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In the 12th century especially in France, Roman clothing looked like a religious habit was gradually changed by tight-fitting and more graceful clothes. In the 19th century the clothes finally acquired a secular appearance. Coarse clothes of the previous epoch without cutting up into pieces was changed to properly stitched and tight-fitting clothes, made according to tailoring laws.
New dresses of the epoch made of new types of fabric, namely of light
cloth of Flanders and Italian origin, softly covered a figure. Fabrics
could be cut up easier and at the same time were firm enough and
suitable for any drapery. Some of fabrics could change their color
under the influence of light. These dresses appered in the 13 century,
however, there are controversial opinins where they were tailored
first: in Italy or in France. Both were considered a cradle of knightly
culture, being expression of new esthetic ideals reflected in female
and male fashion.
The image of an ideal man also was changed. Earlier
it was a brave warrior dressed in coarse war trousers and pelts. But at
that time the ideal m an looked rather effeminate: with long curly
hair, decorated with flowers and dressed in womanlike clothes. Color
combinations had deep symbolic meanings. The one who "served" a
favorite woman was dressed in her favorite color. The proofs of such
"service" can be found not only in French, but also in Czech
literature, for instance: "I want to serve her truly and be close to a
woman who brings me joy and wears the same color as I do."
Servants
also wore the clothes of their masters' favorite colors: in this manner
their friendly attitude was shown. The combination of several colors
was also applicable. The most fashionable color of the epoch was
yellow, and it was considered a male color. But morality and modesty
adherents were against this color, as coloring clothes into yellow was
expensive and luxury that, in their opinion, was demoralizing.
Gothic
fashion with its tight-fitting clothes, peculiar body positions and the
manner of clothes wearing can be observed in the facades and portals of
cathedrals where saints and kings are displayed, and also in the
artistic miniatures of medieval painters. Changed cut of clothes
appeared in patterns of sleeves and in their connections with the
shoulder. Tightly fitting to the shoulder, a dress followed the lines
of the body making it visible. Sometimes sleeves widened in wrists,
turned into corners in shoulders and flew down to the ground. A
waistcoat was replaced by a cut out bodice made with the help of side
seams and tucks.
In the 14th century to make the bodice tighter, it was
furnished with lacing or rows of buttons. Buttons appeared in the first
part of the 14th century, when the dress was so tight-fitting that it
was hardly possible to move. Only then a loose blanket turned into a
cut up intricate dress. At that period of time people bid farewell to a
loose antique tunic. A waistcoat, which was closed in the 13th century,
started to uncover the neck and later - the breasts. A skirt was
lengthened to a tail, setting off hips. Outer garments with sleeves and
without them, with a wide décolleté were put over this tight dress.
Slenderness of the waist, wideness of hips and softness of the breasts
was set off by a cut and decoration of outer garments. The raincoat of
cloth made up with fabric of a different color or fur also belonged to
traditional clothes. It was fastened by an agraffe or a usual clasp.
During this period it was fashionable to cover the head with a blanket,
as Etruscan women did. Women covered their heads with blankets made of
varied light fabrics, each with a special symbolic meaning. For
instance, importance of a moment and sorrow was underlined not only by
dark colors of clothes, but also by a blanket position - in this case
it covered a face; and vice a versa, happiness and joy was
characterized by bright colors and differently attached blankets. Curly
hair flew down to shoulders: at that time frizzle for both men and
women was a usual phenomenon. Frizzle was made with the help of hot
tongs or special sticks, being objects of derision for morality
adherents who considered frizzle the greatest sin. But in poetry,
maidens' curly hair, decorated with golden chaplets, sparkling diadems
and bright flowers, were praised. Married women covered their heads
with expensive blankets.
In the 14th century hoods were very popular.
It was mentioned in the Limburg chronicle of the year 1389 that hoods
decorated one's head like an aureole. Harmonious and stylish Czech
medieval fashion burst into blossom and overcame eccentric French
fashion. In the pictures of that time we can see women dressed in
sheer, fitting-tight shirts without sleeves, which fit close to the
waist and breasts and uncovered the figure. These shirts looked like
summer dresses of underwear of our time. Straps of these skirts were
made of another material serving as decoration. A waist was covered
with a ribbon, slightly moved to a side, made of a blue fabric.
Analogy
between gothic fashion and architecture was mentioned in literature.
Like in architecture, fashion of this period was characterized by
straight lines: vertical ends of upper sleeves, sharp wristbands,
groins, oblong hats and taper shoes perfectly underlined this tendency.
At the same time gothic clothes kept the elements of the previous
period: a raincoat, for example, which was modified in its own way, a
blanket, made of new fabrics and acquired new functions. Roman fashion
also was based on a shirt-like, non-fitting tight cut. Gothic cut
absolutely suited a figure of a person, and it is often said that
nothing could overcome it. It was a merit of tailors, who kept their
methods in secret and were united into work shops, where only men were
occupied with clothes production.
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