Section 95. ANGLO[1]-SAXON DRESS.
Reading edition
Section 95. ANGLO[1]-SAXON DRESS.
The dress of civilians in general consisted[2] of a shirt and tunic descending[3] to the knee, of linen or wool, according[4] to the season. A belt was often worn round the waist[5], and a short cloak over the whole. Drawers, leather shoes or short boots and hose, or sandals, completed the ordinary costume. Labourers (S. 3, N. 2) are generally represented with shoes, but without hose. Females[6] of all ranks[7] wore long, loose garments reaching[3] to the ground, completely hiding (S. 16, N. 4) all[8] symmetry of[9] shape. Long hair, parted[10] on the forehead, and falling[11] naturally down the shoulders, with an ample[12] beard and moustache, distinguish the Anglo-Saxons from the closely cropped[13] Normans. Planche remarks that[14] the character of face, as delineated in illuminations, immediately designates[15] the age[16] wherein[17] the early[18] portraits of our Lord[19], which have[20] been reverently[21] copied to[22] the present day, were[23] originally fabricated.—Milner, History of England.