Fashion and Clothing in the Dark Ages

Fashion in the dark Ages

The middle age was the age between the fall of the European empire and the beginning of renaissance.

This period is also known as the dark age because it saw a lot of internal disturbances, invasions, conquests and disruption of economy,trade,architecture accompanied by social health of plague that disturbed the city.

Barbarians and other foreign enemies entered the Roman Empire and left only when it was invaded and at its worst state. In such a stage, it could be imagined that the people would be least concerned about fashion but only searching for means of survival.

Fashion has evolved drastically over the years. What we wear today is in complete contrast to what was worn in the dark ages.

In the early medieval period, fashion did not exist. What was worn by the people was very minimalistic and basic clothing.

Clothing styles did not change quickly as the lower economic strata of the society did not try to emulate the elite class.

The society consisted of nobles, clerics, military professionals, merchants , artisans and peasants.

The peasants and other low income labour wore a simple tunic which was made of cloth and an over tunic in colder weather.

Poverty amongst the lower classes was enough to stop them from imitating their betters (upper class).

Thus the lower class wore very basic affordable fashion which was stitched at home.

When it came to the wealthy people clothing, their costume did not differ drastically from the lower class but they used finer, more expensive fabric to cover themselves and stylized it with embellishments, cuts, and linings.

Their clothing was made up of finer fabric and was more expensive due to difficulty in production and time consumption in their making.

Merchants, artisans wore high quality garments but not as fine as their nobles.

Silk was traded from the east and as worn by the elite.

Stylish appearances were give importance and for which under under tunics of different colours were worn hems, necklines and sleeve edges were decorated with borders which made the garment look interesting.

Cloaks and capes were also worn.

They could be lines or edged with fur for style and status,

Accessories like brooches added a flamboyant touch to their plain cloaks.

Men wore dagging  chaperons and buttoned cotehardies and pointed poulaines. Houppeland with dagged dalmation sleeves was also worn by the men.

Some noble men also wore fur lined tappert over a black cotehardie and a wide brimmed hat.

As for the noble women, cotehardies some with sideless surcoats over them and some with dalmation sleeves were popular. They also like to wear fashionable high wasted gowns with large dalmation sleeves as well as rolled hennins in various styles.

Clothing in the dark ages was used by the nobles and all wealthy people as a symbol of status where as for the lower income people like the peasants it was a mere means of covering their bodies.