Robes and other Clothing

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 45724

GulPlum aka Richard, who's got a real bee in his bonnet about Hogwarts
uniforms...

Post-
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/45703

GulPlum posted recently about the Hogwarts uniforms. Somewhat related
to 'the movie which will not be named'. This got me thinking, and I
decided to add some general thoughts about young wizards in training
clothing.

The story continually mentions 'robes', but exactly what does that mean?

Is JKR implying that all the students at Hogwarts are wearing the free
flowing full length wizards robes in the Dumbledore/Merlin style or is
she implying a symbolic outer garment like a choir or graduation robe
as seem in the movie? 

I think this type of choir/graduation robe was not that uncommon in
higher UK private schools in the not too distant past. Worn mostly, I
assume, as a matter of tradition, much like UK judges and members of
Parliment (do they still dress like that in British Parliment?).

I just can't picture any modern kid muggle (especially) or magic
wearing Dumbledore/Merlin robes on a daily basis. You simply aren't
going to get a few hundred pre-teen and teenage boys to go around all
day in dresses; wizards or no wizards.

I've done some research on medieval clothing and find that virtually
no one but the extremely rich and priviledge, and monk of religious
orders worn the free flowing full length dress-like robes. Even in the
cases where I did find rich men dressed in multi-layered robes, the
main outer robe appeared to be an outer garment. They were still
wearing other non-underwear type clothing underneath. 

A majority of the men who lived during a time when people would likely
wear robes, usually wore trousers and some type of pull over shirt or
tunic. People of a social station slightly above the common man may
have worn short trousers over tights with a long jacket-like robe. 

So, I highly suspect that the movie got most of the costumes pretty
close. 

If you would like to see what people really wore back in the 'good old
days', check out these sights.

http://www.costumes.org/pages/timelinepages/timeline.htm

Note the man in the red cloak over the title 'Carolinian Europe'. This
is probably very common clothing.

Note the man next to the woman in the white dress over the title '15th
Century Italy'. He is wearing a robe, but he clearly has multi-layers
of clothing underneath.

'1500-1535', man next to the lady in the green dress; again outer robe
with multi-layers of clothing underneath and clearly these are rich
people.

When I read the book, I do not picture Ron and Harry or anyone else
walking around in medieval 'kings' or merlin type robes. I see them in
school robes similar to choir-type robes that you would have found in
European schools in the 19th and 20th century.

Other costume links-
http://www.costumegallery.com/research.htm

http://moas.atlantia.sca.org/topics/clot.htm

Who knew from reading what people perceive as I child's book, I would
end up researching medievel cloths and swords, not to mention dozens
of  other things I've research because of reading these books.

JKR.... Thanks, it's been fun and educating.

Just some thoughts.

bboy_mn