"Bocksten Man" Style Cloak and Pattern
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- Note about squirrel species! I put an annotation on the video but I know a lot of devices don't display them. I misstated the squirrel species as the 'gray squirrel,' which of course wasn't introduced into Europe until well after the Middle Ages. What I should have said was the winter coat of the European Red Squirrel. The winter coat of the red squirrel is actually gray (upload.wikimed.... The Medieval 'menuvair' or miniver pattern is achieved by taking the white belly fur of the squirrels, surrounded by the gray fur of the winter coat (or other colors if not the winter coat) and stitching several together in square plates that yield the pattern. Other ways to cut the furs yielded different patterns (like the 'vair' pattern adopted for heraldic use), but squirrels were one of the most commonly used furs for lining garments in the Middle Ages. They eventually fell out of favor with the upper classes into the 15th century.
A deeper look at the Bocksten Man style cloak, and how it's put together. Subtle, but often missed or omitted tailoring makes all the difference in the fit of this design over the shoulders and around the neck.
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Note about squirrel species! I put an annotation on the video but I know a lot of devices don't display them. I misstated the squirrel species as the 'gray squirrel,' which of course wasn't introduced into Europe until well after the Middle Ages. What I should have said was the winter coat of the European Red Squirrel. The winter coat of the red squirrel is actually gray (upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/MattiParkkonen_Orava.jpg). The Medieval 'menuvair' or miniver pattern is achieved by taking the white belly fur of the squirrels, surrounded by the gray fur of the winter coat (or other colors if not the winter coat) and stitching several together in square plates that yield the pattern. Other ways to cut the furs yielded different patterns (like the 'vair' pattern adopted for heraldic use), but squirrels were one of the most commonly used furs for lining garments in the Middle Ages. They eventually fell out of favor with the upper classes into the 15th century.
Cloaks really do need to get back in fashion.. :)
+akumabito2008 Well women wear shawls which kinda are similar. Modern male fashions consider it not manly enough.
+akumabito2008
Yeah, but I'd prefer codpieces first.
+klyana130 If we were allowed to carry swords in public and duel again then i'm sure they would be considered manly enough :)
It would be pretty funny to bring a great sword to an open carry protest.
fnorgen
I would get behind that! Except I am Canadian, and having my 1 inch keychain knife hanging out is already pushing it.
Wow, I learned SO much from this vid. Awesome stuff Ian. I've often wondered why the cloak when out of fashion and thought it might have been due to the introduction of the coat, that back in the middle ages it was too hard and not cost effective to sow in sleeves and arms into this heavier piece of material. But then again, cloaks were still worn during the time of larger coats too. In any regard, the coat pretty much fulfils the role and function of the cloak in the modern day, except for fashion ^_^
+I am Shad I images cloaks are pretty impractical when try to ride bicycle or motorbike.
+Philip Dyer But you'd look pretty awesome riding down the highway on a motorcycle with a cloak flying in the breeze :) At least until it gets caught on the rear tire...
Reminds me of the Incredibles and the lady's no capes comment.
I wonder if it actually does have something to do with the rise in high energy industrial mechanisms, and the cloak getting caught in them.
Ryukey I think it could be; high speed industrial machinery and wheels plus loose long garments is a dangerous combination.
Thank god his hair survived. Nothing that fabulous should be allowed to perish.
SudsyMedusa53 must be one of dave mustaine’s ancestors
There is a reconstruction of his look.
That was my first reaction to seeing bockstensmannen IRL. The hair is beautiful. One museum employee informed me that the colour was due to chemical processes in the peat bog.
Loved the video! My son in law wanted a "cape" to went in the cold. I was Really nervous as to how to make it. I looked up How to make a Cape of u tune and came across this. I know He will love this. The one you showed is really beautiful AND very informative. I had no idea it could be buttoned on the side and that the neck had to be cut different, which should be common sense to me but it's been long time since I have custom made items. I subscribed and do thank you for this video!!
Bocksten Man: The Most Fabulous Skeleton in the World!
>Says knowledge on regular clothes is limited
>Gives lovely and well informed/evidence supported info
PIck one!!! I jk of course.
Trajans column (or the one of Marcus Aurelius) already shows germans wearing side closing cloaks, I don't think it would be a stretch to say they go back all the way to the stone age.
+DushinSC Wouldn't surprise me one bit!
Would not be surprising at all. Seems like a pretty simple garment with many uses that could be made from animal hides or primitive textiles with equal ease.
I'm liking these clothing videos a lot. A follow up video on variations in cloaks (and other over-garments such as mantles and hoods etc) i.e. how they fasten styles of colour, materials etc would be interesting.
Agreed
And wool even wet will take upon your body temperature rather cooling you down.
Could you do a piece on the medieval fascination with long pointy shoes? Both regular wear (peasants on up to Lords loved them) as well as in sabatons? I don't get it..
before boxing was common, we just kicked each other a LOT more. its that simple.
How many people can take a seemingly simple piece of fabric and make a genuinely interesting video out of it?
Seriously Ian, every video you make impresses me!
Hi Ian, great video with excellent attention to detail -as always. Personally I'd really like to see the doublet, turn shoes and a clasped cloak (unless that is another hollywood myth) in future videos.
This is a lifesaver, I've been trying to find a stylish but simple, and UNIQUE cloak pattern for LARP. This is so cool
I think I might have to get one of these made for the cold British winter days :)
+James Bruce Start hunting squirrels :)
I think I'll have more success being sweet to my girlfriend followed casually with... "sooooo cloak?"
Followed with a bombardment of patterns
Hi Ian, i hope you're well. just a short message to thank you for putting this video up - i'm getting married in March and with the help of my mother (a gifted seamstress) we've had a shot at re-creating this cloak as part of my outfit. We've made a version in grey wool with a black satin interior (i'm wearing a kilt and grey waistcoat/jacket combo underneath. Over the last few weeks we've found that having a template garment made an enourmous difference in getting the cloak to hang correctly, and a number of times we've referred to your video to keep us on the right track. Anyway, a huge thank you for bringing this to my attention, all the best.
I'm surprised people aren't asking for like special orders on these cause i would definitely wear one of these around if it was good quality and yours seems like very high quality so would you consider making and selling some?
Thank you, but no, I have no intention of taking commissions for stuff like this.
Some people do. Look up Sartoria Monro for instance
in australia a 'dag' is the um, pooey bit around a sheep's butt which you need to clip off (or 'dag' but as a verb) to keep the sheep healthy, and it's a common sort of affectionate insult similar to dork or nerd. so this video was unintentionally quite funny for me.
+Torc Handsomeson Haha, with medieval humor and language, it wouldn't even surprise me if it meant the same thing to them.
Hi guys, thanks for tuning in to another video here at KnyghtErrant dot com.
I'm Ian LaSpina.
Today we're taking a look at some of the items for sale here at the Bocksten Auction House, May of 2016 premiere auction.
+GigaBoost Forgotten Armors?
I'd watch the fuck out of that. Collab, when?
yes, gathering of the Ians. Get idubbbz in there as well.
@@demonstructie my ex friend dad is named Ian he drank all of my father old booze
Great video! I'm very much enjoying the soft kit videos. I am a fashion designer and I have a huge passion for historical clothing, though I'll admit my expertise lies in later centuries. Your reconstructions look fantastic, and it makes me want to learn more specifics about medieval fashion. I came to your channel for the armour, but it's also nice to see someone interested in historical clothing who really knows what he's doing!
What was the social status of the Bocksten man? In your first softkit video, you combined his cloak with some quite upper-class clothing. Does this mean the Bocksten man would have had a similar status, or was there less class variation when it came to cloaks?
+KorKhan89 I made it more upscale by including features seen on fancier cloaks from artwork. You'll notice mine is not made from pieced fabric, but all one, suggesting access to finer and larger materials. The added dags, and fine contrasting wool are also features of 'nicer' garments. Those three things remove it a little bit from the original in 'status.' The actual social standing of Bocksten Man is a subject of debate, but most people seem to settle on 'not too poor,' especially because his hood included a longer liripipe.
+Knyght Errant Really interesting, thanks. It's fascinating how apparently small elements in presentation and behaviour could be used to signify important social distinctions.
+KorKhan89 Humans are humans no matter the era.
Of course, that goes without saying, but these are important considerations if we want to better understand societies like those of the European middle ages. What clothes people wore sent out important messages about who they were, how others saw them, how they saw themselves and how they hoped to be seen. As such, it helps us understand how the society worked as a whole.
While our modern liberal-democratic values tell us that people are people and deserve to be treated as individuals (a sentiment with which I am in full agreement), realities, both historical and present, are often quite different. When seeking knowledge, we should not confuse what is with what should be.
KorKhan89 I just meant using decorations clothing and such to define ones social status and that humans socially stratify ergo not really surprising but assumed automatically by me as interpreting historically found stuff. But then what is surprising is that we are so used to mass produced CHEAP things that well made handcrafted items were the norm for even the lower classes we sometimes don't consider. Or how in our times lower classed groups save $$ to buy 'Bling' to falsely present as wealthy when they have lower status and incomes. Just saying human egos and impulses haven't changed much since ancient times.
That turned out great! I like the color combinations you chose too. Everything I have/make is mid to late 14th Century, so I appreciate seeing how you made this.
I have two questions, one related to the video.. the other, a more of a topic idea.
1) you said it keeps you dry for a good while. How long would you need to dry it afterwards, though?
2) do you know anything about equipment carry in the medieval times? Today one gets a backpack and it's a convenient way of carrying things when not using a vehicle of some sort/a horse. How would one carry their stuff on foot back then?
+Irisviel Einzbern I can try to answer your 2nd question. Either Errant (on his civilian clothing video) or another medieval youtuber I watched kinda answered this question. They would have on a pouch (example would be a kidney pouch) to carry some of their smaller stuff in. A thing to remember is that the average person back then didn't travel all that much. When they did, their would be an inn of some sorts that would more than likely be within a day of travel within each other.
+swansman2007 One time when people would be travelling long distance is in either military campaigns or on pilgrimage. One popular pilgrimage route in Spain has hundreds of inns the entire breadth of it. Much less than a day's travel between them in some cases! So the need to carry food and sleeping is removed. (other than a day's lunch perhaps and a costrel) In either instance people would normally be travelling in a group, such as in the Canterbury tales. And even relatively poor people might then be able to afford a pack-horse or mule for the group. Where I have seen people on pilgrimage alone it seems they just have larger belt bags and a staff with other equipment slung over it. The military was different but had a supply-train to help carry equipment.
thank you for replies!
People used backpacks then as well.
encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ-4TNOP3vI3L4HwZSY_6TeBBHG95uRsjUCY7FV5tU6rhvyTRgVTg
Wearing a backpack with a cloak is difficult but instead you could wear something like this.
www.medieval-market.com/img/ladys_travel_surcoat_t2_0n.jpg
Fantastic presentation Ian! I never knew about the "Bocksten Man" Thank you. also the great job on the reconstruction of the cloak. I wish i had such discpline! lol
Have you conditioned the cloak with lanolin?
I did not treat the outer layer with any additional lanolin.
Have you thought about it or tried on another piece of clothing? The cloak (your whole kit really) is amazing. Did I see a cell phone pouch in your purse?
The cloak is very waterproof as is, so I never really considered doing it, but it's certainly an option. The interior of the purse is two draw-string pouches, with a pocket underneath them and one linen pocket on the opposite side. It's based on the historical examples in Goubitz' 'Purses in Pieces' No special compartments.
Might be interesting to note that a dag is also the term given to the faeces filled lump of wool that hangs off a sheep's anus.
Can't help wondering if there is a connection.
+Jim Riven Rofl. Having faeces filled woll hanging from t-shirts might 1 day be the norm. Sry couldnt resist....
+Jim Riven i think dag just used to mean 'a hanging bit' sort of like tag, i think they're etymologically related.
Hey, what about left handed people back then? IS there any depiction of a cloak with the opening in the left side?
Don't you know that left-handed people are evil? I mean the Latin word for left is 'sinister' after all :) But seriously, while most cloaks in artwork are either depicted as center-opening or right-hand opening, there are a few that appear to be left-hand opening as well. Whether that's a reflection of the real thing, or just artists orienting the cloak without thinking about it is difficult to know. Here's one that looks like it's for left-handers (www.pinterest.com/pin/313140980311653887/)
+Knyght Errant Be careful with what you say, I have some mighty lefty spells here, and I may fell like making you have a reaseon to think lefties are evil!
Thanks man for the answer your videos are great!
Thank you sir, and you're very welcome. See! Gotta watch out for those lefties! :)
Ancient clothes are better than today's in every way : natural fabric has always been better, more comfy, more breathable than modern synthetics, and the shapes and uses are so much more beautiful and versatile.
I say, make tailors and dressmakers great again, bring back traditionnal clothing and stop buying synthetics.
Reminds me an awful lot of a gunslinger’s poncho for some reason. Very Clint Eastwood.
Hi from Siberia!!! This information is very simple bt this is 1st video where I found it. Especially about neckline))) hope I can sew comfortable cloak for me now))) *sorry for my English)))*
Thank you! Best of luck with your cloak!
You are missed
How much does it weight? Most old fabric was much heavier, but also way more durable.
Hello people! He meant GREY coloured Squirrel, not Gray Squirrel, which would not be available in the 14th century. Common sense. The european Red Squirrel is grey in the winter.
Beautiful cloak! How many yards of fabric does that take to make that length?
Even thought the cloak doesn't slide off your shoulder when you toss it over, was it in practice for some to use a brooch to fasten it to the shoulder? If so what brooches would have been common for that purpose?
Hey Mr. LaSpina, earlier today Skallagrim posted a video review about some stock, one size gauntlets. He did similar videos in the past (he has two other pairs).
It's quite obvious that they aren't very protective.
Would you consider hitting your gauntlets (while wearing them) with a blunt sword or similar implement, in order to test how protective they are?
I'm thinking that since they are custom made for you, and quite faithful reproductions, they might give a more accurate idea of how protective a plate gauntlet *should* be...
+TheFilthyCasual Ian's gauntlets look like they have finger plates rather than finger scales, which tend to be much more forgiving than scaled fingers (though both were used historically) and require much less padding. Even really cheap hourglass gauntlets with plated fingers (like you see on Kult of Athena, etc.) offer reasonably good protection.
Ian's gauntlets of course look quite a bit better, with the articulation between the knuckles and fingers and (very significantly) the way the plate on the thumb covers three sides of the digit and, I assume, grounds out on the handle of his weapon.
MisdirectedSasha
Yeah, after watching Skall's vid I re-watched Ian's video about gauntlets, and they're very different beasts...
They are yes. I think Darksword really needs to rethink the way they make their fingers if they're going to charge $500 for them. That's a ridiculous amount of money when you can get off-the-shelf Indian/Pakistani gauntlets for $100 or so, or custom made Ukrainian ones for around $250 that work better.
MisdirectedSasha
This reminds me of that 850$ poleaxe from Arms & Armor.
+TheFilthyCasual What +MisdirectedSasha said :) DSA is kind of hit or miss, and off-the-shelf gauntlets are iffy to begin with. I posted a comment over on Skallagrim's video but I'm fairly certain this channel is well off his radar (if you wanted to put in a good word I certainly wouldn't mind, lol). DSA missed the historical lines and function of a gothic gauntlet pretty badly on that example, and its very overpriced for what you get in my opinion. They're very bulky and clunky looking compared to real ones and the list goes on...
What about cloaks worn with armor? I know about the surcoat and the tabard and all that stuff, but I often see cloaks, hoods, or furs draped over armors in fantasy settings and it looks so good! Is there any historical precedent for this?
That was great! Very informative. Hope you do the rest of your soft kit too.
I looked around for a while at various tutorials and info about Anglo Saxon cloaks, and this video was by far the #1 most helpful resource for making one, I didn't have enough wool for a full half circle but it still hangs beautifully thanks to the attention paid to the neck opening and the shoulders. Thanks for this super interesting and useful video!
You're welcome, glad it was helpful!
So would a left-handed man require a left-handed cloak?
+Rob Kinney I don't know. You might be inclined to wear a right-handed cloak to conceal your left-handedness :) You do see left handed cloaks in illustrations, but I'm willing to bet that was more a result of artistic error than it was intentional. People were highly encouraged to do things right-handed regardless of their natural inclination during the Middle Ages. In some respects it was considered an 'ill omen' to be left-handed, but more practically it made fighting in lines difficult if people were doing things mixed-handed. It's not an accident that the Latin for 'left' is 'sinister' :) Even in modern Italian, the word 'left' is 'sinistra.'
+Knyght Errant I don't mind being sinister.
Brilliant video. I am very interested in the soft kit stuff. I totally love the videos you do and appreciate the effort.
+Sean Smith Thank you! I'm happy that people are finding them useful!
where do you get your patterns to make all of your clothing?
Great video, Ian, thanks! I'd love to have a go at making a cloak - could you recommend any other resources, sewing, tailoring, cloak, etc?
+Tullio238 Here's a list of my recommendations for clothing and textiles. The first on that list is probably the best to get started. knyghterrant.com/index.php/recommendations/books/clothing-and-textile-books/
That's brilliant, thanks a lot
Looks surprisingly stylish.
bockstens manen was found about 55 miles from where i live. So for me it was, a oh that one looks like somthing i recognise. will you do the rest of what he hade on him ?
So is a poncho just the Spanish version?
No, AFAIK poncho are Latin American and most have just a whole in the middle, but some are made similar, just wrapping it around you, so that you need no buttons or fibular.
oh this was a great video, very informative. Never heard of the Bocksten man till now. I'll definitely sub.
It's the same color scheme as general Grievous' cloak haha
When you’re ready to upgrade or make another, I will absolutely purchase this garment from you. Price is not an issue! Beautiful work, Sir.
I'd love a video about a proper pair of hose if you ever intend to post more.
i want to make cloaks a thing again. stylish yet practical! move over leather jacket, you have competition!
You can learn more at the Varberg Museum if you're ever in Sweden. www.museumhalland.se/english/ It's pretty cool. Plus, they have the pattern for sale. I used to have a copy, but have lost it in several moves through the years.
www.museumhalland.se/bockstensmannen/mannen-i-mossen/
www.museumhalland.se/bockstensmannen/kladerna/
I like to do piecing even on the modern clothing I make. Might as well save a yard or so of fabric!
Where do you get the type of wool you use for clothing that doesn't absorb water but whicks it away?
Not all wool is created equal. Density and style of weave matter. Tightly woven dense wools are more water repellent than summer weight lightly woven wools (which can be lighter than linen in some cases). Here are some retail stores that sell high quality woolen fabrics:
www.bblackandsons.com/index.php
www.burnleyandtrowbridge.com/
www.woolrichfabrics.com/index.php
There are also lots of vendors at events, and sometimes you find the best deals and the best fabrics that way.
Knyght Errant
How can you tell when shopping online if a wool is dense or not? Percentage of wool content, or if the weave is basically invisible and the whole thing looks solid?
Wyatt Wilmot 'Melton' wool fabric would be an example of a type of densely woven heavy wool, that has been felted and brushed. It's thick, and shouldn't fray when cut (great for cutting fancy dags) and should be pretty water repellent. You want to look for heavy weight wools (they should be listed in weight by ounces per square yard usually), the heavier the weight, the more dense the wool, the more water repellent it should be. The other side to water repellent wool is the lanolin content. Sheep naturally excrete lanolin, a waxy oil that coats the wool, the more lanolin left on the wool, the more water proof it will be. You can also add lanolin back into wool.
I don't really get it :
In your pattern the cloak is made in couple pieces of wool, but your hood seems to be made in one piece of wool, why ?
The reason the original cloak is made from multiple pieces is because the loom used to make the wool was only as wide as one of those strips. This doesn't affect the tailoring in any way. Piecing together clothing from off-cuts like that was a common technique used to not waste fabric, and would have been common among the lower classes in period. As a person who portrays a wealthier man-at-arms in my re-enactment group, one way to show a more upper status portrayal is to use fabric more extravagantly. It's basically showing that a wealthier individual can afford to be more wasteful with his fabric to get a finer result.
Thanks a lot for this answer
Great information. I wear a similar style just is a full circle and linen, but have considered making my next (wool) version half circle like this. Thanks to your video, I feel i understand enough to try it
"You like dags?"
ZombieM0ses I like car'a'vn's. With the matching interior...
Ya like jazz
How did you line this cloak? Are those just raw edges?
I used a lighter weight contrasting wool to line it. The raw edges were turned in and sewed down so that they are on the inside. The outside edge is a fully finished seam. This wool is definitely fulled enough to not fray though if one chose to leave the edges raw.
raw edges seem to have been the norm in the 17th and 18th C. I'd be interested to learn, if it was in the medieval period as well
Are you going to do anymore videos on soft kit? as these are awesome and I really enjoy the ways you explain everything :) cheers from New Zealand
why did cloaks went out of fashion?
This was a great video. Id quite like to see something about what level of quality/detail was acceptable in various social classes of the time
that looks beautiful. I seriously wish for one!
I enjoy this so much! Amazing content, best wishes to you and your future projects! 🌻
The Basilica of San Vitale has a mosaic of Justinian wearing what looks like a side-fastening cloak.
loki.stockton.edu/~fergusoc/lesson4/Big15.jpg
Such a great insight, couldn't find content like this anywhere else. Do you have a link to the materials (wool) you used? All the wool I find doesn't seem thick enough to give it a good weight
@3:10, grey squirrels weren't introduced to Europe until the 19thC in Britain, 20thC for continental Europe, unless you meant squirrel bellies that are grey ;-)
I assume he meant the red squirrel's grey belly, but I also noticed the ambiguous phrasing :D.
+Sticks'n'stone Nope you're right. That is me misspeaking, and being used to seeing grey squirrels every time I go outside. The winter coat of the Eurasian red squirrel is grey, giving you the grey color surrounding the white bellies to achieve the Medieval 'menuvair' or miniver pattern you often see lining cloaks.
Damn Yankee squirrels!
Another star in Merkel's immigration crown!
Al-Malik Al-Ashraf Khalil
Grey squirrels are evil!
They sit up in the tree in my front yard, conspiring to do mischief!
"Bockstensmannen" - the bocksten man.
I was wondering how much fabric is needed for a project like this? I’m 6 feet tall so if anyone has done this just tell me your height and how much fabric you used ❤️
Want to made a cloak that will cover two backpack [one in front & one in back], yet be several inches from the ground. Yet ovelay in the front, to keep out the rain. Yet arm openings, to allow arms to swing out. To do, whatever is needful. Yet not open, due to wind. Respectfully!!!!
I’m looking for a good cloak design to wear during the Winter with all sorts of clothing.
What weight is your wool? Would it be difficult to make it reversible?
I’m thinking of a dark wine color, if I go with a single layer. It’s a favorite as it goes well with my pale complexion & dark hair. I also love greys & black.
However, I’m trying to reduce weight as I’m not feeling well & packing around a heavy cloak is impossible. (That’s one thing that immediately caught my eye on yours.)
I’m tired of packing a coat, taking it off in any buildings, then starting over, again.
I’m looking at layers, instead. The heaviest piece would be a suit jacket.
You’ve given me good things to think about & I’m glad to have come upon this video, tonight.
Thank you.
This seems like a more tailored version of the brooch half-circle cloaks that were floating about Europe going way back. The smooth, tailored closure of the buttons filling in for the more gathered look of brooch closure which itself was considered desirable for a long time. I wonder what the cultural elements were that caused the shift from what started out in the classical period as an extreme and intentional emphasis on loosely hanging garments (Greek peplos, chiton, and himation; Roman toga and tunic. Loose folds of material indicated civilized culture) to more fitted and body-shaped styles. Perhaps it was the slow-but-steady shift in the geographical locus of "proper" fashion from the Mediterranean to more northern climes, or perhaps it was the changing value placed on cloth, or the prestige associated with hiring a professional tailor which was a later development. Perhaps it was growing economic participation by a wider percentage of the population. "Proper attire" was only a concern for those who could or were expected to be able to afford it. This could explain why in the period you are discussing, we have both a high availability of cloth compared to previous centuries, yet also a well-established economy in its usage, because a larger and larger percentage of the populace was playing the fashion game than had been the case previously. Either way, from Early Medieval to High Medieval periods we see a conscious continuation of the Roman preference for drapery, besides of course the acceptance of leg coverings which even swept the Roman fashion toward the end of that civilization. There is an increasing acceptance of "fitting" clothes over this period, but suddenly in the Late Medieval and especially Renaissance periods, men's fashions especially came to the point of fully embracing highly tailored clothing designed to match and flatter the individual wearer's physical form. This trend seems to have culminated in the coat, waistecoat, and leggings civilian fashion as well as the related highly tailored military clothing of the 18th-Century which developed into the modern suit. Thankfully for variety and comfort, elements of hanging cloth came in and out of fashion at certain points such as hanging Victorian coats and some modern styles such as the squared Italian double-breasted suit and the boxy American suit of previous decades, which have now been taken over by highly slimmed down and fitted forms being the high fashion in those countries today. Now, as things can literally only get so tight, the trend has exploded into a great deal of variety with skinny jeans, tight fitting jackets, and highly fitted dress-shirts sharing space with flannel jackets, hoodies, and other loose fitting forms to the person's individual preference with much less emphasis than perhaps any time in Western Civilization placed on "correct" forms of proper dress allowing variety to only continue expanding. Still, highly-fitted tends to emply "higher" fashion while loser clothing seems an attempt to convey an intentional reference (even if sometimes ironic) to more comfort-based, utilitarian, or working-class looks. The trend seems to still be well-entrenched then, at least in an aspect of the fashion sense. You don't find many examples of loose-hanging garments being seen as highly fashion conscious choices. In general, if two versions of a given article of clothing are found, the more expensive or "fancy" verion will probably be the one that's harder to actually put on.
Hi long time history fan, so much that I ended up studying to teach it. Just wanted to saw how much I enjoy your videos so much that I wanted to try and make a cape that copied the design you showed. I am happy to announce it worked. Thanks for the great videos.
Thank you very much for the kind words and you're very welcome for the videos! I'm glad your cloak turned out well!
As an ex-soldier who has spent way too much time outdoors in the winter, I can say that Bocksten man's clothes would have been extremely practical outdoor clothing for cold weather. The hood in particular deserves it's own episode. Note how it's closely tailored around the neck and head to contain body heat. When combined with a scarf to cover the lower half of the face it would have been very warm. Also note how the hood slopes over the shoulders to shed snow and water. Excellent design.
Can also not the rim of the hood around the face protruding a bit is a clever feature. Worn straight like shown in the video it protects the face from wind and rain quite well, but lets you see and breathe fine at the cost of a bit of peripheral. If needed you could roll the rims up towards your face to make a more snug fit in the cold, as well as giving more peripheral.
The same type of hood can be rolled up almost completely using the face-opening as a head-opening instead and wearing it as a hat, leaving the neck-shoulder parts sticking out the top as a floppy decorative part and the long liripipe used as a scarf to create what eventually developed to become the chaperon.
Where did you purchase the wool for this cloak? I'm currently looking for a good source of wool fabric in general. I would appreciate your recommendations.
Having trouble with references to "dags". Having worked in outback shearing sheds in my youth in Australia, I'm used to "dags" referring to the dried shit in the wool round a sheep's arse on one that hasn't been mulsed to prevent it getting flyblown! Now I know where the term comes from.
where’s the pattern? do you sell it? if not where can i find it? & what measurements to i put where in the pattern for my size etc
So bummed that I just found your channel, I have watched several of your videos now and really love your content! I was too late to the party!
thank you for such a historic explanation! i appreciate it as a seamstress to understand how to replicate the construction and have it fit properly
To my eyes the side opening cloak looks a little more masculine and the front opening cloak looks a little more feminine. Would I be correct or would I be completely off base?
How much rain does the opening at the shoulder allow in, seeing as the buttons and buttonholes seem to be the wrong way around? Other than that, your re-creation looks nifty.
Many of these look like ponchos. Is there any difference aside from the name and materials used?
Wow imagine that. A piece of wool wrapped around ur body that keeps u warm and dry.
older ian to younger ian ''the beard will grow still''
Where can I buy your cloak?
I made mine. Most of the commercially available cloaks out there ignore the details, so you'd need to find someone to make it custom in most cases.
About when did the shorter cloaks start to become more popular in Western Europe?
As we say in Sweden, Bockstensmannen.
What does the back look like when the cloak is flipped over the shoulder?
How would a front up cloak be made so that you can use both arms if say drawing a bow
This is really old, but I'm still interested in your soft kit. Especially the bag/purse.
I wonder if cutting apart a well-fitting t-shirt would give a decent basis for the neck and shoulder construction that you're talking about here.
"I wonder if cutting apart a well-fitting t-shirt would give a decent basis for the neck and shoulder construction that you're talking about here." Absolutely, it would be a great starting point to understand how the neck hole is cut. You'll notice right away how shallow the rear neck is compared to the front neck and where the shoulder seam intersects the neck hole.
Dude grey squirrels were introduced to Europe in 1876, so could not be the origin of the linings in medieval cloaks. However stoats and weasels are native, as were martens and polecats.
please read the pinned post
What algorithm did you do to determine the width and depth of the shoulder dart? To date, my biggest experience with cloaks has been with simple Iron and Viking Age rectangular designs, though I've been eyeing reconstructing the Bocksten, myself. One of the biggest hang-ups I've been having, and part of my biggest reason as to holding off, has been that I can't seem to figure the way of determining the proper size of that dart.
Any info on how you came to fitting it to the size you did is greatly appreciated!
Hi Caleb, to fit it to myself I used trial and error, mostly by simulating the dart by pinning the fabric in place first, and then once I had it close I cut the dart, erroring on the side of too small, keeping in mind that I could remove a little more fabric if I needed to. I don't have a good formula for doing it much more cleanly than that.
Ah, okay. Thank you! That's the direction I was thinking of going, so it's good to see I was heading on the right track.
I think points and dags help to wick/channel off water, same as fringe on western buckskins.
definately not Grey squirrel unless you found an illuminated manuscriop from the Americas. I presume you intended Ermine
I misspoke, it's the European red squirrel's grey winter coat. Ermine has its own specific pattern when represented in art.
What are the historical records of animal armor?
Plenty for horses, I'm sure. Just look up "barding". I'm not sure what other animals you might have in mind.
+Alderick van Klaveren There is also evidence for dogs wearing armor while hunting boar and bear in some medieval hunting books / artwork.
I thought it might be an interesting topic to discuss, since we can't get direct feedback from animals whether it sits comfortable.
Our living history group recently re-created a Medieval hunting camp inspired by Gaston Phebus. our dog had quilted armor on and seemed to enjoy it! (scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12919744_1095082967178676_4196888409908657734_n.jpg?oh=b80a3f78b2d21824f6e5ef01bd65babd&oe=57AACD24)
Can you imagine if you went out one day and then you just disappeared in the woods on accident and died and your family didn’t know where you were? Someone missed that man very dearly and worried about him night and day for a long time and heartbreak, and what if they thought that he had run away from them or run out on them when he was really just dead. That’s really traumatic and then nobody knows what happened to you.
he could have also been a murderer on the run
Wait, was the Bocksten man left handed? The left side of the neck hole is in the front. If you were to make it, his cloak will enclose the right shoulder, usually the dominant arm is free to be used. so he should be left handed.
The closure buttons down the right shoulder, keeping the right arm free. The left shoulder will sit along the line drawn straight down from the neck hole as the pattern is drawn, being fully enveloped by the cloak. The dart (the little cutout triangle on the neck hole) is the left shoulder seam.
Are their any depictions of women's cloaks and patterning suggestions?
I admittedly haven't studied them as much, but it appears side-opening cloaks are less common with women and most are front opening, but I could be wrong. Here are two pinterest boards with an array of various medieval depictions of cloaks, the first is exclusively women, the second is mixed:
www.pinterest.com/justynawiklik3/p%C5%82aszcze-ladies/
www.pinterest.com/malinaopatowiec/cloaks-mantles/
I was SUPER EXCITED for seeing this video! Not only because its very eductional, but for the simple fact that I was born and raised in ROLFSTORP!! I couldnt believe it really being young what an enormous find that would be. Being raised in such a close proximity to where "Bockstensmannen" was found has probably meant a hell of alot more to my interest in the middle ages than ive ever thought of until maybe now!
So many times i went to the place of bockstensmannen with my class and also visited the museum at "Varbergs fästning" (The Fortress of Varberg) a bit later in my adolesence. (I moved from Rolfstorp to Varberg)
This video was like a mindblowing connection for me on so many levels. My birthplace might even be the sole reason why i know so many years after found this video. For which im so thankful of. Thank you Knyght Errant.
Probably too late to comment, but I'd really like to know how to make those buttons and dags. I assume dagging is similar to slashing, and I'd like to make myself a pair of 16th-century slashed pluderhosen.
The dagging is just done by cutting out the shape, nothing special. This particular wool doesn't fray, so you don't even need to treat the edge. If you have a very fray-prone fabric, you would need to hem along the edge. I can probably make a video tutorial of the self-fabric buttons one day, but until then, this is basically what I do - acrosstheagesblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/fabric-buttons.html
Oh, great, thanks! Yeah, I think wool was the breakthrough for me for all those fancy patterns (I kept on wondering how they'd managed with just linen), it really seems like a greatly underappreciated textile.
Thank you for making this. Experimental archeology for the win!