[Ulf Lidsman]

Hi!
I would like to know what a 15th century soldier would have been wearing in camp during campaigning. As I understand the sources, soldiers wearing cloth-armour, could chose to only wear a sleeveless doublet underneath to move easier and not to get overheated. There is some lines in Louis XI of France ordinance of 1461-1483 that recommends a two layer linen vest, four fingers broad at the shoulder, that your hoses are attached to. Its not clear if this vest where word with a shirt or without.

My question is if the soldier in such case would wear his cloth-armour as a jacket in camp and when off-duty so to speak or if he would have been forced to have civilian clothes, in this case a doublet and and coat for this purpose.

These page shows such a vest as mentioned abobe; https://historiskavarldar.se/draekter/1470soldat/soldat1470_vast.html

Regards
Ulf

[Victor R.]

When I read your description I though of a pourpoint, which is another term what you've linked to.

It is, as described, a simple garment meant as a base for pointing hosen. A version I have also has a second set of eyelets for pointing leg armor.

I suspect that, around camp, they might keep it on over a linen shirt to keep their hosen supported, unless they simply felt like running around bare-legged in their brais. Not sure what the proper etiquette was at the time, but that would have dictated their state of dress to a large degree.