Chamber Robes

I am going on the assumption that both women and men wore chamber robes. These are robes used while they where in their bedroom suite, to put on when they had to get out of bed for a reason in the middle of the night, or just to put on in the morning before dressing. It stands to reason that they must have worn them. I have started to research this but haven't gotten very far.

I was wondering if there is anyone out there who can point me in the right direction, or do you have an opinion on the subject.

The reason why I am asking is because I want to make one.

joancoggeshall wrote:

The reason why I am asking is because I want to make Jame one.

fix'd

would robes have been something everyone wore? Or just those who had money? Seems to me that the lower classes wouldn't have wasted time and perfectly good fabric on such things.......

(but then again......I'm not exactly an expert in daily life)

Well, to wear a chamber robe you'd have to be rich enough to have a chamber...

As to the thing in and of itself, I"m not convinced they would have had such things. I can't say this with great authority, but going on logic and all, I'd think that dressing gowns and suchlike were from a later period, when getting dressed was a more complicated and drawn out procedure. I really don't recall any mention of such a garment...

I double checked the Goodman of Paris. He makes no mention of a chamber or dressing gown. He does mention robes, though I don't think he's talking about a dressing gown because he is also referring to surcoates and other everyday type clothing.

The best I can offer here is found in The Peel Affinity, where the lord and lady of the manor were dressed immediately after waking by their servants.

I have read in a couple of places, but can't cite the reference off the top of my head, that most people then slept naked. That could make the trip to the guardrobe a bit chilly I would suppose!

Very interesting detail, thanks for bringing it up.

Alan

I can understand the lower classes didn't wear one, but I find it hard to believe that the upper class didn't have them. You are a noble women in the 14th century and you need to get up to go to the privey, you mean they actually got dressed first?

My bet would be on chamber pots instead of chamber robes, but I could be wrong.

No, actually, I think you're more than likely correct. There are extant examples of pottery pieces for... night relief, as it were. Eadric the potter has been known to sell them.

I don't think people went wandering about the place at night, they probably just climbed out of bed, did what they needed to do right there, and climbed back in.