Medieval Clothing and Fabrics in the Middle Ages

Medieval Clothing and Fabrics in the Middle Ages In medieval times, as today, both fashion and necessity dictated what people wore. And both fashion and necessity, in addition to cultural tradition and available materials, varied across the centuries of the Middle Ages and across the countries of Europe. After all, no one would expect the clothes of an eighth-century Viking to bear any resemblance to those of a 15th-century Venetian. So when you ask the question What did a man (or woman) wear in the Middle Ages? be prepared to answer some questions yourself.  Where did he live? When did he live? What was his station in life (noble, peasant, merchant, cleric)? And for what purpose might he be wearing a particular set of clothes? Types of Materials Used in Medieval Clothing The many types of synthetic and blended fabrics people wear today were simply not available in medieval times.  But this didnt mean that everyone wore heavy wool, burlap, and animal skins. Different textiles were manufactured in a range of weights and could vary greatly in quality. The more finely woven the textile was, the softer and more costly it would be. Various fabrics, such as taffeta, velvet, and damask were made from textiles like silk, cotton, and  linen using specific weaving techniques. These were not generally available in the earlier Middle Ages, and were among the more expensive fabrics for the extra time and care it took to make them. Materials available for use in medieval clothing included: Wool By far the most common fabric of the Middle Ages (and the core of the flourishing textile industry), wool was knitted or crocheted into garments, but it was more likely woven. Depending on how it was made, it could be very warm and thick, or light and airy. Wool was also felted for hats and other accessories. Linen Almost as common as wool, linen was  made from the flax plant and theoretically available to all classes. Growing flax was labor-intensive and making linen was time-consuming, however. Since the fabric wrinkled easily, it wasnt often found in garments worn by poorer folk. Fine linen was used for the veils and wimples of ladies, undergarments, and a wide variety of apparel and household furnishings.​ Silk Luxurious and costly, silk was used only by the wealthiest of classes and the Church.   Hemp Less costly than flax, hemp and nettles were used to create workaday fabrics in the Middle Ages. Though more common for such uses as sails and rope, hemp may also have been used for aprons and undergarments. Cotton Cotton doesnt grow well in cooler climes, so its use in medieval garments was less common in northern Europe than wool or linen. Still, a cotton industry existed in southern Europe in the 12th century, and cotton became an occasional alternative to linen. Leather The production of leather goes back to prehistoric times. In the Middle Ages, leather was used for shoes, belts, armor, horse tackle, furniture, and a wide assortment of everyday products. Leather could be dyed, painted, or tooled in a variety of fashions for ornamentation. Fur In early medieval Europe, fur was common, but thanks in part to the use of animal skins by Barbarian cultures, it was considered too crass to wear in public. It was, however, used to line gloves and outer garments. By the tenth century, fur came back into fashion, and everything from beaver, fox, and sable to vair (squirrel), ermine, and marten was used for warmth and status. Colors Found in Medieval Clothing Dyes came from a lot of different sources, some of them far more expensive than others.  Still, even the humble peasant could have colorful clothing. Using plants, roots, lichen, tree bark, nuts, crushed insects, mollusks, and iron oxide, virtually every color of the rainbow could be achieved. However, adding color was an extra step in the manufacturing process that raised its price, so clothing made from an undyed fabric in various shades of beige and off-white was not uncommon among the poorest folk. A dyed fabric would fade fairly quickly if it wasnt mixed with a mordant, and bolder shades required either longer dyeing times or more expensive dyes. Thus, the fabrics with the brightest and richest colors cost more and were, therefore, most often found on the nobility and the very rich. One natural dye that did not require a mordant was  woad,  a flowering plant that yielded a dark blue dye. Woad was used so extensively in both professional and home dyeing that it became known as Dyers Woad, and garments of a variety of blue shades could be found on people of virtually every level of society. Garments Worn Under Medieval Clothing Throughout much of the Middle Ages and in most societies, the undergarments worn by both men and women didnt substantially change. Basically, they consisted of a shirt or under-tunic, stockings or hose, and some kind of underpants or breeches for men. There is no evidence that women regularly wore underpants - but with a matter of such delicacy that the garments became known as unmentionables, this isn’t surprising. Women may have worn underpants, depending on their resources, the nature of their outer garments, and their personal preferences. Medieval Hats, Caps, and Head Coverings Virtually everyone wore something on their heads in the Middle Ages, to keep off the sun in hot weather, to keep their heads warm in cold weather, and to keep dirt out of their hair. Of course, as with every other type of garment, hats could indicate a persons job or their station in life and could make a fashion statement. But hats were especially important socially, and to knock someones hat off his or her head was a grave insult that, depending on the circumstances, could even be considered assault. Types of mens hats included wide-brimmed straw hats, close-fitting coifs of linen or hemp that tied under the chin like a bonnet, and a wide variety of felt, cloth or knitted caps. Women wore veils and wimples. Among the fashion-conscious nobility of the High Middle Ages, some fairly complex hats and head rolls for men and women were in vogue. Both men and women wore hoods, often attached to capes or jackets but sometimes standing alone. Some of the more complicated mens hats were actually hoods with a long strip of fabric in the back that could be wound around the head. A common accouterment for men of the working classes was a hood attached to a short cape that covered just the shoulders. Medieval Nightwear You may have heard that in the Middle Ages, everyone slept naked. Like most generalizations, this cant be perfectly accurate - and in cold weather, it is so unlikely it becomes painfully ridiculous. Illuminations, woodcuts, and other period artwork illustrate medieval people in bed in different attire. Some are unclothed, but just as many are wearing simple gowns or shirts, some with sleeves. Though we have virtually no documentation regarding what people wore to bed, from these images we can glean that those who wore nightdress could have been clad in an under-tunic (possibly the same one theyd worn during the day) or even in a lightweight gown made especially for sleeping, depending on their financial status. As it is true today, what people wore to bed depended on their resources, the climate, family custom, and their own personal preferences. Sumptuary Laws Clothing was the quickest and easiest way to identify someones status and station in life. The monk in his cassock, the servant in his livery, the peasant in his simple tunic were all instantly recognizable, as was the knight in armor or the lady in her fine gown. Whenever members of the lower strata of society blurred the lines of social distinction by wearing clothing ordinarily found only among the upper classes, people found it unsettling, and some saw it as downright offensive. Throughout the medieval era, but especially in the later Middle Ages, laws were passed to regulate what could and could not be worn by members of different social classes. These laws, known as sumptuary laws, not only attempted to maintain the separation of the classes, they also addressed excessive expenditures on all sorts of items. The clergy and more pious secular leaders had concerns about the conspicuous consumption the nobility was prone to, and sumptuary laws were an attempt to reign in what some found to be distastefully ostentatious displays of wealth. Although there are known cases of prosecution under sumptuary laws, they seldom worked. It was difficult to police everyones purchases. Since the punishment for breaking the law was usually a fine, the very rich could still acquire whatever they pleased and pay the price with hardly a second thought. Still, the passage of sumptuary laws persisted through the Middle Ages. The Evidence There are exceedingly few garments surviving from the Middle Ages. The exceptions are the apparel found with the bog bodies, most of whom died before the medieval period, and a handful of rare and costly items preserved through extraordinary good fortune. Textiles simply cannot withstand the elements, and unless they are buried with metal, they will deteriorate in the grave without a trace. How, then, do we really know what people wore? Traditionally, costumers and historians of material culture have turned to period artwork. Statues, paintings, illuminated manuscripts, tomb effigies, even the extraordinary Bayeux Tapestry all depict contemporaries in medieval dress. But great care must be taken when evaluating these representations. Often contemporary for the artist was a generation or two too late for the subject. Sometimes, there was no attempt at all to represent a historical figure in clothing appropriate to the figures time period. And unfortunately, most of the picture books and magazine series produced in the 19th century, from which a large percentage of modern histories are drawn, are based on misleading period artwork. Many of them further mislead with inappropriate colors and the casual addition of anachronistic garments. Matters are further complicated by the fact that terminology is not consistent from one source to the next. There are no period documentary sources fully describing garments and providing their names. The historian must pick up these bits of scattered data from a wide range of sources - including wills, account books, and letters - and interpret exactly what is meant by each item mentioned. There is nothing straightforward about medieval clothing history. The truth is, the study of medieval clothing is in its infancy. With any luck, future historians will break open the treasure trove of facts about medieval clothing and share its riches with the rest of us. Until then, we amateurs and non-specialists must take our best guess based on what little weve learned. Sources Dickson, Brandy. Cotton is Period? Really? Brandy Dickson, 2004-2008. Houston, Mary G. Medieval Costume in England and France: The 13th, 14th and 15th Centuries. Dover Fashion and Costumes, Kindle Edition, Dover Publications, August 28, 2012. Jenkins, David (Editor). The Cambridge History of Western Textiles 2 Volume Hardback Boxed Set. Hardcover, Cambridge University Press; Slp edition, September 29, 2003. Kà ¶hler, Carl. A History of Costume. Dover Fashion and Costumes, Kindle Edition, Dover Publications, May 11, 2012. Mahe, Yvette, Ph.D. History of Fur in Fashion 10th to 19th Century. Fashion Time, February 19, 2012. Medieval Veils, Wimples and Gorgets. 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