They could be decorated with heraldic emblems such as coat-of-arms and protected the armor from moisture and the sun heating. Knight's Cloakīesides the tabards, medieval knights wore riding cloaks fastened on the shoulder, leaving the right hand free. Later it featured the short sleeves or the long bell sleeves and became a true coat in the modern sense of this word. In the 14th century, it gave way to a ‘pelisson’ or pelice - a cloak with the arm slits, often fully-lined. Resembling a poncho, it was bell-shaped and had large folds in front. Then, under the influence of Italian fashion, a ‘huque’ cloak gain widespread. This loose-fitting cloak was held on the shoulders only by a twisted silken cord or a decorative ribbon. One trendy style was replaced by another: simple pull-over style cloaks and capes were replaced by a light full-round ‘mantle’ cloak. Initially, women’s and men’s cloaks of all classes were pretty similar, but over the centuries cloak underwent various changes, and in the 12th century something happened, what might be called the birth of fashion. According to the sagas, the cloaks were fastened with fibulas or straps tied in the front middle of the chest or on the shoulder. The edge of the cloak could be decorated with embroidery or ornamentation. Since the width of the cloth does not exceed half a meter, the cloaks were made of several panels, which could easily be colored. They also wore cropped cloaks of semicircle or trapezoid shape, which could be made of dyed fabrics, including two-color and striped. The first and the most common type is a rectangular cloak made of undyed wool fabric, which covered a half of the body, leaving one hand open. There were several varieties of the Viking Age cloaks. Shapes and styles are assumed on the basis of positions of the tissue pieces, the remnants of the seams, pictorial sources, written data and ethnography. It should be noted though that being organic, textiles hardly preserve to the present day, which complicates the process of recreating the look of medieval cloaks, as the researchers keep only rare pieces of fabric that can be interpreted as a cloak.

Reenactment CloakĪrchaeological excavations are the main source for modeling of the period clothes.

If you’re up for buying a medieval cloak, we'd recommend you learning about the basic period models, to ensure it fits your LARP or reenactment wardrobe. In our medieval cloaks store, one can find lined and unlined models made of authentic materials, such as wool, velvet, and cotton.

Middle Ages cloaks were the main outer clothing of the era, so they involve a multitude of materials and decoration. Cloaks were a part of human clothes for thousands of years, so the first people wore animal skins, serving both as clothing and blankets. Every thoughtful detail, even in your Renaissance capes, medieval cloaks, and other similar types of clothing, helps you get into character, so be sure you get only the best costumes and accessories.Typically the word 'cloak' implies to a long, loose outer garment often with a hood. Check Out Medieval Cloaks, Capes, and Robes at Dark Knight ArmouryĪnd if you’re a fan of cosplaying or reenactments in Renaissance festivals, you know that it’s not just the personality and the dialogue lines that make a performance good enough to impress a passionate crowd. We even have Spartan capes, wizard cloaks, and Jedi robes! Here at Dark Knight Armoury, we like variety, and for that reason, we carry a variety of medieval, Renaissance, and fantasy-themed capes, cloaks, and robes. A plain cape goes great with almost any medieval look, whereas our knightly capes and cloaks, like our Crusader capes, Templar cloaks, and Hospitaler cloaks, complement a knight’s or warrior’s look wonderfully. Many of our capes, cloaks, and robes are made from fabrics like cotton, velvet, or twill, and since they are available in a variety of styles, there is, assuredly, a cape, cloak, or robe that fits your look and need. Find Premium Medieval Cloaks, Capes, and Robes Perhaps one of the most appealing aspects of a nice cape or medieval cloak is that if you have done your work correctly, a cape is an easy addition to any outfit and can be tied in place or closed with a brooch. And lucky for you, Dark Knight Armoury carries a fantastic number of attractive and high-quality cloaks, capes, and robes. Nothing quite compares to a really good cape-except, perhaps, a really good cloak or robe, but really, they are all quite similar, so they may as well all count for the same thing.

Medieval fur cape