Medieval Clothing – A Closer Look

Medieval clothing depended largely on the social and economic status of the wearer.  Poorer individuals had to settle for less comfortable varieties of clothing.  A peasant in the medieval age, or worse yet the Dark Ages, often had to make do with just a few sparse robes or tunics.  Wool was the predominant clothing of the day.  Washing clothes, and bodies for that matter, was done only rarely.  At the upper end of the economic scale, royalty often wore extravagant clothing to show off their status and wealth.

Upper scale medieval clothing was as much about showing off wealth as it was comfort.  In fact, much medieval clothing was really about showing off wealth.  Intended more as a display of wealth, royal medieval clothing was about showing off the latest styles and fashions.  Long trains and elaborate jewelry typically complemented womens clothing of the time. The mens medieval clothing was often equally elaborate, featuring complex designs of fabric and colors.

If you have seen any of the modern reproductions of medieval clothing, common in movies such as Braveheart, this extravagant display of wealth through clothing is an easily recognizable feature of that time period. For poorer denizens of the medieval ages, clothing was much more about utility than comfort or style. At the opposite end of the spectrum, people in the royalty of the time focused on style much more than utility or even comfort. Styles changed just as frequently as it does today, or perhaps even more so.

For those looking to reproduce the look of medieval clothing, places like renstore.com are a great place to start.  Although focusing primarily on renaissance clothing, renstore.com can supply affordable Medieval clothing as well.  The inventory is extremely inclusive, and the prices are frequently very affordable.  20, 30, 40, and even 50% clearances are commonly seen.  This makes medieval clothing relatively affordable, and the reproductions available at renstore.com are known to be very accurate and true to life.

With several styles of all time periods, renstore.com is a one stop shopping experience for medieval clothing. The reproductions available at renstore.com have a focus on authenticity and quality. Combine that with frequent clearances and affordable prices, and renstore.com is a great way to find great medieval clothing.

Medieval Clothing A Closer Look

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A Closer Look $28.86 Open your eyes. Open your mind. Open your imagination. Look! What do you see? Mary McCarthy`s beautiful handmade-paper collages will transport young children on a journey of discovery.

Medieval Goldsmiths $9.99 A classic book beautifully redesigned, which takes a closer look at the lives and work of goldsmiths in the Middle Ages.Goldsmiths were among the most highly regarded craftsmen in the medieval world, making extravagant objects from precious gold and silver, often enriched with rare stones and engraved gems. As well as royal and aristocratic patrons, much of their work was created for the Church, as it was thought that �such display praised God�. For this reason many pieces that survive today were preserved in the treasuries of churches, where they escaped the ravages of history.In this wonderfully illustrated book, John Cherry explores the goldsmith�s craft through works in the British Museum and from collections around the world. The British Museum holds some of the most splendid examples of medieval goldsmiths� work in the world, including the peerless Royal Gold Cup. With a description of the craft, its reputation in medieval times, and the raw materials used, the author offers an intriguing introduction to the expertise of the workmanship and the success of the trade. Who were the goldsmiths? Who did they work for? What influenced them, and how much freedom were they given to design? These questions and others are explored in this classic book, now redesigned in a lovely new format and illustrated throughout with new colour photography.The author John Cherry was formerly Keeper of the medieval collections in the British Museum. He is the author of The Holy Thorn Reliquary (Objects in Focus series) and Medieval Decorative Art, and editor of Medieval Love Poetry and The British Museum Book of Mythical Beasts.

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In Focus: Wharram Percy

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