Trousers, Hose and Brais

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Owen Crocker summaries male leggings as either being tight trousers, tights (trousers with integral feet) or suspended stockings (hose) [OWEN-CROCKER 2004]:p.255. It appears that wearing hose, usually worn with a pair of shorts known as 'Brais' originated as a mediterranean fashion. In the Germanic north trousers seem to have been the norm.[citation needed]

Trousers, tailored tight to the leg and made from wool

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Archaeology

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Tights made from wool

Thorsberg Trousers.JPG
Tights are tightly tailored trousers with integral feet

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Archaeology

  • Thorsberg trousers, 2 pairs – one had separate sown in feet, Roman [EWING 2007]:p.74
  • Elisenhof, Germany (8thC): One partial leg of a pair of children's trousers with an integral foot were found. The foot part is made from a dark brown 2/2 herringbone twill, length 19.4cm, foot length 16.5 cm, foot width 5.8cm [HUNDT 1981]:p.49& Taf.22

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Trousers, tailored loose in the leg and made from wool

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Hose & Brais made from wool

Hose are tight leg coverings usually of wool and cut on the bias. Suspended from the waist by one or more straps. Hose were probably usually made with integral feet sown in. Brais are shorts worn under the hose.

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  • Hedeby, Germany: Fragment 2 is the upper part of hose made of two parts, both natural brown 2/2 twill, and sewn up the back. A piece of leather thong is still attached to the top edge. Because it is only the top part it is not possible to tell whether it had integral feet or not. [HAGG 1984]:p.20

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...made from linen

As always when discussing items made from inen this also includes items made from any plant fibre.
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Literature

  • Einhard describes Charlemagne as wearing linen draws and then ‘long’ hose over them. (OWEN-CROCKER 2004, p.173). Note that it doesn’t actually mention what the hose were made of.
  • The Monk of St Gall describes the Franks as wearing ‘...they wore linen garments on their legs and thighs of the same colour (scarlet), but with elaborate embroidery.’ [OWEN-CROCKER 2004]:p.174 See page 191 for full text.

Archaeology

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References

Ewing, Thor (2007) Viking Clothing. Tempus. [EWING 2007] ^ 1 2 *
Hagg, Inga (1984) Die Textilfunde aus dem Hafen von Haithabu. [The Textile Finds from the Port of Hedeby]. Hedeby-Ausgrabungen in Haithabu [HAGG 1984] ^ *
Owen-Crocker, Gale R. (2004) Dress in Anglo-Saxon England. 2nd ed. The Boydell Press. [OWEN-CROCKER 2004] ^ 1 2 3 *
Hundt, Hans-Jurgen (1981) Die Textil-und Schnurreste. Elisenhof.. [The Textile Cord and Residues. Elisenhof]. Elisenhof Band 4 [HUNDT 1981] ^ *