"We live not according to reason but according to fashion", said by Seneca. During the
Middle Ages, fashion was a big factor that determined the rank of a person. Luxurious clothing
meant a person was wealthy, whereas rags and simpler clothing proved a person had little money.
Feudalism ranked people according to class during the Medieval Ages, from peasants to kings
and queens. Peasant clothing greatly differed from royalty, and the royalty wanted nothing to do
with peasants. Clothing helped show the class of a person, where they lived, what they did, and
how much respect they had. Determining a peasant from a royal family member was relatively
The peasants were one of the lowest classes in the Middle Ages. They did all the work of the town, slaving away day and night. This also meant they had barely any money, which meant ragged clothing. Unlike the kings and queens, the peasants had dull clothing, mainly because dyes were expensive. Most clothes were woven or spun together, but the women made clothes out of either linen or wool. Their clothes were also not washed frequently, because it was hard for them to wash things. It took a lot of time to wash the clothes and clean water was not common. Neither men nor women usually wore undergarments until around the 1300 's, where shifts became popular. Shifts were worn with long hemlines under the common day tunic. Men and women also both wore leather shoes, particularly leather boots with buckles or lace on the top. The shoes had wooden soles or several layers of leather. Other items such as felt, or animal skin were used to form shoes. They were usually ankle high and rounded, keeping the feet dry during winter or rain. Also, during the winter, both would wear woolen hats, mittens, and sheep skin cloaks to keep them warm. Hats were not typical, but straw hats were used in the summer for working in the fields. Women peasants created the clothing, by spinning and weaving. Linen was more flexible and tighter for the clothes, but it cost more. The women usually wore long tunics or gowns, made out of wool, or as previously stated, linen. The tunics often came to the calf, with stockings at the knee, since the gown was long. The tunic, also called a kirtle, was a pale blue most times, but also yellow or green. All the colors faded easily though since the dye costed more money. It was held together by a brooch, which held things easily like a key. A trick the women used when they needed to move around was to tuck the tunic inside their belts to move freely. Their filthy clothes came no where near the extravagant clothing of the queens, but these women knew how to make use of what they had. The men that were peasants in the Middle Ages …show more content…
Kings would never be seen wearing the same clothing as a peasant,
especially not the filthy rags.
Next, the kings and queens of the Middle Ages wore expensive, beautiful clothing. They
would definitely never wear anything a peasant would wear since they believed they were higher
than the peasants. Their clothes were made of velvet and silk, with jewels or stones, much more
expensive clothing than the peasants. Because of feudalism, people were ranked higher than one
another. The peasants were treated poorly compared to the kings and queens. The peasants were
given barely any money, which meant their clothes were cheaper and thinner. Royalty were given
anything they wanted, especially any type of clothing. As time changed, clothing changed, as it
did for the kings and queens. The Middle Ages began after the fall of Rome, so their clothing
was more Roman towards the beginning, and then they ended up adopting their own style at the
end of Medieval Ages.
Toward the beginning of the Medieval Ages, kings still wore Roman like clothing, loose
with a belt. After they started forming European culture and dress, they wore headdresses that
were pointed and flowing with streamers. Robes and long cloaks were also worn, and they
Middle Ages, fashion was a big factor that determined the rank of a person. Luxurious clothing
meant a person was wealthy, whereas rags and simpler clothing proved a person had little money.
Feudalism ranked people according to class during the Medieval Ages, from peasants to kings
and queens. Peasant clothing greatly differed from royalty, and the royalty wanted nothing to do
with peasants. Clothing helped show the class of a person, where they lived, what they did, and
how much respect they had. Determining a peasant from a royal family member was relatively
The peasants were one of the lowest classes in the Middle Ages. They did all the work of the town, slaving away day and night. This also meant they had barely any money, which meant ragged clothing. Unlike the kings and queens, the peasants had dull clothing, mainly because dyes were expensive. Most clothes were woven or spun together, but the women made clothes out of either linen or wool. Their clothes were also not washed frequently, because it was hard for them to wash things. It took a lot of time to wash the clothes and clean water was not common. Neither men nor women usually wore undergarments until around the 1300 's, where shifts became popular. Shifts were worn with long hemlines under the common day tunic. Men and women also both wore leather shoes, particularly leather boots with buckles or lace on the top. The shoes had wooden soles or several layers of leather. Other items such as felt, or animal skin were used to form shoes. They were usually ankle high and rounded, keeping the feet dry during winter or rain. Also, during the winter, both would wear woolen hats, mittens, and sheep skin cloaks to keep them warm. Hats were not typical, but straw hats were used in the summer for working in the fields. Women peasants created the clothing, by spinning and weaving. Linen was more flexible and tighter for the clothes, but it cost more. The women usually wore long tunics or gowns, made out of wool, or as previously stated, linen. The tunics often came to the calf, with stockings at the knee, since the gown was long. The tunic, also called a kirtle, was a pale blue most times, but also yellow or green. All the colors faded easily though since the dye costed more money. It was held together by a brooch, which held things easily like a key. A trick the women used when they needed to move around was to tuck the tunic inside their belts to move freely. Their filthy clothes came no where near the extravagant clothing of the queens, but these women knew how to make use of what they had. The men that were peasants in the Middle Ages …show more content…
Kings would never be seen wearing the same clothing as a peasant,
especially not the filthy rags.
Next, the kings and queens of the Middle Ages wore expensive, beautiful clothing. They
would definitely never wear anything a peasant would wear since they believed they were higher
than the peasants. Their clothes were made of velvet and silk, with jewels or stones, much more
expensive clothing than the peasants. Because of feudalism, people were ranked higher than one
another. The peasants were treated poorly compared to the kings and queens. The peasants were
given barely any money, which meant their clothes were cheaper and thinner. Royalty were given
anything they wanted, especially any type of clothing. As time changed, clothing changed, as it
did for the kings and queens. The Middle Ages began after the fall of Rome, so their clothing
was more Roman towards the beginning, and then they ended up adopting their own style at the
end of Medieval Ages.
Toward the beginning of the Medieval Ages, kings still wore Roman like clothing, loose
with a belt. After they started forming European culture and dress, they wore headdresses that
were pointed and flowing with streamers. Robes and long cloaks were also worn, and they