Hello! I do artwork based on "Baudolino" Umberto Eco. I need many info about costume of presented аgе (1100 - 1200 years). Franse, Italia, Constantinople. Costumes of peasants, nobles, townspeople, merchants, warriors (knights, infantry, bow and crossbowmens, etc).
I need books or magazines with many images. For now i find Osprey little books and Man-at-Arms magazine. They are not bad, but prefer some more serios historical books about costume with deep reserch.
Sorry for my english and thank you.
Visual source documentation of fashion prior to 1300 is very scant: archaeology can't help (clothing degrades), preservation wasn't an apparent concern until late middle ages, and visual resources are thin (manuscript imagery is not in full gear yet, painting hadn't taken off yet).
Some also argue that 'fashion' hadn't taken off yet, either - or at least that is the argument of this book:
This book covers the 'start' of fashion in the 13th century and, this is the frustrating part typical of academic work, it lacks illustrations. However, the bibliography is huge and has some very good resources. If you want the bibliography I can scan it for you - just PM me. Again, bear in mind that you will be working with a time period with a lot of guess work.