surcoat, also spelled surcoteA man (left) wearing a surcoat with
hanging sleeves and a woman (right) wearing a loose surcoat that
reveals the sleeves of the garment underneath.Archives
Photographiques, Parissleeved 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