Early Anglo Saxon Clothing

When the Anglo-Saxons Came to Britain what clothing did the wear? Objects found in graves as well as illustrations in Anglo-Saxon scrolls and books, stone engravings  and images on objects can all give us a clue.

Male clothing included shirts made of wool or linen and some form of loin-cloths. On their legs they wore woolen trousers or sometimes leggings.  Over this was worn a tunic to mid thigh or even  reaching to the knees. It could be plain or have decorations around neckline and wrists.

A belt worn at the waist provided a practical location to hang  a pouch, knife  or seax and other accessories. Shoes were made usually from leather fastened with toggles and loops.

Women would wear a tubular dress fastened at the shoulders. In warm climates this would suffice but in Britain’s cooler climate often a tunic would be worn under the dress and/ or a cloak over the top:

Women like men would usually have a belt, carry a small knife and pouch but also the senior female would carry keys to lock the store of food.

Anglo-Saxon children wore clothes similar to the adults. Boys:  trousers with a tunic and a belt at the waist, like men. Girls: a tunic dress band maybe an over-dress held together with a pair of brooches at the shoulders.

Women and girls wore a lot of jewelry . The finds at Sutton Hoo and Stafford shire give us some idea of the splendor and variety of treasures that they wore.