\section{Doublet and Hose}
\label{sec:three}

In almost all pictures showing males in public, the clothing
worn consists of at least doublet and hose over the underclothing
discussed in the previous section.
The exception to this is depictions of peasants working
in the fields of workmen loading ships or bearing heavy loads.
In these situations it is likely that a doublet and hose
would have been both to warm and too restrictive to movement.

\subsection{Doublet}

\subsubsection{Material}

Cloths used to make doublets seems to have been
relatively fine heavy cloth if the drape and folds
depicted in paintings and frescoes are accurate.
The type, colour, texture, patterns, vary significantly
though  the summary table in the introduction to this
article provides an indication on colours.
Types of cloth clearly include silk velvets and
rich wools, with some very rich examples in brocades.

Linings are not easy to discover
since most doublets are shown closed up
as they are being worn. 
Some have triming in fur around the neck
and wrists, however, the use of fur is generally
confined to the over tunic.
Where pictures do show us the interior of a doublet
it appears that some were not fully lined\footnote{
One painting that supports this view is Rogier van de Weyden,
Salome, where a supporting figure is shown 
with his doublet hanging at his waist and colour
differentiations in the interior and the depiction of
stiching lines clearly show padding and facings
rather than a full lining.}

Padding, and stiffening, is apparent in
some illustrations, and the inclusion of 
wool and felt to achieve the fashionable
outline is likely.

\subsubsection{Form and Function}

One argument for the increasingly tight fitting
doublet was increasingly close fitting armour.
The space and shape of the armour breastplates 
of the period is very like that of the doublets.
In some cases it is clear from accounts and
also paintings and sculpture that the doublets
were worn under armour to provide padding 
and mounting points to which elements of the
armour could be laced and strapped.

The points hanging on the
sleeves are a clear reference to the military 
function of the doublet. They are positioned
to provide a lacing point for the attachment
of the arm protection which reached from the
wrist to the mid upper arm and was laced
into place on the doublet sleeve to prevent
it riding down and pressing onto the wrist and
hand of the wearer.

Interestingly several
pictures showing these laces have no military
connotation\footnote{See Birbari figures 18,33,35,36,94
where in figure 35/36 and 94 the context is purely social.}.
There seems to be some confusion
about the function of these laces
as a result, however it seems likely that the
the military association of these laces
became fashionable in itself, and thus they formed
a part of fashionable dress as well as having a practical
purpose and origin.

\subsubsection{Cut and Construction}

Patterns pieces, and reasoning about the shapes
that are required. 
Some extant clothing, the suit/doublet of Charles the Bold
is one such, though the attribution is not sure.

Birbari notes that stress on the doublets must have been
considerable as a consequence of the tight fit
and the strain of pulling up the hose to get
a tight fit.
In some cases this caused the centre back seam 
of the doublet to split open\footnote{
This is shown clearly in \cite[Fig. 35/36]{Birb75}.
Interestingly
the Rogier van der Weyden, Salome painting
which shows the interior of such a doublet
indicates that the front was strengthened
and padded/quilted to achieve the desired
pidgeon breasted shape; but the back with its
center seam under such evident stress
clearly consists of a single layer of cloth.}.

\subsection{Hose}

\subsubsection{Material}

Plain coloured cloth seems to always be used,
and a cloth type that has some stretch on the
bias to give a good fit must have been vital.
 Wool seems the most likely
choice for material since it has good stretch characteristics
when bias cut. Fine scarlet cloth seems to have been a
popular choice (given the preponderance of red hose
in period art) and this was a fine woolen cloth that
would have combined warmth with comfort.

Silk, particularly knitted silk and socks of various
materials  are also know to have been used. 
Several clerical stockings in knitted silk 
survive however the process was very costly and
certainly beyond the reach of the ordinary person.
It seems likely therefore that most hose were made
from woolen cloth of various levels of quality.

\subsubsection{Form and Function}

Not all were well fitting, and the angle of the
folds in the examples that are ill fitting can 
be interpreted to indicate that the cloth was bias cut.
Footed hose are to be seen in a range of settings, 
but the majority of hose appear to have been worn
with shoes or low ankle boots.

\subsubsection{Cut and Construction}

Patterns contain examples from single leg hose to a complete
set of "trousers" with attached codpiece in the
period under consideration.

Patterns for the pieces can be deduced from several pictures
that clearly show the seams that are used. 
The uniformity of the pictorial evidence in for each
style indicates that the methods of construction were
very uniform both temporally and geographically.
Example reconstructions of hose patterns based on
depictions in art of the period are presented
in Turska\cite{Turs87}. The accuracy and foundations for
this reconstruction are not easy to guess however since
the book is written in Polish.

Strengthening at the top of the hose is evident, and 
facings or linings can be seen, particularly in images of St
Sebastian where he is generally depicted
partially stripped of clothing and crucified.
Images of St Roch showing his plague spot are also a good source of
pictorial evidence for the facings and lacing points in 
the upper section of the hose
since he loosens his hose and turns down the top in order
to show the location of his plague spot on 
his upper right leg.

Pictures showing any type of labour or activity
that involves bending forward suggest that the 
lacing of the hose prevented people
from moving freely.
Most working people are shown with laces undone at
the back allowing them to bend forward.
The strain on both the hose and doublet also appear
to have been considerable as previously noted, perhaps
explaining the need for reinforcement of the top
of the hose with linings or facings of linen.

Footed hose are clearly depicted in some illustrations
and it has been assumed that a sole is sewn onto the base
of these hose to protect the sole of the foot, and to
reduce wear on the cloth under the foot.
Where shoes or boots are worn we cannot be certain
that hose were constructed with a foot, though the
hose excavated in the Boksten Man find are footed
and obviously designed for outdoor use where shoes
would have been worn. 
