So, you have probably noticed that the one style/time period that I shy away from is the 14th century, say after 1330. It has not always been so - I did a lot of fitted gothic dresses in the late 1990s. Then it was a fairly unusual style in Sweden. However, soon it became fashionable, to the extent that many people today equate "medieval" and "the period ca 1360-1410". And I've never been good at following fashions within the re-enactment community - when something becomes that fashionable I jsut want to make something else. It also rubs me the wrong way that the reason that many people like the late 14th century fashions is because it conforms to what is considered a sexually attractive body today. I want my historical fashion to be beautiful on its own terms, and a bit odd, if that's what it is :) Of course it may also be that I'm now a bit too fat to pull off that style, but I didn't wear it 25 kilos ago either, so I don't think its that. After all, I make 12th century which is just as tight. Anyway, just because I don't wear it doesn't mean that I can't appreciate the art of the period, and the gowns worn in it. So, here are some of my favourite patterned gothic fitted dresses and tunics: Catalonia, second half of the 14th century From Bellatory Tapestry from Padua ca 1400. From the very nice blog "A Commonplace Book" From an Italian manuscript of the Quest for the Holy Grail and Tristan of Lyonesse, 1380-85. taken from Manuscript Miniatures. "Roman d'Alexandre", 1338-1344. One of the loveliest manuscripts there are. It's at the Bodleian Library in Oxford. Here. More checks, this time italian, mid-14th century. Guillaume de Digulleville, "Le Pèlerinage de la Vie humaine". At Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève in Paris. These two are from La Quête du Saint Graal et la Mort d'Arthus, de Gautier Map. 1380-90s. From BNF, here. Martyrdom of Saint Agnes. "Missale ad usum fratrum minorum", c.1385-1390, Latin 757, f. 298r, Bibliothèque nationale de France. The resurrection, 1361-62, Museum of Zaragoza, Spain. Image taken from this blog. St. Catherine of Alexandria. Italian 1360s. From wikimedia The Smithfield Decretals ca 1330s-40s. Can be found digitised on the British Library's web site. Italian Manuscript of "Guiron le Courtois". 1380s. All three images from Manuscript Miniatures. c.1385 St. Stephen Altarpiece Church of Santa Maria de Gualter (Noguera) Musuem of Catalan Art, Barcelona From this site. St. Urusla and her virgin companions. Italian manuscript 1380s-90s I got it from Mistress Mathildes site "By my measure" The death and coronation of St. Clare. German 1360-70. Link to a photo by Lady Petronilla on Flickr.