Gambeson sleeve length

Thomas of Tadcaster · Tue Nov 05, 2002 10:31 am

I have heard of gambesons(the true sense of the word; garment worn over mail) which had short sleeves. How short is short? Typical T-shirt length? Just above the elbow? Just below the shoulder? Thanks.

Thomas of Tadcaster · Post by **Thomas of Tadcaster** » Tue Nov 05, 2002 4:14 pm

come on guys, I'm dying here...

sedric · Post by **sedric** » Tue Nov 05, 2002 6:15 pm

I'm no expert in this area ,but on the pictures I've seen take from period sources show sleeves that were just above the elbow.
I don't know if it was just fasion or function. T-shirt length just kinda screams 'modern' to me, on mail or garments.
Just my $.02.

Cet · Post by **Cet** » Tue Nov 05, 2002 10:24 pm

I think you can document sleeve lengths from full sleeves e.g. the Walter Hohenklingen effigy (1386) to pretty much sleevles such as on the Effigy of Sir William Bagot (1407). I'm actually expanding your definition to cover a garment worn over armour since I've never befor seen it restricted to just covering mail. I don't have references handy but I'm sure I've seen many manuscript illustrations, I believe of Froissart, that show gambesons with sleeves of varying length as well.