the meaning of kirtle.?

Question

i'm italian and i'm trying to translate "kirtle" in my language, but i cant't find this word in english dictionary. can you explain me what does it means?
the sentence is this: "from about 1545 to 1550 the one-piece gown worn over the kirtle became less important."

Answer 1

A picture, as they say, is worth a thousand words. Here are some pictures of kirtles:
http://www.fashionsintime.com/html/kirtle.html

Answer 2

A kirtle is a tunic-like garment worn by men and women in the Middle Ages or, later, a one-piece garment worn by women from the later Middle Ages into the Baroque period. The kirtle was typically worn over a chemise or smock and under the formal outer garment or gown.
Kirtles were part of fashionable attire into the middle sixteenth century, and remained part of country or middle-class clothing into the seventeenth century.
Kirtles could be loose garments without a waist seam, or could be made as a combined bodice and petticoat, depending on their use and the current fashion. Kirtles typically laced up the back or side-back, especially when worn under front-lacing gowns as in sixteenth century Germany and the Low Countries.

Answer 3

kirtle : a tunic-like garment worn by men and women in the Middle Ages or, later, a one-piece garment worn by women from the later Middle Ages into the Baroque period. The kirtlewas typically worn over a chemise or smock and under the formal outer garment or gown.

Here is a picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Orazio_Gentileschi.jpg

Answer 4

It's an old fashioned word. It means a womans gown or outer petticoat or a man's tunic or mantle.

Answer 5

a one piece tunic worn by both men and women belted at the waist

Answer 6

Do you have a word for tunic or shift?