A Short History of Medieval Clothing

The Medieval Ages began around the 400's and lasted until about the 1500's. A long time ago during these medieval times (the dark ages) the average person around the feudal lord's castle was bound. This meant that their lives were limited because they were not able to move and they were not able to change jobs. The only time people moved was when there was a festival near by. This was the only time the people could look or buy different goods. It was also the only time that the people could attempt to trade for something they needed.

Since the poor peoples' lives were so limited they really didn't think about clothing fashions. The noble people thought about the clothing fashions day and night because they had money to buy fabrics and let tailors make beautiful clothes. The poor people had to make or trade their clothes for their goods they needed. This way of life was called the pyramid society because the groups of people were in a shape as if it were a pyramid of people.

In the early middle ages people made their clothes at home. As towns became more specialized people began to pay weavers, tailors, cobblers, and other people to make clothes for them. Most craft workers began to cut, fit, and design people's clothes in more elaborate ways.

Peasants usually wore a form of a long dress made of coarse wool. They might have a linen undergarment. There was almost no change in style for the lower class. In the early middle ages people wore fitted clothes replacing the loose, flowing cloaks and tunics. Women wore a tunic that turns into a dress and laced to fit the upper part of the body. Men started to wear loose undergarments called breeches under their tunics. Some also wore various types of leggings.

The ruling class were concerned with fashion and there were a number of styles during the middle ages. In the late middle ages, some women wore veils, metal hairnets, and draped throat coverings called wimples. The people who attacked Europe brought many different fabrics. Fashion didn't change that much, but the fabrics used for clothing did. Some of the material used were silks, satin, and brocades.

Some crusaders brought back new materials and different styles. A tunic stayed the same, but hose took the main place, and were made prettier with jewels, embroidery, and fur trimming. In the high gothic period stockings became so long trousers were almost eliminated.

The clothing of the middle ages was very comfortable. Men and women wore basically the same types of clothes, only men's clothing was shorter. It is true that people rarely washed their outer clothing, but their inner garments were washed often. That is the clothing of Medieval Times.