The lives of all European monks were governed entirely by the Regula Sancti Benedicti - the Rule of St Benedict - which set out everything from clothing, food and bedding to the daily services, work and study.

Chapter 55 of the Regula states that ". . .for a temperate climate a cowl and a tunic for each monk are sufficient, a woolen cowl for winter and a thin or worn one for summer, a scapular for work and stockings and shoes for covering the feet."

St Benedict was writing in the 6th century, in Italy, and in his time all monks wore whatever colour of wool could be obtained most cheaply: natural off-white wool, grey or brown.

By the 12th century, the different Orders of monks within the Church of Rome (the only Church in most of Europe) had settled on specific colours for their clothes:

Cistercians in natural wool (usually termed "white")
Benedictines and Cluniacs in black
Carthusians in natural wool

From this time and throughout the medieval period, no monks wore grey or brown - these colours were generally adopted by the new Orders of Friars from the 13th century onwards. Friars also wore sandals, while monks continued to wear shoes.
Despite the popular myth that monks wore a cross, this was neither permitted or needed by real medieval monks.

Depending on which Order of monks they belonged to, the habit was made of a particular colour of coarse wool cloth: black for Benedictines and Cluniacs (called "black monks"), undyed, unbleached natural wool for Carthusians and Cistercians (often called "white monks").

The underwear for Benedictines consisted of a natural linen shirt reaching almost to the knees, with long, tight sleeves. Underpants were only issued to monks leaving the monastery on some errand, otherwise they were not worn - they were called braies and were long, baggy and made of linen.

Shoes were of black or tan leather (sandals were not worn by monks, despite the popular cartoon version of history) and socks were permitted in cold climates, as were fur undergarments called pellises.

The habit reached almost to the ground and the sleeves were made very wide and far too long - they had to be turned back or bunched up the arm. At certain times the sleeves were allowed to fall to their full length, hiding the hands completely. A hood could be attached directly to the habit, or to an overgarment known as a cowl. The hood had to be worn at specific times.

When doing manual work, monks put on a protective garment called a scapular. This was a long, rectangular piece of wool cloth with a hole in the middle for the head, falling over the habit front and back to keep it clean.

Belts could be of leather, tied in a knot at the front, or of linen cord (without the three knots worn by friars).

The obvious mark of the monk was not any kind of wooden cross but his haircut, which was the Roman tonsure, leaving a bald patch at the crown of the head. Combined with the black or white habit this instantly marked him out as a monk and made all other signs unnecessary.

Many people today are confused by the dress of medieval friars, who were not the same as monks - in fact they were the complete opposite of monks. In general terms they wore grey or brown habits, sandals, rope belts with three knots, and had the Roman tonsure.

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