Most medieval main and outer garments were rather similar-looking. They had the cut of a tunic or dress, with long sleeves, a round neckline, knee-length or ankle-length, and so on. A surcoat is one of such garments but it is sleeveless, which is a very specific feature. Also, this piece of clothing originally was worn by the military men over their armor. But was it only that? Did civilian men and did women wear a surcoat? And if so, what difference in design could there be? Let’s try to answer these questions because a surcoat is a very curious and charming medieval outer garment.
A surcoat is the medieval outerwear. It appeared in the 11th century and was used mostly by warriors at first. It served as covering for the armor, the mail. Military surcoats usually were rather loose to prevent restricting movements and they often had a slit at the front to allow the man to ride a horse easily. But this slit isn’t an obligatory feature of a surcoat, just a variation.
Later, a surcoat became a fashionable casual item of clothes for men and women of different statuses. By the way, it quickly became very, very common.
A usual, “civil” surcoat was the outerwear, always worn over a shirt or tunic. Actually, all medieval main garments and, obviously, all outer garments were worn on top of other clothes, at the very least a chemise. In the Middle Ages, the climate was colder than today, so people needed multiple layers of clothing to keep their bodies warm. And also, doing laundry was a lot harder than today. Not talking about the cost of the fabrics used to make outerwear.
A surcoat practically always was sleeveless or had short sleeves. That’s the main difference between this garment and a kirtle – another similar medieval outerwear. The absence of sleeves is another reason why a surcoat was always worn over other garments – people simply didn’t go out with bare arms, as a rule, even in summer. Because of the climate and social norms. So, a surcoat is a typical outer garment, usually made from wool.
This outerwear was popular not only among men but among women as well. They loved a fine surcoat, as it was comfortable, warm, and attractive. Women being women, they changed the design of a male surcoat to make it more feminine and charming. While there still were women’s surcoats of almost the same cut as male ones, a new design of surcoats appeared. These were garments without sleeves and with large cutouts at the sides so that the sleeve openings were huge. Such cutouts could reach the waist or even mid-thigh. Some female surcoats were much narrower in the front and back than the body due to the cutouts, which visually made their body look delicate and slender. Underneath such a surcoat, women would wear a tunic in a lighter color. Similar trick modern women use today to look thinner than they really are, with a smaller waist.
Maria of Brabant's marriage with the French king Philip III of France, miniature in the manuscript Chroniques de France ou de St. Denis, British Library, London. Late 14th century. You can see that Maria of Brabant is dressed in a surcoat with large cutouts at the sides
A surcoat was a truly pretty and comfy garment. That’s why it gained popularity among men and women of different origin, class, and financial capability. Even in today’s measures, it’s a charming medieval coat.
