Medieval Clothing
The Middle Ages encompasses an enormous time span in the history of mankind—from the 6th to the 15th centuries. Even though there is an enormous difference in the way people dressed during the various eras of the Middle Ages, throughout all strata of the European population it was common to wear clothing in layers that were often divided into outer- and undergarments. Because clothes in the Middle Ages were often used to recognize the wearer’s station in life and had therefore a more symbolic function, sumptuary laws decided which stratum was allowed to wear—or prohibited from wearing—a given kind of clothing. Their main goal was to prevent the peasantry from dressing in the kind of clothes the nobles fancied.
Differences in clothing in the middle ages
Sometimes clothing in the Middle Ages varied, due to the sumptuary laws and financial considerations. Not only the wearer’s station in life played a role here, but also gender, region, and the given sub-epoch within the Middle Ages. The fashion among the nobles for instance changed rather rapidly throughout the era, whereas the peasantry’s clothing remained more or less the same, since they had fewer resources at their disposal than did the rich and their clothes didn’t need to be stylish but rather practical.
Women’s garments had to be longer than those of men, as it was unseemly for them to reveal too much of their figure or undergarments. Yet this attitude was gradually set aside over the course of time during the Middle Ages. Also, married women were expected to cover their hair, a rule, that, however, declined in importance by the end of the Middle Ages, and as a consequence, women started wearing elaborate hairstyles and headdresses.
Medieval clothing today
Today, many people harbor a biased, overly generalized view of the Middle Ages, often ignoring significant differences among epochs or regions. Views on medieval clothing are commonly derived from movies in which the actors’ outfits aren’t based on historical facts. Since a lot of false information and myths circulate about the Middle Ages, the costumes are frequently changed to fit the story of the movie or simply are not carefully enough researched. In historical movies, the costuming ends up representing a random mixture of different epochs and regions, or even contains fantasy elements, creating an appealing style—but an inaccurate one.
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Barett Harald - Schwarz
13,36 € -
Barett Harald - Wolle Blau
13,36 € -
Barett Harald - Wolle Rot
13,36 € -
Beinlinge Brandolf - Schwarz
25,13 € -
Beinstulpe Seran - Braun
29,90 € -
Beinstulpe Seran - Schwarz
29,90 € -
Brotbeutel Ehwaz - Grün
15,90 € -
Brotbeutel Ehwaz - Hanf
15,90 € -
Bruche Gisbert - Natur
29,90 € -
Bundhaube Bertram - Natur
14,90 € -
Damenhaube Castilla - Natur
17,90 € -
Fibel Adil Groß
11,90 € -
Gugel Cucullus - Wolle Schwarz
25,13 € -
Hemd Ulrich - Hanf
34,90 € -
Hemd Ulrich - Natur
34,90 € -
Kappe Hugo - Wolle Grau
12,52 € -
Kapuzenlangtunika Renaud - Grün
64,90 € -
Kapuzenlangtunika Renaud - Natur
64,90 € -
Kapuzenlangtunika Renaud - Schwarz
64,90 € -
Kapuzenumhang Hibernus - Wolle Braun
119,90 € -
Kapuzenumhang Hibernus - Wolle Herbstgrün
119,90 € -
Kapuzenumhang Hibernus - Wolle Rot
119,90 € -
Kapuzenumhang Hibernus - Wolle Rot
119,90 € -
Kapuzenumhang Hibernus - Wolle Schwarz
119,90 € -
Kindertunika Eriksson - Blau
20,92 € -
Kindertunika Eriksson - Grau
20,92 € -
Kindertunika Eriksson - Grün
20,92 € -
Kinderüberkleid Ylva - Flieder
24,90 € -
Kinderüberkleid Ylva - Lindgrün
24,90 € -
Kinderüberkleid Ylva - Meerblau
24,90 € -
Kinderunterkleid Ylvi - Bordeaux Rot
25,13 € -
Kinderunterkleid Ylvi - Natur
25,13 € -
Kopftuch Set Marianne - Natur und Braun
12,90 € -
Kurzarmtunika Aegir - Hanf
33,53 € -
Kurzarmtunika Aegir - Grau
33,53 € -
Mönchskutte Benediktus - Natur
89,90 € -
Mönchskutte Franziskus - Braun
89,90 € -
Rundfibelset Ingwaz
25,13 € -
Schürzenkleid Gyda - Hanf
29,33 € -
Surcot Albrun - Wolle Herbstgrün
79,90 € -
Surcot Isabella - Waidblau
59,90 € -
Thorsberghose Ragnar - Schwarz
33,53 € -
Unterkleid Feme - Bordeaux
49,90 € -
Unterkleid Feme - Dunkelblau
49,90 € -
Unterkleid Feme - Natur
49,90 € -
Unterkleid Freya - Lindgrün
49,90 € -
Unterkleid Freya - Waidblau
49,90 € -
Untertunika Leif - Blau
34,90 € -
Untertunika Leif - Hanf
34,90 € -
Untertunika Leif - Natur
34,90 € -
Untertunika Leif - Schwarz
34,90 € -
Wadenwickel Aki Wolle - Braun
16,72 € -
Wadenwickel Aki Wolle - Grün
16,72 € -
Wadenwickel Aki Wolle - Herbstgrün
16,72 € -
Wollbeinlinge Bernulf - Braun
33,53 € -
Wolltunika Lodin - Braun
59,90 € -
Wolltunika Lodin - Grau
59,90 € -
Wolltunika Lodin - Grün
59,90 €