Clothing In The Middle Ages

“Clothes mean nothing until someone lives in them”, declared top designer Marc Jacobs. Although others may have differing opinions; there is definite significance to clothing in history. Although clothing began as simply a way to combat the environment, purely functional, it quickly evolved to represent the values of people and became a method of self-expression. Clothing started Europe has consistently been a center for innovations in culture and fashion. With every major event that occurred, there was a similar change in the previous garments. Therefore, the society and attitudes of each time period are reflected in the fashions and style of European citizens.

Basic fashion began in the middle ages, or which consisted of the fifth through
The heaviness and weight of the material remained, but contrasting pastels replaced the dark colors of the Renaissance. In France, the murder of the governor of the Bastille in 1789, began the Napoleonic age. Within the years of 1789 and 1815, there was a visible change of old world to new. Heavily embroidered skirts were replaced by breezy, flowing tunics of parisian women after the French Revolution. Clothes were how one told the world their opinions, even at risk to themselves, and as way to support a particular social group. The French Republic and its democratic values, was what what strongly influenced the Regency era, a time of simple elegance from 1790 to 1820.During the Romantic era, women's fashion became almost purely decorative. Because women were seen as weak and delicate their clothes reflected that, with extreme corsets and petticoats, not very allowing for many activities. In this era fashion and emotion were preferred over the function and reason of the last
Her values such as modesty were reflected in the fashion of the time, with very full and long skirts. Clothing covered almost all skin except for the face, with the exception of evening wear.But as a contrast, it was at this time dress reform began, supported by the suffrage movement, with protesters trying to get less restrictive clothing for women. The "artificial" silhouette was what was desired by English women. The death of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's beloved husband was what sparked a change in Victorian Era fashion. Because the British Court was in mourning, darker gloomier colors came into fashion. Black became an incredibly popular color, and not solely for mourning. The fashion of the Art Nouveau era, from 1890 to 1911, was a nod to romantic era fashion, but stronger and more imposing. This was just as women, especially unmarried women, became more active and visible in their communities, the unmarried working in shops as well as offices, and housewives with