Sideless surcoat

An outer garment with wholly or partly open sides (for ventilation and to show off the underlayer) and hence generally without sleeves. Worn by both men and woman; often adopted by men in the Crusade period over armour, as it stopped the metal being over-heated by the rasy of the sun, but didn't inhibit fighting manoeuverability.
The ladies' version gained some notoriety when the sidelessness becmae larger, the "body" narrower (hence showing off more of what was beneath), and clergy took to calling them the "Gates of Hell"

External Links

• Medieval Sleeveless Surcoats
• Surcoats & Heraldry - Articles, links and resources on surcoats and other heraldic garb
• Heraldic Display: Women's Heraldic Frocks
• Evidence for women's heraldic surcotes
• The Sideless Surcote by Lady Jehanne de Wodeford

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