Clothing

toc = = = = = = = = =Overview= Clothing played a significant role in the culture and society of the Middle Ages. The differing styles of clothing indicated social class and wealth. Clothing was extremely expensive, so a person's wealth could be easily determined based on their wardrobe. As society progressed, fashions went in and out of syle, much like today. Because clothing tends to rot when buried underground, most of archaeologists' knowledge about medieval clothing comes from pictures and sculptures.

=**Kings, Queens, and Nobility**= In the Middle Ages, Kings, Queens and the Nobles were the most wealthy, and therefore owned the finest clothing. In general, clothing was brightly colored and very fitted with emphasis on the sleeves. Clothing trends among the upper classes were largely impacted by the king and queen. The queen wore flowing dresses and head wear, while the king wore robes made of silk and many rings. Wealthy men wore tights under tunics, leather boots, and long jackets. Women wore many articles of clothing, including a linen under-tunic, a woolen over-tunic, and a wool cloak. Like the queen, wealthy women also wore head wear. This head wear consisted of fancy hats and rich, imported turbans and silk from the east.

 =Peasants= Peasant clothing was very basic because of their limited financial means, and their need for practical clothing, as most peasants worked all day. Men wore tunics going down to their knees, with wool pants and cloaks in the cold. Women wore dresses tied at the waist with an underskirt, woolen cloak, and a cowl, or article of clothing designed to protect women's shoulders and heads. Peasants also wore good luck charms, as many were superstitious. Because they wore poor, it was not uncommon for peasants to own no more than one outfit or make their own clothes.



=Nuns, Monks, and Friars= Nuns, monks, and Friars wore clothes designed to be plain and comfortable. Monks wore tunics down to the ground. They also wore coifs to keep their heads warm in the winter. Nuns wore simple black and white tunics. Friars' clothing differed from that of the nuns and monks. They wore cloaks with a hood and a rope belt. On the rope belt, there were beads for counting prayers.

=Knights= In the Middle Ages, knights wore very expensive armor. Knights wore many articles of clothing to keep them protected in battle. Under their clothes, they wore linen undershirts and linen underpants. Over this they had woolen stockings to cover their calves and legs. On top of that, they wore padded attire called Aketon or Arming Coat. Finally, they wore a surcoat, or belted robe, with the code of arms on it to identify who the knight was in battle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COTxnTQuJd8

=Bibliography= Works Cited Carr, Karen. “Medieval Clothing.” //Kidipede//. History for Kids, 25 Jan. 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. . This webpage provided information regarding the traditional dress of people in the Middle Ages. It was especially informative regarding trends in fashion.

“Clothing.” //learner.org//. Annenberg Foundation, 2012. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. . This website had a lot of information about the clothing of wealthy men and women in the Middle Ages time period. Also, it has a lot of information about jewlery in the Middle Ages and fun accessories.

“The Friars.” //kenanderson.net//. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. . This website had a picture of a Friar from the Middle Ages. This Friar had a traditional robe with a hood and a belt on. This website was helpful because it showed the exact picture of what a Friar would wear in the Middle Ages.

“Knights in the Medieval Ages.” //Karen’s Whimsey//. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. . This website was very useful because it has four knights dressed in full uniform. It shows how they carry swords and shields with them. This website had a perfect example of what a knight would have looked like in the Middle Ages.

“Medieval Clothing.” //Medieval Life//. Medieval-Life.net, n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. . This webpage provided insight as to how nobility in particular dressed during the middle ages. It also provided information regarding kings and queens, and their role as trend setters.

“The Middle Ages.” //Glogster//. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. . This website had multiple pictures of kings and queens in the Middle Ages. This website had a picture of a king wearing a robe and crown. //The Middle Ages: A Medieval Knight’s Clothing//. //Youtube//. Western Reserve Public Media, 11 Feb. 2011. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. . This video provided information regarding the traditional clothing of knights. It also provided insight as to why knights dressed the way that they did.

“Middle Ages Clothing.” //Middle Ages//. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2012. . This webpage explained the differences between the styles of dress of the peasants and the nobility. It also outlined what peasants and nobility would typically wear and how this corresponded to their positions in society.

“Mideival Life-Clothing.” //historyonthenet.com//. History on the Net, 15 May 2010. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. . This website had very specific information about the peasants, describing each piece of clothing they had to wear and some extra clothing that they also wore for good luck. Also there was a lot of information about the clothing of noblemen and noblewomen.

“Midieval Clothing.” //kyrene.org//. Adele, n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. . In this website, there was not only information about the clothing for each person in the Middle Ages but the information was very in depth. Also this website talked about tailoring of the clothing and where each type of person got their clothing from.

“Peasants in the Middle Ages.” //Historyking.com//. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. . This website had a picture of two peasants, a woman and a man. The woman had a cowl on and was wearing a dress and the man was wearing a cloak.