FASHION HISTORY IN MIDDLE AGE

The Dark Ages documentary took us on a ride which showed us about the medieval Rome, European period, roman civilization, barbarian history and rise and fall of the roman civilsation.

During the Dark Age the economic conditions were not good. People did not have food to eat, so clothing was not an option in mind. But we could see that the kings and queens wore royal clothes like deep colors, embellished, crowns.

Class distinction was seen.

•  Earlier colors were not available. Colors also determined social status. Common public/ peasants used to wear undyed woolen/ linen tunics, fur which was locally hunted and cloaks whereas wealthy people, aristocrats, elite people, scholars used to import silk Byzontine and wore red robe associated with high cost of crimson red. Later Crusades brought colors, brocades, silk, gold threads etc into society.
•  The toga, a distinctive garment of Ancient Rome, was a cloth of perhaps 20 ft (6 m) in length which was wrapped around the body and was generally worn over a tunic. These were mainly worn for political business, religious rites, going for court and on other general days tunics and cloaks were worn.
•  Free citizens were required to wear togas because slaves would wear tunics.They wore them because the tunic was a sign of poverty and would let them work with ease.

Togas

  

• Nobles used to wear floor length garments and peasants shorter garments.
• Only wealthy people could afford jewellery but later due to trade, commerce more people could afford jewellery. Brooches with intricate designs and gems were used to pin the toga on shoulder and belts were also worn.

  

    

                                 

Brooches 

•  Shoes were long and pointy. Government set rules on how long the toe could be according to a person’s station in life.

Shoe

Earlier tunics/gowns hung loose but later they fit more closely to the body of both men and women.

Women used to wear gloves, had small purse hung down from belt, wore flowers in their hair, viels, hennins/wimples, high wasted gowns, V-neck burgundian gowns etc.

Gown

The length of the gown varied

-        Man – mid calf

-        Soldiers – was shorter

-        Woman – feet

-        Children – knees

High and late Middle Ages saw a use of buttons. Previously they were used for adornment but now they became functional.

Early gothic clothes were more elegant and simple in cut while late gothic was more of stiff fabrics. Men wore bob cuts to the jaw line with a bang across forehead and later trimmed hair was seen. Some clothes were seen parti-colored (vertical line dividing the garment in 2 colors).

Early medieval European dresses worn by invading people were short tunics while the Romanised population and the church wore longer tunics, often to the ankles.