medieval costumes, medieval wear
The medieval period is referred to as the middle-ages & commenced with the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 AD. and extended almost till 1499AD. There was no monumental change in the costumes worn by the people. Be it emperor or layman, the nondescript tunic & the insipid long cloak, (derived from the toga of the roman empire and the German trousers) was essentially their basic costume, the only difference being that the tunic of the emperor had a border of silk & the breeches were adorned differently. A cloak fastened at the shoulder & a round cloth cap rounded off his attire. The court ladies resorted to the long tunic covered to a certain extent by a super tunic, which was adorned at the neck, sleeves, and hem. A full-length cloak completed the attire. For almost 3 centuries the people showed no inclination to change or modify their costumes, but in 1095 the winds of change were in the offing.
Later Medieval -When the crusaders brought back new materials and styles, the insipid costumes took on various hues, and with the help of new materials, new styles started making inroads into the costumes. The fitted tunic became more flamboyant and clothes were embellished with jewels, embroidery, and fur trimmings. A longer hose and breeches became the order of the day. Women soon became conscious of their figures and replaced the over tunic by the bliaut. This was laced tightly to show-off their contours and as it was girdled at the hips, it accentuated the waist-line.
Men's costumes in the remainder of the 12th century and during the 13th century confined itself to mere variations in length, fullness, and decorations. The skirts of 13th century tunic was widened, and the sleeves were “puffed up” in the upper part and tapered down to a tight fit as it reached the wrist. The 14th century however saw the entry of the doublet, a padded knee length garment with button and lacing. There has been a dramatic change in women's dresses in the 14th century and the costumes followed the trend set by men’s costumes. Innovations in weaving, & the availability of new materials brought this change. Decorative and practical items like bags called aumoniere hung from belts, which held a dagger. Headgear also made headway & men wore liripipes, which could be doubled up to act as a padded turban. Not to be left out, women changed their hair-dos & in 1420 women used the henin to conceal their hairdo. Medieval Costumes authored by M Swami. copyright @indianchild.com
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