Completed: October 2008 Worn at: Various occastions Why I chose this costume: Inspired by the lovely medieval tapestries and images of ladies with heraldic dresses, I decided to make my own. This particular costume is a "Parti-coloured heraldic cotehardie"; ~ Parti-coloured, meaning it is split in color; ~ Heraldic, because of appearance of fleur-de-lys (chosen because of my French-Canadian background). The fleur-de-lys in this case, I have handpainted in gold onto the fabric. ~ A cotehardie is a general term for a dress from the mid-14th century onwards. This costume is worn with "crispinettes" covering my hair in buns, and a veil. I have also made shoes which are called "Poulaines", recreated from medieval paintings, from faux-leather and cotton canvas. Inspiration:    Inspired by the costume of the woman in the background in black and blue. The colors appealed to me, but I needed more "wow-factor".  I really liked the fleur-de-lys symbol, and found it rather appropriate, despite the fact that I am not royalty. By the 12th century the fleur-de-lis had become the heraldic emblem of the Capetian kings of France, whose court propaganda traced the first adoption of the fleur-de-lis to the conversion of the Frankish King Clovis I in 493.