In the Middle Ages, tights were the common legwear for men to wear. Around the 13th century, men were wearing split hosen, also called braies and chausses.[1] These are a kind of hose (chauses) that go over baggy underwear (braies). At that time, men were wearing long tunics (around knee length for peasants and floor length for the nobility)[2], so the gap between the hose isn’t always visible. While these longer tunics were in style, the hose could also sometimes not be worn at all.[3]
From Morgan Bible, Paris, France mid-1240s
By the early 15th century, shorter upper body garments had come into fashion, and the gap between the separate hose became visible.[4] There is a mention by an English bishop of men who sit “splay-legged, exposing themselves;” suggesting there may have been some who took issue with the underwear being visible.[7] However, while there were attempts to address this gap, there are still examples in artwork of separate hose with a visible gap into the 15th century.
From Tacuinum Sanitatis, Rhineland region, Germany around 1400
Further into the 15th century, we start to see the hose coming further up the body to cover the hips as well as more of the underwear.[5] The braies underneath the hose also shortened and became more fitted to the body. [6] These changes made the gap less obvious, but didn’t completely eliminate it.
From Battle between Heraclius and Chosroes, Arezzo, Italy 1452-66
Finally, they started joining the hose together in the back and closed them at the front with a codpiece. These are known as joined hose. Though it was now possible to get rid of the visible gap, they still didn’t completely replace separate hose for some time; you can still see examples of separate hose as late as 1460.[7]
From the St John Altarpiece, Bruges, Belgium around 1479
Work Cited
References for information in text-
Dennis, Kathrynn. “The Trouble With Braies.” History Hoydens, 16 March 2007, http://historyhoydens.blogspot.com/2007/03/trouble-with-braies.html.
“What Did People Wear in the Middle Ages: Part One.” Maille is Riveting, https://mailleisriveting.weebly.com/what-did-people-wear-in-the-middle-ages-part-one.html.
mechtild. “Wonderbras for Men, Pt. II ~ More on Codpiece Look and peep at history of men's underwear.” LiveJournal, 2 April 2007, https://mechtild.livejournal.com/63614.html.
WARNING: Some adult images in this article.
LaSpina, Ian. “Joined Hose At the Turn of the 14th/15th Centuries.” Knyght Errant, 7 August 2020, https://knyghterrant.com/index.php/2020/08/07/joined-hose-at-the-turn-of-the-14th-15th-centuries/.
“Hose – To Split or not to Split.” Sir William Harrington's Companye, 12 March 2017, https://harringtoncompanye.wordpress.com/2017/03/12/hose-to-split-or-not-to-split/.
“15th Century Fashion Overview.” Linen & Needle: Specialist Historical Garments & Heraldry, https://www.linenandneedle.co.uk/15th-century.
Morgan, Baron, and Brenda Brisbane. “Medieval Underwear III: Chosen Hosen.” House Greydragon, 1 August 2009, https://www.greydragon.org/library/underwear3.html.
Original manuscripts for images used here-
The Morgan Bible, mid 1240s- https://www.themorgan.org/collection/Crusader-Bible/thumbs
Tacuinum Sanitatis, around 1400- https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b105072169/f87.image
Legend of the True Cross, 1452-66- https://www.wga.hu/html_m/p/piero/2/8/index.html
St. John Altarpiece, around 1479- https://www.wga.hu/html_m/m/memling/2middle2/13john.html
