Red and Black Dress, 12th Century Bliaut

Description of the Product

This floor-length medieval dress has a close-fitting cut and it comes with a belt. The dress is made of fine red cotton fabric, and the contrasting black satin details together with the gold-accented wide decorateive trims give this dress a noble and elegant look. The wide black satin trumpet sleeves can be worn long or turned up.

The look and cut of the dress is typical of a bliaut, and it is based on the fashion of the 11th to 13th centuries. While women's clothing before this time was rather loose-fitting and concealed the figure, clothing now became increasingly form-fitting. The bliaut was originally an elegant, courtly outer garment made of light fabrics with wide, flared trumpet sleeves. This type of sleeve clearly indicated one's social standing, as it was impractical for everyday work. Over time, this style of dress also became established among the middle class, though then usually with narrower sleeves or by tying a knot in the long sleeve. The bliaut was not only worn by women; men also wore them as an outer garment, though in a knee-length version.

Depictions of a bliaut from this period can be found, for example, in the fresco of Saint Helena in the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Milan, and in the Hortus Deliciarum, an encyclopedic compendium from the late 12th century. Characteristic of the bliaut are its wide sleeves, fine fabrics, and flared skirt. The trumpet sleeves sometimes took on exaggerated forms, occasionally even reaching the floor. The bliaut was typically combined with a veil and a belt. This bliaut comes with a matching decorative belt that has the same trim as the sleeves. The dress is close fitting, so if you prefere more loose fitting styles or are between sizes, we recomment going up a size.

• Characteristic features of the bliaut are its wide sleeves, fine fabrics, and full skirt
• Available sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL
• Close fitting style
• Matching decorative cloth belt with trim included
• Color: red/black
• Material: red fabric 100% cotton, black satin 52% viscose/48% polyester
• Total length for size M: approx. 150 cm (measured from the highest shoulder point)
• Care instructions: Machine wash at 40°C, gentle cycle, do not tumble dry. We recommend washing the dress separately.