Changes

Generic kit for women consists of a dress and a head covering. An under shift, mantle and shoes may also be worn. A cloak may be substituted if a mantle is not available and for early or very late period events. Leg wear, if worn, must follow the same rulings as for men, but should not normally be seen.

Christian doctrine dominates women’s fashion throughout Regia’s period of interest, never more so than with regards to the instruction by St Paul for women to cover their hair. Although women adopted a number of ways of achieving this between the 9th to 13th centuries, three methods remained fairly consistent throughout: the long scarf type veil, the hood like wimple and the simple tied head scarf for working in. Head coverings are usually white and made from plain linen or light-weight wool.

A simple style of dress is worn throughout, coming to the ankle and to the wrist. The cuff of the dress can be either worn tight to the wrist or else loose, showing the cuff of the shift underneath. Neck-holes are either round or oval, and can have a keyhole opening. Decoration, in the form of facings, embroidery or tablet weave, is generally only applied to the cuffs. Dresses are usually made from wool but can also be from linen.

Going without a belt is [[Encouraged]]. Tied belts of simple braid or cloth can be worn, but never belts of leather. Cloth or woven sashes worn over a woman’s mantle may be wider.

For additional warmth a cloak or mantle can be worn. Cloaks are made from a simple rectangle of cloth. Before AD 980 they are worn by all social classes. After this the mantle seems to be preferred by women of improved status until the late C12th when cloaks come back into fashion. Cloaks must not be lined in a different coloured material.

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Small delicate dress brooches are also sometimes worn such as the cloisonné brooches or bird brooches.

English women don’t seem to have worn necklaces in Regia’s period of interest.

Shoulder bags should be approximately U shaped, closed with a flap at the top and may be fastened with a leather toggle or pin. They can be of wool, linen or leather.

Pouches worn at the belt should be no larger than fist sized, and closed either with a drawstring, a flap or a hook of authentic design.

Although we have little evidence for gloves, people did have woollen mittens. These can be made either by nålebinding or from woven cloth.

Shoes are of the simple, two-part turn shoe construction and are usually low, coming to below the ankle. These must be made of vegetable tanned leather. Applied soles and heels made from suitable leather may be used to prolong the life of the shoes.