Picture Library - Ladies' Dress

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Ladies' Dress

The earliest brasses of women show them wearing long loose-fitting gowns, often revealing the buttoned close-fitting sleeves of an under gown, as at Trotton and Wimbish. By the late 14th century gowns became very close fitting, while the slits of the sleeveless over gown had become deep and broad, as shown by Elizabeth Cobham's brass, though a loose all-enveloping gown with a deep belt was sometimes worn as an alternative, as at Great Shelford. Close-fitting gowns, with deep V-necks like that worn by Elizabeth Seyntmour, remained in fashion during the later 15th century. Skirts became increasingly full and by the early 16th century gowns also featured wide square necks and fur collars and cuffs, like on Elizabeth Bruges' brass. From the later 16th century, the skirts were open to reveal a richly patterned underskirt, exemplified at Thornbury and Redgrave. Initially women are shown with their head covered by simple veils, but from the mid 14th century the head-dresses became increasingly elaborate. Styles shown include nebulée (Lingfield), horned (South Petherton), butterfly (Beckington), pedimental (Deerhurst) and French hood (Thornbury) head-dresses.

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