Costume History Vocab

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Collar (Egypt)

Back 1

Ancient Egyptians wore collars of jewels and linen around their necks.

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Counterpoise

Back 2

Counterweight often used on crowns of ancient civilisations including Egypt and Byzantium.

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Gala skirt

Back 3

Worn by local officials in Egypt. Wrapped 1.5 times around body with pleating on front during last .5 turn.

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Girdle

Back 4

Used to belt together front and back pieces of kimono-like garment in Egypt.

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kalisiris

Back 5

Tube-shaped, tight-fitting dress. Knit in the round to fit individual. Very long, down to ankles, but stretchy to allow for movement. Hits at mid-breast. Single shoulder strap tied to inside.

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kimono-like garment

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Large rectangle of linen as wide as arm-span and twice height from head to toe with hole in middle. Back section was pulled around to front and belted with girdle, or sometimes left to hang in back. Almost always pleated.

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Lock of youth

Back 7

Young boys shaved hair but left one lock on side, like pony tail. Signified that they were children of pharoah and would be eligible to become one some day.

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Nemes Headdress

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Type of crown worn by pharoahs. Made of pleated linen, often with gold woven in. Cobra at front of headdress.

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Pschent

Back 9

Crown that combines the two styles of lower and upper Egypt.

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Shendot

Back 10

Special type of shenti reserved for pharoahs. Long and completed pleated, then wrapped around body. Always contained narrow rectangle of fabric in middle, like phalic symbol.

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Shenti

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General term for Egyptian loin cloths. Worn by men and women. Basic garment at the time. Varied in length, degree of pleating, and style of tying.

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Wax perfume cones

Back 12

A break from their obsession with cleanliness, Egyptians would sometimes wear cones of wax on their heads in the evening so that the wax would melt and flow down their bodies, thus perfuming themselves.

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Chiton

Back 13

Garment worn close to body over loincloth in Greece. Large rectangle of fabric wrapped around body and belted.

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Chlamys

Back 14

Cloak worn for travelling and by military officials. Pinned on with fibulae.

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Doric

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Early Greek period. Costumes and architectural elements were simpler. Not as much fluting.

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Fibula

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Pin used to fasten Greek chitons, himations, chlamys, etc. Open-ended = Doric. Fancier, closed-ended = ionic.

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Kolpos

Back 17

Bulge of fabric about waist caused by the belting of the chiton.

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Peplos

Back 18

This was the female version of the chlamys.

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Petasos

Back 19

Travelling hat with low crown and wide brim.

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Phrygian cap

Back 20

Bonnet-like hat worn by the Phrygian people. Men worked as mercenary freedom-fighters, which is why the hats were adopted by participants in the French Revolution.

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Pilos

Back 21

Travelling hat made of felted wool with little or no brim.

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Bulla

Back 22

Necklace with pendant worn by young Roman boys of prominent families signifiying that they would be important.

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Casula

Back 23

Garment consisting of a paenula (like chlamys) with a cucullus (hood) attached.

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Clavus/Clavi

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Stripes on tunics. Started as military insignia and became decorative, even worn by women later.

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Cucullus

Back 25

Hood attached to chlamys to form casula.

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Crepida

Back 26

Type of Roman footwear, like sandal.

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Feminalia

Back 27

Roman equivalent of trousers. Bifurcated garments such as these were considered barbaric by Romans, but could be worn if necessary, as when travelling to northern Europe.

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Paenula

Back 28

Roman equivalent of Greek chlamys

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Palla

Back 29

Roman females' equivalent of Greek himation.

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Pallium

Back 30

Similar to Greek himation, acts as outer garment for non-citizens of Rome.

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Segmentum(ae)

Back 31

Badges sewn onto corners of Roman garments.

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Sinus

Back 32

Pockets created from large folds of fabric in togas.

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Solea

Back 33

Simple type of Roman sandal that covers little of the foot.

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Stola

Back 34

Roman females' equivalent of Greek himation.

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Strophium

Back 35

Tube-like garment worn by Roman women to give some support to breasts while being active.

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Toga

Back 36

Roman outer garment. Badge of citizenship. Made from wool and wrapped 3-3.5 times around body. Never pinned on; takes a great deal of to wear them. Many types: praetexta, candida, virillus, laena, pulla, ornamentum (to name a few).

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Toga praetexta

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Basic toga with scarlet stripe along one edge. Worn by boys until 14 years, then put away until they are elected as senators, who wear them.

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Toga Candida

Back 38

Bleached white with no decoration, worn by candidates for office to signify their spotless records.

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Toga Virillus

Back 39

Natural wool color, not adorned.

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Toga Laena

Back 40

Double-layered, lined for warmth.

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Toga Pulla

Back 41

Died gray with black stripe along edge. Worn during times of public mourning.

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Toga Ornamentum

Back 42

Natural color with scenes from history and mythology. Given as prizes like medals of honor.

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Tunica

Back 43

T-shaped garment often worn under toga to replace Greek chiton and get rid of extra fabric.

Front 44

Umbo

Back 44

Large, draped loop at front of toga.

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Hosa

Back 45

Tight-fitting leg coverings popular in Byzantium and early northern Europe. They reached to just below the knee in the 11th century and rose up the thigh in the 12th.

Front 46

Mappa/Mappula

Back 46

Handkerchiefs symbolisin wealth of owners. They were oblong at this time and continued to be so until the 18th century, when Louis passed a law that they should be square.

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Paludamentum

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Half-circle piece of fabric worn asymmetrically on body with bottom edge being straight across. Worn by Roman equestrians, then becomes badge of Byzantine citizenship, worn only by men and the empress.

Front 48

Tablion

Back 48

Large rectangle of color reaching from front to back of paludamentum in Byzantium.

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Bliaut

Back 49

1st garment meant to fit closely to body with way to attach upper and lower portions, and thus having a waistline.

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Bracchae

Back 50

Bifurcated leg coverings used for war in early medieval Europe. Word becomes breeches.

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Coif

Back 51

Small, bonnet-like cap worn by women in early medieval Europe.

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Crespine/Crespinette

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Hairnet, often heavily decorated with jewels, signifying that a woman was married in early medieval and 14th Century.

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Cyclas

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Garment draped over armor in 11th century to protect from sun. Eventually sewed up sleeves and split up middle for riding. Crusaders returned with this garment and modified it, creating 2 forms: ganache and gardcorps.

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Ganache

Back 54

Derivative of cyclas with sleeves. Acts as surcoat in 13th and 14th centuries.

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Gardcorps

Back 55

Form of cyclas without functional sleeves (they hang down). Scholars tied sleeves in knots and hung books in them; becomes modern academic regalia.

Front 56

Gorget/Barbette

Back 56

Gorget was a strip of fabric worn under chin and tied over head. Symbol of modesty and marriage. Becomes associated with nuns. A barbette was similar, but pleated, and worn by widows.

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Gunna

Back 57

Gown for women in 14th Century. Often worn with cyclas over top.

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Kirtle

Back 58

Close-fitting dress for women in 14th century - wide neck and long sleeves. Always worn under cotehardie until probably 15th century.

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Wimple

Back 59

Similar to gorget but pinned on instead of being tied over head. Usually worn by married women in 14th cnetury along with veil on head. Started being worn by nuns.

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Chaperone

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Hoods became detached from garments and people began to wear them as hats with their heads in the face hole during the 14th and 15th centuries. This was the name for them.

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chemise/camisa

Back 61

Linen women's undergarment of 14th century. Like a shift.

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Coté

Back 62

Type of gown often worn under cyclas. Fits more loosely than cotehardie.

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Dagging

Back 63

Process of cutting sleeves or edges of garments to create hanging strips of fabric, emphasize elongation. Popular in 14th and 15th centuries.

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Lappet

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Long, hanging part of sleeve on cotehardie or houppelande. Mean to emphasize elongation. Popular in 14th and 15th centuries. Organically cut into garment.

Front 65

Liripipe

Back 65

Long, thin tip of hood or chaperone. Often slung over shoulder. Popular in 14th and 15th centuries.

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parti-color

Back 66

Having one leg or half of a garment in one color and the other in a different color. Like heraldry, but only for decoration.

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Plastron

Back 67

This refers to the stiffened part of the sideless gown.

Front 68

Poulaines/Crackowes

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These were shoes with extremely long pointed toes. 13th, 14th, 15th centuries.

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Pourpoint

Back 69

Men's undegarment. Buttoned down front. Padded garment originally worn under armor, then under coté or cotehardie.

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Sideless Gown

Back 70

Type of dress with stiffened top portion and no sides on top. Attached to full skirt on bottom. Scandalous (windows of Hell) because it draws attention to hips and waist.

Front 71

Templers

Back 71

All hair is divided into 2 pieces, braided, and drawn to sides of head in front of ears.

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Tippet

Back 72

Like lappet, but tied or sewn onto garment rather than being a part of the garment itself.

Front 73

Black Work

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Black silk embroidery. Extremely expensive because, black was hard to dye, silk was hard to obtain, and embroidery was labor-intensive. Philip the Bold (15th century) had black work on his shirts, which could not be laundered, so he bought a dozen.

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Bourrelet

Back 74

Women's head covering in 15th century with two large points. Looks like padded roll on top.

Front 75

Butterfly Hennin

Back 75

Women's head covering in 15th century with two large folds of fabric at top.

Front 76

Chopines

Back 76

Wooden platforms to be worn under shoes to keep them clean. Started in 15th, but continued into 17th.

Front 77

Foliation

Back 77

More elaborate form of daging that makes garments look like they are covered in leaves. Very popular in 15h century.

Front 78

Hennin

Back 78

Type of hat worn by women; like dunce cap.

Front 79

Houppelande

Back 79

Ubiquitous in the 15th century on both men and women, this was an outer garment with a great deal of fabric, belted at waist to control excess. Sleeves were also very full and usually has some kind of interesting element to them. Some have bottle necks.

Front 80

Orders

Back 80

Chains with medallions; signified wealth. Originated in 15th century.

Front 81

Pattens/galoches

Back 81

Carved wooden outdoor shoes meant to protect leather slippers. 15th century.

Front 82

Revers

Back 82

Early version of lapels, they were formed when people turned down top of gown to show lining.

Front 83

Très Riches Heures

Back 83

Calendar painted in the 15th century by the brothers Limbourgs for the dukes of Burgundy, illustrating life in and about the court.

Front 84

Biretta

Back 84

Hat with stiff brim, soft crown, often with brim turned up. Like that worn by Henry VIII in 16th century.

Front 85

Box Coat

Back 85

Very wide, full coat with short but full sleeves. Often open in front and lined with fur (revers to expose lining). Straps inside coat go over shoulders and around to back to keep it on. Like that worn by Henry VIII in 16th century.

Front 86

Bases

Back 86

Straps over shoulders used to hold up skirt that can go over peplum of doublet. 16th century.

Front 87

Canions

Back 87

Close-fitting breeches down to knees. Sometimes worn with other types of breeches (like trunk hose). 16th C.

Front 88

Cod Piece

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Develops as cotés become shorter and parts of body become exposed. Rectangle of fabric that covers genitals and is often stiffened and reenforced. Becomes decorative phallic symbol.

Front 89

Doublet

Back 89

Primary men's garment of 16th century - will last into early 17th and develop into suitcoat. Has 2 layers of fabric (singlet has one and is for servants). Closes down front and has sleeves, and always has either peplum (very short) or skirt (longer) below waistline.

Front 90

Duck Bill Shoes

Back 90

Continuing trend of widening clothing forms, these were soft, leather shoes cut straight across toes, often with slashing at toes to make them appear even wider.

Front 91

Drum Farthingale

Back 91

Type of foundation garment formed like hoop skirt, but with circles of the same size to creat cylindrical shape. Elizabeth and her ladies wore them. Usually accompanied by cartwheel ruff.

Front 92

Gable Headdress (English Hood)

Back 92

Architectural form of headdress popular in first half of 16th C.

Front 93

Galligaskins

Back 93

Large, round breeches. Extremely wide. AKA pumpkin breeches. 16th C.

Front 94

Lower/Nether Hose

Back 94

Hose worn on lower part of leg.

Front 95

Peascod Belly

Back 95

Padded part of doublet meant to make belly appear larger. Often came to point at bottom as vestige of cod piece.

Front 96

Ruff

Back 96

Type of collar ubitquitous in 16th C. Formed by folding fabric many times. Various types: millstone ruff around neck, punto in aria ruff open in front, and cartwheel worn around waist with drum farthingale.

Front 97

Baldric

Back 97

A decorative sword-belt worn asymmetrically on the body.

Front 98

Bucket-top boots

Back 98

Tops of boots are turned down in early 17th C. so that lining shows. Lace cuffs are also added.

Front 99

Golillas

Back 99

Flat ruffs; fall onto shoulders in 17th C.

Front 100

Jerkin

Back 100

Like doublet but without sleeves. Sometimes worn over doublet.

Front 101

Love Lock

Back 101

Women wore single curl over shoulder to be provocative.

Front 102

Rabat

Back 102

An evolution of the falling ruff, the rabat immediately preceded the cravat, and was often made of lace. Early 17th C.

Front 103

Mandilion

Back 103

Spanish cape that has sleeves, but they are never worn. Draped asymmetrically over shoulder.

Front 104

Justacorps

Back 104

Knee-length surcoat that is fitted at waist - think George Washington. Late 17th and into 18th.

Front 105

Cravat/Stock

Back 105

Evolution of rabat and result of falling collars, the cravat or stock was a piece of fabric (often muslin or lace) tied around the neck and allowed to hang on the chest. Precursor to the tie. Late 17th - 19th C.

Front 106

Jabot

Back 106

Refers to the characteristic ruffles on the shirts of the late 17th and 18th C.

Front 107

Petticoat Breeches

Back 107

Short breeches with the lining sticking out below them and lots of clusters of ribbons at waist and hem.

Front 108

Fontange/Commode

Back 108

Tall lace headdresses meant to emphasize vertical aspect of women in lat 17th C.

Front 109

Full-bottom Wig

Back 109

At end of 17th C. people begin to wear wigs, and full-bottomed wigs were the most fashionable. They were often powdered.

Front 110

Mantua

Back 110

Type of dress fitted at waist and fitting rather closely at back, still with some material trailing at back. Late 17th C. early 18th C.

Front 111

Waistcoat

Back 111

Like vest, but with sleeves. Buttoned down front and worn under justacorps or other surcoat. Lasted through late 17th and much of 18th and 19th centuries.

Front 112

Periwig

Back 112

Smaller, close-fitting wig of much of the 18th century with pony-tail at back. Often 2 or 3 curls at fron and over ears. Tied with ribbons in back.

Front 113

Polonaise, Robe a l'Anglaise

Back 113

Dress w/ three tiers of fabric. Close-fitting at back.

Front 114

Pouter Puff Pidgeon

Back 114

Late 18th Century artificial increase in breast size via padding in chest.