slight flare at the wrist for that distinctly medieval flare. As with our plain, white linen underdress our kirtle is fitted to the bust and then flares outward, ending just above the floor so that it fits smoothly under your gown without interfering with your train. Our kirtle is made with no visible machine stitching.
Drawing after a detail of the Romance of Alexander, MS. Bodley 264, circa 1340 in the Bodeleian Library, Oxford, England
Drawing after Le Tres Riches Heures of Jean Duc de Berry circa 1413 in the Bibliotheque du Musee Conde, Chantilly, France
Drawing after Le Tres Riches Heures of Jean Duc de Berry circa 1413 in the Bibliotheque du Musee Conde, Chantilly, France
Drawing after Le Tres Riches Heures of Jean Duc de Berry circa 1413 in the Bibliotheque du Musee Conde, Chantilly, France
Drawing after an illuminated manuscript Cod. ser. nov. 2644, folio 34r
Drawing after Book of Hours for Rome Use, MS M.287, fol.64v, circa 1445 in The Free Library of Philadelphia, Rare Book Department, Pennsylvania, USA
Drawing after the Maciejowski Bible circa 1250 in the Pierpont Morgan Libary, New York, USA
Drawing after the Maciejowski Bible circa 1250 in the Pierpont Morgan Libary, New York, USA
A regal merchant woman wears a red wool kirtle underneath a purple linen Surcoat. She compliments the outfit with a gold linen Turret Hat and Tasseled Pouch, which is tied to her leather belt.
A woman prepares to take a sip of her drink, she wears a dark brown wool kirtle, which is cinched at the waist with a bright red belt.
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