SURCOAT

also spelled Surcote, sleeved or sleeveless outer garment worn by European men and women during the 13th and 14th centuries. The surcoat for men was usually a tunic, or simple piece of material with a hole for the head, often worn over armour. For women, the surcoat was a more significant and characteristic garment, which originated in the 13th century as a voluminous outer cloak. At the beginning of the 14th century, the armhole became a long vertical slit open to the hips, and the neck was cut low to create a narrow strip over the shoulders. The neck and armholes were frequently edged with fur or embroidery, sometimes elaborately. The skirt fell in loose folds from the hips. The sideless surcoat, popular for more than 90 years and often decorated with a row of buttons or jewels, offered an attractive contrast to the garment showing underneath.