Historically Accurate Breakdown of Frollo's Wardrobe
Decided to do a two week dive into 15th century research to figure out what dear old Claude's clothes would actually look like. I was spurred after recently reading some fanfiction involving him in various states of dress and undress.
Hit my ask box with questions, character suggestions (thinking of making this a series?), or if you want to see some research collages.
Also excited because y'all get to see something in the realm of my professional rendering style for once! :)
Detailed notes on each look (including where I took some liberties) + "naked" Ken doll version for anyone who wants to treat him like a paper doll under the cut.
I. Braies
Originally a trouser in antiquity, by the late middle ages braies were exclusively a form of underwear. They were typically made of linen or cotton, though linen was more widely available in much of Europe. Over time they transformed from a longer length to something akin to boxers, then to the briefs-like garment depicted.
II. Shirt
For much of history, shirts were considered an undergarment, protecting outer layers of clothing from direct contact with skin oils and sweat.
In the Disney movie, Frollo's shirt looks like a knit turtleneck, but the technology to make such clothing didn't exist yet. To approximate that look, I referenced paintings that contained high-necked shirts that closed on the side rather than in the front, which was more common at that time. This style doesn't appear in portraits until the 1490s, so I'm stretching a bit here, but I wanted to maintain the spirit of his original design.
Clothes weren't nearly so tailored to the body as they were in later periods, so large pieces of fabric were gathered into the neck to shape the garment and allow range of motion. A shirt made of so much gathered fabric was also a sign of wealth.
III. Doublet + Hose + Socks
In later decades, doublets would be considered outerwear, but at this stage in history, they were still generally worn under another layer (at least in depictions of the upper class). Tailoring techniques were still being developed, so to create adequate range of motion for the arm, a puff sleeve set pretty deep into the back was common. The lower section of the sleeve, while fitted, would have had an opening at the elbow to allow the joint to flex and the fabric of the shirt to puff out artfully. The sleeve points aren't really a thing historically, but again, I wanted to honor the spirit of his design.
✅ Hose. ❌ Not pants. ❌ Not trousers. ❌ Not breeches. ✅ Hose.
Hose were a tight-fitting garment sewn of woven fabric. In previous decades, "split hose" were more common... which, to my amusement, actually resemble the "thigh highs" decried in the comments of some recent (cw suggestive) fanart by crodefff. By the latter part of the 15th century, however, joined hose were much more common - often with a little flap that was a precursor to the codpiece, as shown.
These hose had no waistband and were joined to the doublet (or a belt) by tie points. They were also usually footed - sometimes even with a leather sole, though examples do exist of non-footed hose. I referenced some with stirrups for these renderings.
Socks were a luxury item. Knitting machines didn't exist for more than another century, so their construction was time-consuming and therefore costly. It's also exactly the kind of thing I think Frollo would indulge in, as being able to replace one's socks regularly is definitely preferable to wearing stinky hose.
IV. Journade + Poulaines
After examining Frollo's look in the opening sequence of the film, the next piece I'm including is the journade.
Also called the giornea, the journade was a loose-fitting, sleeveless outer garment. Its sides were usually open, like a tabard, and it was held closed with a belt. The iconic columnal gathers were created by pleating the lining.
Poulaines, originating in Poland, were the shoe of choice in medieval Europe for over a century. At one point, their exaggerated toes were so long that they were sometimes held up by a string tied around the calf. This frivolous footwear sometimes became the subject of luxury tax, moral objection and legal restriction via sumptuary laws. More moderate examples also exist, which is what I referenced - I think Frollo's a little too practical for anything prioritizing fashion over function.
V. Chaperon + Rings
The chaperon began as a hood with short capelet attached and a tail extending from the back of the hood called a liripipe. Over time, people started wearing the chaperon with the opening for the face around the top of the head, letting the capelet and liripipe drape like a soft cap. Later, the opening for the head began to be rolled over a padded ring called a bourrelet (or roundlet), creating something similar to Frollo's signature look in the film. The liripipe extended, becoming a long, scarf-like drape.
Rings of this time period usually contained gemstones in rounded cabochon cuts and sometimes with early versions of faceting. The Disney films depicted this pretty well, though I've deliberately switched the color of the green and blue stones - it makes perfect sense to me that the large round gem on his left hand would be a star sapphire, and I felt personally affronted this wasn't already the case. So I "corrected" it.
VI. Cloak + Gloves + Riding Boots
Changing things around a bit to more completely represent his look on horseback from "The Bells of Notre Dame."
Shoulder-fastened cloaks were very common during the late middle ages. In art, they are frequently seen flipped over the opposite shoulder to allow for ease of movement.
Full-fingered gloves were long considered a luxury item. Most hand protection I found reference images of, outside of royalty or church ceremony, was either a mitten or a three-fingered glove (or "split mitten"). I thought the latter were an interesting choice for this look.
High boots were pretty specific to horse riding rather than fashion, and they take the place of the poulaines here, along with attached spurs.
VII. Chains of Office + Houppelande + Pattens
I took some liberties with this look, as finding accurate depictions of 15th century judicial attire was difficult - and often inconsistent.
Chains of Office became, by the 16th century, exclusively symbols of knightly orders, but in the 15th century, they still lived in a middle ground, in which they could just be a gift from nobility to show status. The one I've drawn is inspired by historical imagery but not an explicit representation of an existing piece of jewelry. It includes a cross as the pendant and a fleur-de-lis motif on the chain, as I think Frollo would see himself as answerable to only God and the king.
Since Frollo's outer robe in the film looks like a priest's surplice, I kept trying to reference ecclesiastical garments as well as academic clothes, which were closely related at the time (e.g. the cappa clausa and pallium). Academic regalia, which would likely be appropriate for a judge to wear in the 15th century, developed from clerical clothing, as many early universities were started by the church. Ultimately, however, I settled on the houppelande, a garment whose influence has trickled down to academic and judicial dress today.
The houppelande (also sometimes simply referred to as a "gown") takes the place of the journade here, rather than being worn over it. Houppelandes could be any length from the hip to the floor, but longer ones, as seen here, were usually reserved for ceremonial occasions. They also had a few different collar options, but the tall, fitted collar lined with fur seemed to fit best.
I think I'd only found one piece of research with the extra shoulder ruffles, and if I remember correctly, it was from pretty early in the century, but I thought it was perfect for his look.
And finally we arrive at the last part of the ensemble: the pattens. These are an overshoe, resembling a sandal, that are meant to protect the thin-soled poulaines (or whatever other shoe the wearer has on). The pattens not only prevent damage to the sole and keep feet from having to touch the cold ground in winter, but they also elevate the wearer above the dirt, dung and human waste (thanks, chamber pots) that filled the streets.
Honestly, I didn't realize this was going to be so long until I got started typing it up. Whew!
Always happy to answer questions, too. Historical fashion is my special interest. And my job!
Transparent PNG of "naked" Ken doll version of Frollo below. Adding some space so you don't get jumpscared.
Dress him up like a paper doll. (And tag me so I can see! 😈)
What gets a person sorted into one dorm or another? What dorm might you end up in if you were to attend the illustrious Night Raven College? Well look no further than here for the answers to your struggles and questions!
Truth be told I saw somebody try and do this once, but their analysis felt rather biased and left me unsatisfied, so here’s a little something I like to call: “Soul’s Deep-Dive Analysis into the Morals and Values of the Seven Dorms of Night Raven College”!
