Late Gothic Women's Surcoat Dress with Hell Windows

Late Gothic Women's Surcoat Dress with Hell Windows and Linen Coif

Historical Context and Usage of the Dress

This women's garment faithfully reflects the fashion of the 14th century (Late Gothic) in Central and Western Europe. The long-sleeved underdress (cotte) could be fitted tightly to the figure thanks to lacing on the sides, thereby emphasizing female curves. Worn over it was the surcoat (surcote) – a sleeveless overdress that was originally loose but developed extremely deep armholes during the 14th century. The Church indignantly called these cut-outs "hell windows" (fenêtres d'enfer) because they provocatively revealed the tightly clothed body in the underdress. The linen veil or coif was an essential symbol of a married or respectable adult woman. This type of clothing was worn by wealthy townswomen and noblewomen alike. The dress is absolutely ideal for historical reenactment, period banquets, LARP, and medieval markets.

Material Care and Maintenance

The garment is crafted, according to your choice, from one hundred per cent cotton (including cotton velvet) or one hundred per cent wool. To ensure your dress serves you for as long as possible and retains its rich colours and perfect shape, we strongly recommend leaving the velvet and wool variants exclusively to a professional dry cleaner. The underdress made of standard cotton linen can be washed very gently by hand at temperatures up to 30 °C (86 °F). Never tumble dry the dress and under no circumstances use bleach. Velvet must not be ironed directly with a classic iron to prevent permanent flattening of the pile; to smooth out any creases, use only a vertical garment steamer from the reverse side.

Sizes, Colours, and Custom Tailoring

These medieval dresses are available as standard in ready-to-wear sizes according to our size charts. However, we will gladly tailor them exactly to your measurements at no extra charge to ensure a perfect fit. After completing your order, simply fill out our measurement chart. Furthermore, upon your request, the dress can be sewn in other colour variants according to our fabric swatch books. Simply state the desired colour in the comment field of your order. Do not forget to always write the swatch book number, the letter of the colour, and its name (for example, 03-A-yellow). If you choose a fabric with a different composition, the price may be slightly adjusted, which we will, of course, consult with you before starting production.

Recommended Accessories

To achieve an absolutely flawless 14th-century historical appearance, we recommend complementing this garment with a narrow leather belt featuring a brass buckle and Gothic leather shoes. We would like to point out that the jewellery visible in the accompanying photographs is not included in the costume delivery.

Technical Parameters of the Costume