Clothing 

Medieval peasants wore basic functional clothing. The fabric for Medieval peasant clothing was made from wool or linen. Many women made the fabric themselves. It may have been undyed or dyed in basic, easy-to-make colors like grays, browns, and occasionally blue. Both men and women wore several layers of similar clothing. One foundational piece of clothing for men and women was hose or hosen. These were not stretchy tights like we think of today, but more like tight-fitting leggings that were held up by garters or straps. Some hose had feet, and others did not. Another garment common to Medieval peasant's dress was a chemise or undertunic. It was a simple linen dress-like shirt that came all the way to a woman's ankles or men's knees. Over the chemise, peasants wore a long tunic or dress that could be tied up with a belt. Men's tunics tended o be shorter than women's. A peasant might be barefoot if they couldn't afford shoes, but they had woolen or leather shoes more likely. They could replace the sole of the shoe as it wore out.

Medieval people washed their clothing more frequently than you might imagine. The extremely poor may not have washed their clothes often because they only had one set of clothes. On the other hand, from peasants to nobles, most people bathed fairly regularly and kept their clothes as clean as possible. They understood that dirty clothes contributed to the spread of fleas, lice, and illnesses from infested clothing. Medieval people wore head-coverings that were appropriate to their work. Straw hats were common for those working in the fields. A linen bonnet called a coif that fit closely and tied under the chin was commonly worn by both men and women to keep their hair covered and out of the way when doing messy work. Both women and men also wore hoods that might have been attached to a cape that covered the shoulders.