Guest Author - Helen B. Wharton

I have often found the various names of different articles of clothing from the Medieval and Renaissance periods to be quite confusing. Sometimes a term is used that is no longer used or understood. At other times a modern term is used, but its meaning is completely different. So let's take a look at a complete outfit a Renaissance woman might have worn, item by item, and find out how it relates to what we wear today.

The innermost layer is the Chemise. This was underwear, a straight gown, usually made of woven linen or silk, gathered at the neck and worn as much for warmth as to protect the more expensive outer garments from skin oil and perspiration. For more information about the chemise and ideas on how to make one Look Here.

Next came the Farthingale. Think hoop skirt, with this. The farthingale's purpose was to support the skirt, which could be several layers. The fashion at the time was for women to be as wide as possible and a farthingale, with sewn in hoops of wood or whale bone, did just that.

Today we might wear a shirt or blouse, Renaissance women wore a Bodice. This was worn over the chemise and was usually sleeveless, with the sleeves of the chemise showing, but detachable sleeves were sometimes added. The bodice was a tightly fitted garment which could be padded to help keep its firm shape, but was also reinforced with whale bone, or flexible wood such as willow branches. Noble women would have more reinforcements than lower classes, who needed to be able to move, to work. The bodice was usually laced up to ensure that it stayed tight.

With her bodice, a Renaissance woman wore a Petticoat, or several. The petticoat, unlike what it is to us today, was merely a skirt. Frequently worn in multiple layers, in varying colors, petticoats were sometimes pinned up in front to show the layers beneath. They were also frequently slashed or slit to allow the pretty layers underneath to show.

Another clothing option was the Gown. This is a bodice and petticoat in one garment as our dresses and gowns are today. Gowns tended to be opulent. These might be sleeveless, but id so, detachable sleeves were worn and they tended to be very large and wide - remember, the fashion was to emphasize the width of a woman! Gowns also tended to have open skirts in front to display the skirts beneath.

This is an example of clothing from the English Renaissance, better known as the Elizabethan Era, but similar fashions could be found throughout Europe at the time.