A question for the brothers in the SCA

[Tomburr]

Monks, that is.

I'm putting together a Second Crusades Era SCA heavy kit, and I want to know what to wear. I'm tempted by the notion of just wearing a monk's robe & cord belt as I've seen done many times, and that fits part of the point of me putting this kit together, which is to have a lightweight kit of hidden armour. This isn't really my area of knowledge, though.

My questions are:

1. Is that at all accurate, historically? Did they ever actually do that, or did they always fight in the armor, cotes & maille of the Templars, Hospitillars and other orders?

2. If the thought of fighting in a monk's robe isn't total Hollywood hokum, what length would you recommend? I know they'd normally be ankle/floor length, but I see them cropped shorter, I assume so that the location of your knees can easily be seen.

3. If it is utter hogwash, what could I go with instead that wouldn't be cringe-worthy and yet still lend itself to allowing me to conceal my ugly plastic armour?

Thanks in advance for the schooling.

[Adamo]

I wear my monks robes for non-martial activities and wear a "crusader" style tabard on the field. There are some folks who use robes on the field though.

Adam

[Tomburr]

I'd really like to wear my robes to fight in, but again, I don't want to look like a completely ignorant pud.

[Edward MacTavish]

The hospitlars wore robes until given special dispensation in 1248 for when they were in armour. I have also read about fighting/robber monks.

Edward

[Niall Mor]

You could always go with a long-cut surcoat over a long-sleeved tunic. That would cover all the armor, then just pop on a kettle helm and period shoes.

[Donal Mac Ruiseart]

Brother Amos, in Atlantia, has a warrior-monk persona; he fights in a monk's robe, and wears a helm incorporating a chapel de fer, with a maille drape suggesting a coif (over the sides of the helm) and cloth covers over his gauntlets. As for the rest of his armour, I'm really not sure because it's hidden by the robe.

[Thaddeus]

Seaan has a couple of glaring things going on here, but the general idea could be used to meet your needs.
http://www.stcolin.com/breathren/Seaan.php