The Late Middle Ages (c.1350-1500) provides us with many of our stock,
childhood images of the "Middle Ages" the knight in shining armour, the
joust, lords and ladies dressed in rich, voluminous robes and elegant
dresses. Yet it is a paradox, for at the start of the period, Europe had
endured the worst pandemic of recorded history: the Black Death, the
climate was rapidly cooling, causing massive crop failures, and France
and England were locked in the brutal, dynastic struggle of the Hundred
Years War. Meanwhile, in the second half of the period, intrepid
merchants became the new knighthood of Europe, seeking new wealth in
Asia and Africa, and launching what has been called the "Age of
Discovery" while a new interest in Classical culture would give birth to
the Renaissance. All of these elements have long intrigued and inspired
writers, researchers and reenactors to take a trip through the looking
glass to this lost world. In the Book of Historic Fashion: A Newcomer's
Guide to Medieval Clothing (1300 - 1450), authors Allen and Mele provide
a visual snap shot of the courtly elegance and common wear of the
period. Filled with hundreds of sketches taken from original sources,
mechanical drawings and detailed "layer drawings" demonstrating how the
clothing was worn, this entree both introduces the period and helps
newcomers find their way forward in the study of primary and secondary
sources. Whether you are a teacher or professor who wants your students
to understand what the clothing of the day really looked like, a costume
designers working in theater, TV and film looking for visual reference
or just new to medieval reenacting who wants guidance on what to wear in
order to be appropriately dressed at events, this volume is for you.
