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Middle Ages – Women’s Fashion

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Middle Ages – Women’s Fashion

There was a distinct divide in medieval women costumes that the peasants and the noblewomen wore, at least with regard to quality. Wealthy women wore elegant tunics that fell to the floor. They were colorful and vibrant with luxurious fabric and intricate embroidery. Initially, fur was preferred on the inside of clothes for warmth, which was replaced by fur trim as the era progressed. Over time, dresses became more elaborate. Women wore two tunics, one more decorated than the other. Ornamental bands were used to embellish sleeve borders, necklines and the lower half of dresses. Girdle-like panniers created a bigger...

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Medieval Fabric

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Medieval Fabric

Five major components comprised medieval clothing in Europe. Leather was used to make shoes and belts. The lighter linen was used for clothes that hugged the skin, including tunics and dresses. Outer (and winter) garments were made of wool. Peasants wore rabbit fur while the richer community preferred the rarer ermine fur.  Silk was the most expensive and was the exclusive domain of the rich. There we laws in place to ensure that certain fabrics and colors could only be worn by a specific social class to differentiate them from others. Linen was common throughout Europe, whereas wool was largely...

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Fashion in the Medieval Period

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Fashion in the Medieval Period

What was the streetwear in vogue during the Middle Ages? Is that even a relevant question, you may ask. Did fashion as we know it today exist 10 centuries ago? The answer is a resounding yes. Of course, London was not the cosmopolitan hub it is today, Paris had not understood the concept of the runway, and Milan’s luxury houses Gucci, Prada, and Versace were in the very very distant future. But, there was enough going around. And it is no stretch to state that the razzmatazz of today’s haute couture finds its base on the bold men and women...

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Medieval Utensils – Knives, Spoons, and Forks

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Medieval Utensils – Knives, Spoons, and Forks

  A knife was the wallet of the Medieval Age. Pretty much everyone carried one, irrespective of gender or age. It was an extension of the person, used to cut rope and meat and do other tasks. For instance, if you were invited to a meal, the host would not bring out sparkling cutlery. You had to have your knife on you, especially to dig into the meat. Also, the knife came in handy to ward off animals and robbers. You can say knives were not “domesticated” for meal-time use until the Bourbon Dynasty in France, when the sharper versions...

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