Medieval Fashion Was More Than Just Something To Wear

When we imagine medieval times, we think about knights and princesses, dragons and jousting and all the beautiful clothing made of velvet and leather that the people wore.  We have seen medieval-style clothing in movies and on television since we were children.  We remember those knee high boots the men wore and the sleeves that look like angel wings on women’s dresses.  For many, the medieval style is reminiscent of romance and elegance with just a bit of panache’ thrown in for good measure.

When you are putting together your medieval costume for a special party or to fit right in at the renaissance festival, there are a few things to keep in mind in order to achieve that authentic look. After all, clothes were not just something used to keep warm, they were a statement about who we are, our station in life and could even lend some insight to our personalities.

Color

• Red. The most powerful statement in color choice would have to be red with black being almost as powerful.
• Black. Today black is a color associated with mourning but in medieval times, it was only available to the wealthy. Black therefore became synonymous with wealth and power.
• Green. The color green was considered to be a more neutral color.
• Yellow was considered to be a sign of cowardice. Yellow still has that connotation today with our reference to the “yellow-bellied coward”.
• White was considered to be the color of purity.
• Blue. Today we might think of blue as a strong and bold color but in medieval times it was considered to be a passive color.
• Pink. Since it is just a lighter version of red, pink would have been considered a more powerful color than blue.  This is opposite of how we view pink and blue today.

Style

Today there are very strong differences between men and women’s clothing.  Not so in medieval times.  Almost everyone wore long tunics tied or belted around the waist.  Both sexes wore capes and cloaks and while men preferred a shorter version for freedom of movement, both men and women wore skirts.  Once battle armor was more commonly worn men found the long flowing style did not work well with the confines of body armor.  This is what eventually led to the creation of clothes like pants that more closely fit the body’s contours.

So, you can see how your choice of color and style in your costume could mean more than just something to wear, it can also create the illusion of wealth and power or even lack thereof.  Wear red and black if you dress as royalty and wear green or blue to represent the peasant class.

When you are looking for the medieval fashion for your renaissance festival costume, we at Ye Old Renaissance Shop have all the right choices to help pull your next middle ages look together.