The fitted silhouette of the cotehardie is one of the most striking images of the High Middle Ages. But, this European fashion relies on an Arab innovation: the button.
This image from the funeral brass of Sir Miles de Stapleton and his wife, dated 1364, shows a cotehardie with long tippets on the sleeves.
We made this gown from silk, using a modified version of this Simplicity dress pattern. The commercial pattern builds its full circle skirt in a funny way that leaves much of the fullness at the sides. We moved the button closure from the back to the front, and used gores to add fullness more evenly around the skirt.
