Middle Ages

Clothing in the Middle Ages was quite scarce for the peasants. They generally only owned a couple of outfits they wore on a regular basis and then one or two that they saved to wear to Church on Sundays or to weddings in the village. These clothes were made from wool which made it very hot to wear as well as itchy. Many peasants didn’t have clothing that fit them very well and it was often dirty because they didn’t have a good way to wash them on a regular time.

Those that could afford linen underwear were considered to be very lucky. It was deemed inappropriate to go without underwear and those made from wool were extremely uncomfortable. The affluent people in the Middle Ages featured underwear made from silk and other more comfortable types of materials.

Women had to wear long dresses that covered up as much of their skin as possible. Men often wore long pants and long sleeved shirts. Those that could afford it often sported a belt made from woven wool or rope in order to compensate for the clothing not fitting properly. Many peasants were so poor they didn’t even own shoes to wear as they went about their business. The shoes they did wear were often very uncomfortable and worn down.

The higher class that a person was in the Middle Ages the better they dressed. This was a very common sign of the hierarchy in this period of time. As the 13th Century emerged the style of the clothing didn’t change much but it did seem to get tighter, especially in the styles those higher in the rankings were wearing.

As the 13th Century moved along the tunics women wear became shorter, to their ankles. This is believed that it was due to a shortage of materials for clothing and to make them more affordable.

The royalty had a vast array of different clothing to wear during the Middle Ages. Women often wore dresses made from silk and other materials that came from locations all over the world. They were custom make to fit the woman so she always looked very attractive in them.