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 The fashion practiced in the times of Middle Age used to
have more powers and authority than the current fashion flow ever. The key
objective of the fashion of that time was the intention to expose the social
status of the wearer. And serious scandals and intrigues were common in regards
to the trends when the fashion trends were set on the highest level and it was
common when the royal family appeared to be the major trendsetter.
In the times of the earlier Middle Age a dress for women was
like a dress for men. The same tailoring, the same length, the same color and
fabric for all dresses. And when the chain mail was replaced by the armour, the
men’s fashion gave its first cries and made first steps. The armour put on over
the dress is the garment to be liked by few people since it is extremely
difficult to battle in such an outfit, and thus, long dresses were soon changed
for short warm overcoats.
And that was only beginning. The tailors took experiments
with the cut and they used to produce real masterpieces, the outfit that
current couturiers would envy. And the doublet kirtle was invented on the base
of blio, the outfit that was highly liked by the characters of medieval dramas.
The upper garment for men was often decorated with embroidery and diamonds were
not at all common for such clothes. As a rule, such kirtles were incredibly
uncomfortable and heavy, therefore the underwear played its main role to
protect the body from rubbing.
At the same time as with the men’s clothes, the fashion
trends were set for women either. Aristocrats and noblewomen were dressed up to
the nine, and any dress of a woman from high society cost a fortune for her
family.
And the XIII century was the time when two most significant
decrees about «fashion» were passed. First, women who came from middle or low
classes were not liable to have two dresses made a year while the high society
women could afford four dresses on the whole. Second, Philippe the Fair of France,
passed the restriction for all women from lower societies to wear the miniver, gold
belts and silk dresses.
Nevertheless, the women of lower societies could not afford
buying gold belts, anyway. The difference between the societies was very
significant and the clothes of the ordinary people undergone sea changes
throughout many centuries. Most clothes were made from sheep’s wool and it was
of rough grey color. If there were some more money in the family to spend for
something luxury, the people used to buy clothes from dyed wool which was ten
times more expensive. Such clothes were mainly put on holidays and for other
functions.
In the mean time, the grand ladies boasted with fashion
styles in clothes. They intrigued each other and each one made every effort to outdo
the other in having best dresses. The royal family members appeared to be the
trendsetters, as a rule. And all the fashion trends were accepted then by all
the court and plain people. And the current mass media could envy the speed
with which the trends were accepted and practiced.
The fashion symbol of the Middle Ages is the hennin, which
is the cone-shaped hat with the trail, the permanent attribute of all fairies.
In the meanwhile, the manufacturers launched an incredible range of hats of
various shapes and structures. Most of hats were designed in the way that the
hair was poorly covered and hence, the weird haircuts of the Middle Ages are
quite understandable when women shaved the front part of the head having the
high forehead till the very crown of the head.
Luxuriance was blooming in all its tendencies. A metal case was
attached to the girdle which resulted in the bell-like skirt. A big roller was worn
on the thighs to make the skirt resemble a barrel. And the skirts were
presented in the incredible number and design and color. Darker skirts were for
upper wear and lighter color skirts were assigned for underwear. The skirt
train could be up to 11
meters.
And yet, the most recognizable dress from Middles Ages is
the boilersuit with the high waist line just below the breast. A wide band on
the skirt, while the sleeves were narrow and bell-shaped or wide embroidered
with fur and contrasting fabric. The boilersuit was complimented with the
legendary surcoat, which was the upper mantlet trimmed with ermine skin.
And finally, the genealogy was very easy to identify by
estimating the fabric color, decorations, the size of hats and shape of shoes,
as well as the occupation of the wearer. The social norms and laws fully governed
the fashion trends with the only goal to have everyone in their place. And even
the richest merchant could not afford a range of clothes that only the higher
society was eligible to wear. And who said that the Middle Ages was not that
austere? The dress code was a must have procedure. Those who used to break the
rules and laws were arrested and prisoned and sometimes their fates were tragic
to some extent. Fashion victim. The fashion verdict of the sever times.
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