Sidelaced Cotehardie
To make a laced cotehardie, read the instructions for a kirtle. The cut is the same, with the addition of the gores in the skirt to get that lovely fullness, as mentioned as optional for the kirtle. If you want a train, you cut your front two pieces as for the kirtle, but before you mark your bottom hem on the back two, add six inches to a foot to the center back seam, and sweep the curve up to the side line as usual. You will need to taper your curve at the side seam after it is cut, to match the fronts, but that is easily done and obvious when looking at the fabric.
All that aside, however, you are going to insert a panel in the side seams. How wide you wish to make it is up to you; I recommend at least four inches to get the proper effect. As per the above picture, it will be basically rectangular, but tapered on the ends. The top taper extends up into the armpit area; the lower, down the side seam of the skirt.
Once this is pinned in place, you will see that instead of a single side seam you have two. Insert into these your lacing loops, at about one inch intervals down both straight sides (leave the tapered portions alone), so that the loops point outward. Sew up your side seams, thread a lacing cord through, and tighten your sides to your tastes.
If you wish, you may add as much as a foot of material to these side panels. It would permit a woman to simply adjust her lacing as the pregnancy progressed, and postpartum.
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