10th- 14th Century Linen Kirtle

Description

Photo Gallery

Colors and Fabrics

Size Chart

Our Design

Historical Inspirations

We are pleased to offer our medieval kirtle, a simple, elegant linen 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 including black, bright blue, burgundy, oatmeal, dark brown and soft gold.

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 new 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 out of 100% linen, with no visible machine stitching.

Three views of our Linen Kirtle in Soft Gold

Everybody knows about you guys!You folks are one of the west's authorities on historical garments! You folks are amazing!Customer service extrordinaire! I am telling everyone at knights about you guys! Anyway.....thanks again....we will be doing lots of business together in the future.Cheers!   Cheers Daniel MacMullin Alberta, CA

Two views of our Linen Kirtle in Black worn with a blue Linen Frontlaced Gown, Decorated Belt, and Flemish Hood (on left) and Turban (on right)

“I've just received my order in the mail today--it is so much better that I expected, and I really expected high-quality stuff, so this is AWESOME. I'm very happy with it; it is really beautifully made and fits me very nicely. Thanks again!” - Rivkah M. US Military Personnel stationed in Naples, Italy

 From Left:
-our linen Viking tunic in Brick Red worn with linen Viking Pants in
sage, wool Leg Wraps in brown tweed and Viking turn boots
-our linen Viking tunic in sage worn with linen Viking Pants in slate
blue, wool Leg Wraps in olive and Viking turn boots
-our linen Viking Apron Dress in Brick Red worn with linen Kirtle in
dark brown, Viking hood in white and Viking turn boots
-our linen Viking Apron Dress in oatmeal worn with linen Kirtle in
dark green and Viking turn boots
-our linen Viking Apron Dress in sage worn with linen Kirtle in gold
and Viking turn boots 

Bright Blue -a rich, bright blue
Burgundy -a dark rich red
Soft Gold- -a true yellow/ gold
Dark Green -a dark forest green
Dark Brown -a rich chocolate brown
Oatmeal -a natural color
Slate Blue -a softer medium blue