Category: Female Clothing > Body Linen

13th century medieval chemise

13th century medieval chemise

Century: XIII, XIV

CODE	Material	Standard ?	Price
BKLE0019	L i n e n	Machine-made	55.00 EUR
BKLR0022	L i n e n	Hand-made	75.00 EUR
BKLS0021	L i n e n	Mixed	65.00 EUR

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A chemise is a type of medieval shirt for women worn under a dress. This type of medieval underwear is an essential part of women's medieval clothing.

Women's medieval shirts available is our assortment are made from linen in natural or white color. The torso of this chemise consists of 4 trapezes: 2 in front, 2 in back. Its sleeves are sewn with gussets under armpit. This chemise is also V-necked. The length of this medieval underwear reaches around the middle of the calf.

Here is the table of standard sizes of the chemise:

*Please write a chosen size in additional information window.
If needed, there is an option of ordering a chemise in custom size.

Our medieval underwear can be sewn in custom size, with personalized length and other dimensions on customer's request.
On special request we can also use other color of linen or other fabrics such as silk or cotton.

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Sources for our chemise

An example of medieval underwear which inspired us to make this model can be found in St Francis Xavier's Church in Paris. It belonged to Isabella of France, the sister of Louis IX of France.

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Main Features

- made of natural linen
- 3 standards of sewing to choose from
- based on historical sources

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Underwear in the Middle Ages

The role of medieval underwear was to isolate body from outer clothing, which was often made from wool. Underwear was the only part of clothing which was washed regularly.

Usually medieval underwear was made from linen, later also from cotton. Wealthier people wore underwear made of silk. It is a basic part of any medieval set of clothing.

Medieval underwear for men consists of braies and shirt, later also a suspender belt. Underclothing for women consists of a long medieval shirt – often called a chemise.

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Medieval chemise over centuries

It is believed that a chemise was the only part of women's medieval underwear. Depending on the reenacted century, chemise can be loose (like our chemises from 13th and 14th century) or closely fitted to the body with shoulder straps.

In the 13th century, the chemises were loose and unfitted, hence our chemise matches its historical equivalent.

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