Sabtu, 28 Juni 2008

Medieval Clothing in Scotland


The purpose is not to tell you exactly what clothing to make, but rather to outline the issues concerned, and to indicate the known references that discuss women's clothing in Scotland. Firstly, it is unfortunately true that very little has been published (or even researched) about women's clothing in Scotland.
“What clothing did medieval Scottish women wear?” is not actually a question to which there is a single answer, because what women wore changed over the 1000 years of the middle ages in Scotland just as it did elsewhere in Europe. And, just as elsewhere in Europe, what women wore depended on what social class they belonged to.
So, before you can answer "What clothing should my Scottish persona wear?" you must answer three questions:
1. Exactly when does your persona live?
2. To which Scottish culture does your persona belong?
3. To what class does your persona belong?
Women living in the burghs (towns) were not part of Gaelic culture, and would not have dressed as Gaels. In general, their clothing, it seems, was very similar to that worn by women of similar class in England, France, or other northern European kingdoms.
Women living in Gaelic culture, sometimes even noblewomen, it seems, for most of the middle ages would have dressed very similarly to how Irish women dressed. In the very late middle ages, however, it appears that, just as Scottish Gaelic men's clothing diverged from that of the Irish, that Scottish Gaelic women's clothing also may have diverged. Unfortunately there seems to be very little evidence about Scottish Gaelic women's clothing. What is known is that at least in the 17th century, Gaelic women wore an earasaid (modern Scottish Gaelic spelling), though exactly how is not clear, and married women wore the brèid (modern Scottish Gaelic spelling), which is a type of kerchief, though exactly how is again unclear.
There is some possibility that Highland nobles of the 15th or 16th century would have worn Highland fashion while at home, but Lowland fashion if they visited court. Please note that I have not even begun to address several Scottish cultures and classes whose women may have dressed quite differently from those discussed above!

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