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A rich and luxurious
costume, decorated with embroidery and dyed exotically.
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| Notes |
Under-tunic
Glenn's undertunic was made for him by his mum. It is fine
linen and the shape is based on a simple 'T'. The body of the tunic is knee-length,
with slits at the sides. The sleeves are wrist length and fairly tight and the
neck is round with a slit at the front which is fastened by fabric ties.
| Tunic | |
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tunic is also based on the 'T' shape, but has 'gores' or extra triangles
of fabric sewn into the skirt to make it flare. It is slightly longer than
knee-length and the sleeves are also slightly longer than wrist-length and
pushed back to wrinkle up the arm. The neckline is similar to the under-tunic,
but has a decorative brooch to fasten the slit. The tunic is made of red linen and is decorated with bands of contrastingly coloured fabric of pale green linen. These bands are embroidered at neck and cuff, with stylised plant forms and a favourite symbol of the Anglo-Saxons - the Christian cross. The embroidery is executed in yellow, green, mauve and red wool threads. (Glenn did the embroidery on this himself.) |
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Cloak
Glenn's cloak is a simple square/rectangle of fabric. Well,
it's two layers of fabric - one of brown (wool obtained from the sheep and spun,
then woven with no colouring) and orange, which could have been made by double
dyeing with yellow, then red. There is no evidence for double layer cloaks until
the medieval period - but they are certainly warm. There is evidence of single
layer cloaks that were very large being folded double when worn. The edges of
the cloak are blanket stitched in brown wool.
| Trousers | |
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They are made of a pale blue soft linen in a style very similar to modern pyjama trousers. They have a straight, slightly tapered leg and a drawstring waist. I have used a piece of matte piping cord for the drawstring. |
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Leg-bindings
These are simple strips of fabric wound round the lower leg.
Glenn's are of undyed wool, with and hem turned under along both edges. One
end has been shaped into two prongs, so that they can be tied around the leg.
(See the Leg-bindings
guide.)
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These boots are made from stiff leather. They are flat-soled, round toed and are slightly higher than ankle-height. Glenn made them himself, with leather purchased from a handbag factory shop and real leather soles from a local shoe shop. They fasten with a simple wooden toggle. The sole has been given extra grip by the addition of some strips of leather sewn across. (He found that he was always slipping over while fighting in them.) |
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Hair
Glenn has the most amazing hair! It doesn't lend itself to
an Anglo-Saxon style very well, which should be short, but I refuse to let him
cut it.
Hat
The hat is an unusual style, called a Phrygian hat. I call
it a 'smurf' hat because it looks very similar to such. Glenn's is made of the
same wool as his cloak - the main part in the orange and the band in the brown.
He has also embroidered this with stitching in the orange. (See Hats
guide.)
Accessories
Bone cross - the Anglo-Saxons as mentioned were by this time
mostly Christian and would have worn a symbol of such. This
one is very simple, being carved from bone and undecorated.
Leather belt - the belt is undecorated, but has a metal buckle
and decorated bone tag end.
Seax - this typical Anglo-Saxon knife
has a bone handle and is kept in a decorated leather sheath.
The disc brooch was typical of the Late Saxon period, this
one is decorated with raised lobes and cut-out areas.
| © Rosie Wilkin 2003 |
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