Medieval History of Men and Women’s Dresses

The time period characterized by fall of Roman Empire and the beginning of renaissance is popularly known as medieval period or middle age. This period saw revival around fifth century and lasted till fifteenth century. It was the period when men’s fashion change rapidly in comparison women’s. Clothing styles of men and women very different from each others. In social setup too their medieval costume differed widely. Lower class people were living in miserable condition; they were forced to wear clothing of last century until disrepair state where they had to buy a new set. New Introduced sumptuary laws divided the society largely on the base color and material of fabric.

Women’s medieval costume

The evidence of women’s clothing, what they actually wore comes from mid-fourteenth century. Female dresses were experiencing a great degree of change. Dresses became tighter with lower necklines and designed to outline the feminine posture. Tight lacing to provide fitting shape, for long waist appearance griddles were used and corset became the one of the significant part of their clothing. Open bodice with attached floor length skirt more popularly called surcoat was the elegant part of their dressing. In actual, in the beginning of fifteenth century gowns replaced all the female wears except surcoat.

Hose, kirtle, smock, gown, surcoat, girdle, bonnet and hood were basic clothing of women. However material and color used in making of these garments were distinct for women of each social status. Upper class women wore garments of expensive fabrics like silk, velvet, damask and taffeta in rich and vibrant colors while lower class women wore apparels of linen, shipskin, wool and cotton. Infact in later period poor people were restricted from using cotton because it was heavily taxed while imported (from India) and kept royals only. Skirt was one of the significant features of medieval dresses of women and petticoat made the way for these fashionable garments which were available in myriad designs and patters.

Men’s Medieval Costumes

Regardless of social standing in society medieval men’s garment were consist of tunic, trousers, cloak and leggings. Single brooch was used to fasten the cloak. Tying, lacing and clasping technique were applied as another method of fastening. ‘Have nots’ wore cloak made from wool. Tunics had length between hip and knee and were tied by belt or girdle. Trousers were worn under short tunic or cloak. With narrow trousers Garters or leggings worn as complementary pairs, two pairs of leggings were worn for protection of legs. Lower class people made use of old clothes to make them while wealthier people’s leggings were custom made.

Social status was supreme during medieval period and this notion made clearer by clothing. Generally scarlet colors like red and purple were meant for nobles especially for kings and princes. Among wealthier people nobles were the trend setter. Their clothing made of expensive fabrics was embellished with elaborate embroideries, laces, ruffles and embedded gems.

Negligence by rulers, miserable living condition and unemployment forced some English people towards the path of piracy. Popularly known as sea robbers, their pirate clothing were basically the looted costumes from hijacked ships of merchants and rulers.

Although clothing were one of the major way of dividing people in social hierarchy but so much of severance resulted in invention of new techniques and clothing designing methods which is still making modern human beings gaga for medieval costumes.

Article Published By: Reniassance-Outfits.com

Renaissance Wedding Costume takes in Medieval Style

Wedding gowns can be found in shops who deal in bridal wears however it can be happened that such shops of your area don’t carry themed dresses. There is another option of searching for these renaissance costumes. Search for designers who offer custom designing. Custom designed renaissance gowns will have quality fabric with exact measurement, stunning and striking appearance but there is one problem, custom made dresses cost a lot. So, the best available option is to haunt them online. Internet can prove a very helpful medium for finding awesome period dresses. You will be able to find wedding dresses of famous 3Ps. - princess, peasant and pirate online.

Renaissance costumes for wedding available online are on par with the dresses of offline shops in terms of quality and are reasonably priced. You will get the same costume at much lower price. If website from where you are opting to buy dress comes with schemes like discounts and free shipping then it will be icing on the cake, make purchase amount very cost effective. To reach the classism of medieval style your wedding dress must be slim fitted, corset or griddle to support upper part of body and laced in front. Renaissance wedding gowns have embroidery, stitched with threads of gold or silver.

Gearing up for a medieval theme wedding, a lot of preparation is needed for themed weddings. From costumes of bride and groom to guests, from food to background and from music to etiquettes of people all should be able to reflect the charm and charisma of renaissance magical era. Soon to be bride expects her renaissance dress for wedding to be magnificent attire, appealing, giving the renaissance vibes and make her look outstanding. However in order to get a perfect renaissance style gown you need to put effort otherwise you will end up building castles in the air.

Just look at the few dresses available on internet; I’ll bet they can give a stiff competition to renaissance clothing of any established offline shops.

Hildegard Princess Dress: This dress is again made from velvet fabric. The brocade fabric on side panels and puffy upper sleeves make it appear opulent. Drawstring and loops on back are provided for comfort fit. This alluring dress is perfect for your dream wedding.

Lady of Lead Gowns: This elegant piece of cloth is made from soft velvet fabric, has long funnel type sleeves with a cut underneath of which another sleeves of narrow endings are stitched. In similar fashion the skirt part of gown has slit and golden color brocade lace peeped out of it.

The Majestic Beauty Gown: This gown is the beautiful combination of nobel surcoat and princess of pearl dress. Surcoat is made from velvet fabric has wide neckline and large armholes with white metallic sequenced lace. Dress part is made from satin material with blue and gold trims. For buttons white pearl are used.

Above mentioned renaissance dresses and renaissance costumes for themed wedding are my favorite, you will find a lot more on internet once you start browsing.

Festival and its Create Fashion

Village fairs and festivals were important occasions in the life of the common people in Renaissance Europe, when they could socialize at these public venues and also market their handicrafts and other home-made products. This was an occasion for them to dress up in gaiety in the best of their clothes, to add to the festive atmosphere.
Today’s sub-culture borrows its fashion from the styles of costumes. The flowing lines of long full length gowns, corset-shaped jackets with drawstrings, pirate-style shirts, skirts with trimmings, frills and laces with loose tops lined with brocades and frills are favorite themes of renaissance costumes inspired by the Mediaeval clothing styles. These styles are mixed with punk styles and contemporary looks to create a new style.
This sub-culture also borrows the theme of fairs from the mediaeval period. However, unlike the fairs of the period, the contemporary sub-cultural fairs are occasions to show off the Sub-cultural costumes. People dress up in their costumes, dye their hair black, shade their nails and lips in dark shades and also a=carry accessories from the mediaeval clothing such as swords gilded and studded with semi-precious stones.
In these fairs, people who follow his sub-culture also wear the specific costumes related to the famous characters from the mediaeval history and English literature. Invitations are sent out using archaic English, mentioning the names of fictional characters from literature and special gala evens to recreate the mood of festival. This event is very popular all over the United States and especially the state of Florida is famous for these kinds of festivals.
A festival thus, is a sub-cultural expression of the people’s desire to break free of formatted lives created by the industrialized societies. At the same time, it is an occasion for the garment industry to promote the sub-cultural Renaissance costumes.

Medieval Renaissance Clothing Fashion Style

Renaissance clothing has become a fashion statement in this modern world. Dresses for men and women are being inspired by the Renaissance dresses from Europe. Mediaeval costumes provide an elegant and graceful look to the wearer. Portraits of aristocratic men and ladies from Europe have provided the inspiration for the design of these costumes meant for modern men and women.

Renaissance dresses for women include long gowns covering the feet, but without the flow of gathers. These modern Renaissance-style gowns are figure-hugging. Cotton, linen and laces are used to enhance the visual appeal. Cuts and shapes follow the trends popular in the mediaeval costumes as we see in the paintings of those eras.

An important dress for women is inspired by the mediaeval chemise. Chemise was a long and lose cotton or linen tunic worn in mediaeval times by the ladies under all their dresses. Its chief function was to provide an elegant fall to the outer garment and to absorb perspiration. Modern dress inspired by the chemise can be worn as the main dress in a stylish mediaeval fashion. It comes in white, black, patterned fabric or even in bright colours such as burgundy red. Sleeves are long and may be detached in some costumes.

Cloaks, robes and capes are other pieces of dresses inspired by the mediaeval costumes. They provide a regal look to the wearer and may be made from cotton, silk, satin, velvet and synthetic fabric.

Pirate clothing is very popular for men interested in these costumes. Men’s clothing has a full ensemble in the form of pirate shirts, capes, cloaks, coats, tunics and vests. Dresses for men in the form of coats and tunics may be in bold colours such as maroon, blue or black and may be embroidered with brocade. Caps may have gems, brocade and feathers adorning them. Swords and daggers complete the clothing accessories for men’s costumes.

Dressed To Kill In Fascinating Medieval Dresses

Medieval clothing offers a whole range of charming, ornate and magnificent styles which can be imagined only in fairy tales and legends. Renaissance period is the most widely remembered and celebrated era in the world. In United States of America, there is an unusual Renaissance festival where the period is recreated with men and women wearing medieval dresses and costumes, armory, helmets, veils and swords. American Renaissance clothes were not restricted to costumes of King and Queen but also common people like peasants, knights, workers, musicians, dancers and jugglers.

Pirates were also famous for their notoriety in the seven seas in those times. Pirate clothing is high in fashion nowadays and covers a range of shirts, waist coats, jackets, sashes, belts, breeches and accessories like gold hoop earrings, precious stone embedded rings, bracelets, and not to forget the distinct yet trendy leather and latex pirate boots. Pirates called themselves swaggers of the sea and threatened everyone who crossed the waters while they were around. Pirate clothing was a symbol of pitiless and unforgiving seamen who stripped ordinary sailors and voyagers to the last penny.

Pirate shirts are made with wide and laced full sleeves with broad ends while some have full length sleeves with a tapered end with flounce and frill. Their shirts and pants were loose fitted because pirate seamen had to undergo grueling tasks at the Captain’s orders. European medieval clothing for women consisted of different types of gowns, skirts and dresses like Florentine gowns, Roman gowns, Isabelle gowns and Renaissance wedding gowns were very popular then and even now.

Other accessories and cloth pieces were worn to accentuate the shape of the body and reflect feminine beauty. These were bodices, head hoops, gloves, underskirts, waist bands with or without laces, collars etc. Women from upper class were fond of wearing fancy hats to parties and public functions. While rich women spent extravagantly on costly dresses and accessories; the commoners wore peasant dresses, highland gowns, maiden skirts and dresses which were made out of run of the mill fabric.

It is believed that it was with the birth of medieval clothing, that modern fashion was introduced to the world for the first time. There is no other fashion or style of clothing that was followed before the medieval fashion came into vogue. Certain cuts, designs and fabric were used to make these clothes which were never seen by people before. For further beautifying or enhancing the dress use of laces, buttons, frill, broaches, fur and gemstones were used.

Today many contemporary dresses and clothes are based on the designs of the medieval dresses. The clothes from the ancient times were also symbolic of the wealth and prosperity of a person and his ability to make investments. The nobility had exclusive right to wear silk fabric in dazzling and rich colors like red, green, gold, orange, royal blue, crimson etc while the poor wore wool and linen in dull colors. It will not be wrong to say that present day trendy clothes have their roots somewhere in medieval clothes and this fashion will never fade.

Celebrating the Essence of Renaissance Through Renaissance Festivals

The renaissance festival is a once a year event that is celebrated in the memory of the period. People participate in this festival dressed in bright medieval clothing and they make merry by preparing delicious dishes and also take part in other fun activities. Since this festival is connected with thehistory you will witness many interesting facets of that era. However, stress is given on the fashion and dresses that was prevalent during that time.
During that period Elizabeth I was the Queen of England and hence the period is also known as the Elizabethan Period. It was she who popularized the costumes that are still a rage today. Therefore the festival is basically a celebration of her reign. The trend of celebrating this festival started towards the latter part of period and is still continuing till today. The renaissance period was preceded by the Dark Ages and people decided to hold this festival as a mark of celebration for emerging from that period. All about art and color and therefore you will find people putting on colorful medieval dresses during the event.
In those bygone days this festival used to have themes and activities for the enjoyment of the participants. Today there are contests and games for both grown-ups as well as children. There are contests and games like wordplay, singing and dancing, music, juggling and a lot of other fun activities.
Although Europeans celebrate this festival in a more subtle way giving stress on the educational and historical value of that period, it is the Americans who through their unique way make this festival a truly lively event. The Europeans by celebrating this festival try to delve into the rich history of the period when Queen Elizabeth I ruled over England. On the other hand the Americans try to portray the essence of that period by dressing up like the people of that era. So you will find gents sporting pirate shirts to experience how pirates of the past lived and felt. Similarly ladies dress up in different like princess dress, peasant dress etc.
Thousands of visitors attend this festival wearing medieval dresses. Some of the costumes are based on fantasy characters like pirates, Vikings etc. So you will find men and women dressed in costumes like pirate shirts along with matching accessories. There are shows, games, food and drink as well as other activities which used to be a part of the period. Art and handicraft items based on the theme of renaissance are put up for sale. Even Shakespearean plays are held on elaborate stages and performers enact performances based on characters from the past.
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Renaissance Clothing- Reflection of Social Standing even Today

Renaissance clothing, the inseparable part of middle age has succeeded in maintaining its charm in modern era too. But now their usages are restricted to famous events, plays and in some history based Hollywood movies. Although now-a-days they are not worn on daily basis as earlier yet these renaissance medieval clothing is great source of inspiration for modern designers. It is not like that that they are completely vanished from normal day life; in altered form people are still wearing them.

The variations in the designing, color, fabric was treat to watch. Regardless the kind of technology they had at that time, the quality of the costumes were unmatchable. Even today it is hard to find the same level creativity and quality. Designers of that time knew how to use colors like velvet, violet, red beautify renaissance dresses with embroidery, laces and some extravagant costumes with costly stones and gems. Not only today’s people but the 16th century person also knew how to dress well. If you see the portrait of those persons whether they were rich, poor or commoner you will observe that they dressed well irrespective of their status. Everyone according to their status had managed to maintain the distinctive styling sense.

The factor which influenced the dressing style of men and women of that era was division of classes on the basis of material and color of fabric. If you know poor people were not allowed to wear expensive and extravagant fabrics, even if they want they couldn’t afford. They dressed according to wealth, social standing and importance in society.

If you pay attention to your surrounding you will find people around you wearing renaissance clothing which reflect their status so, dressing accordingly is not aged fashion but still exist. Knowingly or unknowingly we also dress according to our standing in society. This is why a commoner wears pants and shirts, a businessman is more into tuxedos and a socialite wear cocktail dresses. Wealthier people wore more gold, diamond stud jewelries like necklace, earring, ring and others and branded items. They flaunt their expensive accessories like hand bags, foot wear. These things show the same trend that were prevailing during middle age and are not just mere coincidence, they are done deliberately.

It is a fact that our sense of fashion is mirror of bygone era. If people of today’s modern world so strongly attached to dresses of their status then you could also imagine how seriously the people of those conservative times took their clothes.

Renaissance Festivals is a medieval and renaissance clothing online store where you could be able to find the renaissance dresses like medieval shirts, pirate shirts and other costumes in wide array of collection.