This document provides details on women's fashion and costumes in 15th century Europe. It describes the various garments worn like smocks, houppelandes, and gowns. Smocks, or chemises, were the undergarments embroidered at the neck and arms. Houppelandes were long, belted dresses that fell slightly above the waist. Gowns, or cotes, were the outer dresses worn in various styles over time, sometimes with low necklines, fitted bodices, or pleated skirts. Headwear became increasingly large and elaborate throughout the century, often tall and cone-shaped like the hennin. Hair was usually covered and elaborate veils were worn over

1. PRESENTATION ON
15TH CENTURY WOMEN’S COSTUME

2. Costumes for women:15th century
Drawn towards luxury,
fashion and sophistication

3.  Smock : undermost
garment for women.
Its “called chemise” in
French.
 Chimese were
embriodered at the
neck and arms.
 Houppelandes : long
belted, slightly above
the waistline, soft
shoulder line.

4.  Collar style: high
standing collar, open at
the front to form a sort
of winged effect, or flat
turned down collar
around a V shaped or a
round neckline.

5. Sleeve variation
 Consisted of huge funnel
shapes,
 lined in contrasting
colours or fur,
 Reaching to the ground,
 Bagpipe sleeves,
 Plain tubular sleeves
turned at the back to the
end to show contrasting
cuffs,
 Hanging sleeves,
 Usually tubular in shape.

6. GOWN
 Known as Cote or cotte in french.
 Two gowns were worn, one over the other,
 In England women wore cote hardies with
hanging tippets,
 In France, Upper class women wore gowns
cut with low necks and closely fitted bodices
that emphasized the breast and full long
skirts.
 Sleeves on dresses might be closed fitted
from shoulder to wrist or hanging wide, full,
and funnel shaped.

7.  Gown style evolved in the 2nd half of the
century.
 Rigid, tube shaped pleats were replaced
by a soft gathered fullness in women’s
dresses.
 Bodice developed a deep V, sometimes
reaching to the waist.

8.  Edges of the V
were turned
back into revers
generally lined
in a contrasting
color or fur.
 Revers: lapels
that turned back
to show the
underside.

9.  V required a modesty piece or filler
placed across the bodice.
 Wide stiff belt encircled the waist.

10. When V-shaped revers were set further out on the shoulders,women wore a
transparent linen fabric piece pinned to the garment at the neck line,shoulders
and back to secure it in place.

11.  Earlier the cut of the bodice was soft with
fullness caught in by the belt.
 As style evolves, the cut became more
tailored and the bodice fitted.
 Skirts were long.
 Border was in the fabric of which the
revers were made.

12. Roc
 Another form of general term
frock
 Loose fitting gown
 Bodice cut with a round neck
line
 Cascade of gathers or pleats
at the center of the front and
the back.

13.  Unbelted and
made in soft
fabric.
 Dress fell loose
and unfitted to
the ground.
 Sleeve were
fitted,long or
short.

14.  In short sleeves, the gown was worn over
a long sleeved under dress.
 Hooded cloaks were worn for bad
weather
 Mantels worn over matching gowns and
fastened with chains at the front.

15. HAIR & HEADDRESS
• The queens, brides and girls
were allowed to show their
hair at the coronations.
• Respectable women were
supposed to cover their hairs
.
• No hair was visible around
the edges of the fanciful
headdress that became
fashionable, therefore having
a smooth forehead was
popular.

16. HEADDRESS
• Wide headdresses from side to side( 1st
half of the century).
• Hair was generally placed in a net if the
headdress did not fully cover the hair.
• Veils were draped over the entire
structural forms that were placed on the
head.
• In 2nd half of the century the headdress
grew taller.

17. Size and shape
• Flat- topped
• High crowned
• Brimless hat ( 4-5 inches),
known as HENNIN( enormous
cone-shaped, peaked hat that
was as much as a yard high).
• Veils , ideally sheer were
pinned and draped over the
headdress.

21.  Thankyou..