Page 17 - British Museum: SYTYGIB Medieval Castle
P. 17

 So to prevent being turned into a dead person by their own pals, which was rEaLlY annoying and inconvenient, knights started putting pictures on their tunics and shields to identify themselves. The designs could commemorate past victories or be symbols of their family history and often featured animals such as eagles, mythical beasts like griffins, flowers such as roses, and bold shapes like chevrons.
They were called coats of arms – which is also another name for an octopus’s jacket.
In terms of clothes, this stylish knight gear was pretty important on the staying alive front and brings a whole new meaning to the term ‘fashion victim’.
FANCY THAT!
Before suits of armour came on the scene, knights wore chain mail armour. It was made from as many as 200,000 metal rings woven together into a suit. You could make your own using the ring-pulls from dog food tins (if you have several years on your hands and feel you really need a suit of chainmail armour).
Slightly less important in the death sense was kids’ clothing. But it could still be a bit confusing.
  Muuuum! Henry´s wearing my clothes again!
Up until the age of around 10, boys and girls wore dresses. Which was handy, as you and your sister or brother could borrow each other’s clothes if you were getting fed up with your own.
Give it back, Henry – you know you don´t suit sunflower yellow.
  In the early medieval period day-to-day clothes were fairly basic. Men often wore long stockings and a wool tunic with a high neck and long sleeves, while women wore a longer tunic with long hair covered by a hood. Cloaks were popular with both men and women, but not so much with mice or rabbits. Richer folk would import silk from the Far East to make fancy gear from.
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  Clothes and hairstyles
 






















































































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