Why did St. Joan of Arc wear men’s clothing during her journey and military campaigns?

St. Joan of Arc wore men’s clothing during her journey to Chinon and throughout her military campaigns for practical reasons related to her mission and safety. When she traveled across enemy-held territory to reach the dauphin, wearing male attire was a necessary precaution for her protection while accompanied by men-at-arms.1

Later, during her imprisonment, the issue of her clothing became a focal point of her trial. Although she initially complied with an order to wear women’s clothes, she subsequently resumed wearing men’s attire of her own free will, stating a preference for it. Her judges and assessors viewed this as a sign of relapse into heresy, which contributed to her condemnation. Whether she chose to wear men's clothing again at the bidding of her voices or because it was forced upon her by jailers remains a subject of historical dispute.23