My sweetheart’s birthday is in early November. He gently suggested I might make him something historically-themed and fine to wear. I thought this was a capital idea, given my experience and interests. I decided to make him a cotehardie in the style of Charles de Blois. I have my own pattern for easy fitting, after …
The 14th century in Europe is notorious for many things, but one of my favorite (and less grim) legacies is the button. Mind you, buttons existed before the 14th century, but it was during this time that the fashionable integration of buttons gave us a true embarrassment of riches. Indeed, it is the 14th century’s …
I made arrangements to visit the Musée des Beaux-Arts of Chartres, France on the 1st of July, 2011 to examine the pourpoint of Charles VI, a crimson-colored, padded and quilted jacket dated roughly to the late 1370s. This was planned as part of the fulfillment of my contract with the Society of Antiquaries of London …
Most people reading this blog already know who Janet Arnold was. For those who do not, she was a clothing historian who brought gravitas and academic acceptance to a much-neglected aspect of material history. She published multiple books that brought extensive understanding of 16th through early 20th-century tailoring to us. Sadly, she has passed away, …
I’ve finally ventured into the world of WordPress. This wondrous authoring tool has allowed me to bring the look and functionality of La cotte simple into the 2010s. I hope you like its new appearance as much as I do. I’m excited to be unveiling the revamped site because not only do I believe it looks a million times …
