Houppelande
A houppelande or houpelande is an outer garment, with a long, full body and flaring sleeves, that was worn by both men and women in Europe in the late Middle Ages. Sometimes the houppelande was lined with fur. The garment was later worn by professional classes, and has remained in Western civilization as the familiar academic and legal robes of today.
The houppelande appeared around 1380 and was to remain fashionable well into the next century. It had its origins in the herigaut, a similar thirteenth-century garment with hanging sleeves.The edges of the houppelande were often dagged, or cut into decorative patterns such as scallops, "embattled" tabs or even leaf shapes.
The houppelande is a specific kind of medieval overdress which was widely worn in the 15th century. It replaced the more fitted surcotes and overgowns, although like them, often showed off the gown underneath which was more costly and expensive. Technically, is is a surcote, but became known as a garment in its own right. It was always worn with an undergown, never alone.
Distinguishing features.
The distinguishing featrues of the houppelande, were a high collar or neck opening, big sleeves and a voluminous amount of fabric in the lower part of the gown. There were many different sleeve types, but most used a large amount of fabric compared to previous gowns and fitted kirtles. It was always belted under the bust at the back with a fabric belt which might have expensive decorative metal buckles and ends. When the fabric is gathered under the bust, it forms pleats in the fabric. The houppelande was not constructed with a seperate bodice like some other styles of gown
Houppelandes almost always seem to be depicted with a fur lining and were usually worn with the heart shaped head-dress or the horned head-dress and veils.
further reading
http://www.virtue.to/articles/circle_houp.html
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