Medieval Nobles Essay
What would you choose to wear if you had absolutely every article of clothing to choose from in your closet, tailored especially to fit you? Probably not a 45-inch tall hennin or a coat trimmed with 2,790 ermine pelts, which was exactly what wealthy medieval nobles saw as “fashionable.” The extravagance of the medieval European nobles made an everlasting impact on history, and their fashion evolved over the course of time. Although most of their clothing were wearable year-round, wealthy nobles had differently fashioned and fabricated clothing according to the seasons. The outrageous spendings of the nobles extended far beyond their outfit choice, and into the fashioning of apparel and accessories from expensive and exotic materials. These
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Medieval noble clothing was adaptive, inventive, creative, and ever-changing, since they did not believe in simply using their clothing as protection against elements, but created a balance between style and comfort. Despite their mediocre knowledge of jewelry craftsmanship, the overflowing wealth of the nobles still allowed them to express their style with brilliant embellishments and accessories. From a simple coif to a complex butterfly hennin, nobles developed complex headwear to display personality and improved their formal appearances. To show their high social status, nobles followed the Sumptuary Laws to the maximum extent to fully present personal appearance. Due to these strong factors that influenced the clothing worn by Medieval nobles, it also influenced the style of modern fashion, centuries later. For example, there are many Medieval-themed weddings and costumes, which continue to be popular around the world today. In addition, modern designers are looking into the roots of Medieval luxury fashion, to help them create a new trend of clothwear by combining modern and Medieval styles. Like the evolution of a species, fashion development of a distinct style occurs over long periods of time. Punctuated equilibrium expresses periods of rapid development, like the Medieval and Renaissance time periods where large-scale contributions pushed the fashion world to where it is
Medieval noble clothing was adaptive, inventive, creative, and ever-changing, since they did not believe in simply using their clothing as protection against elements, but created a balance between style and comfort. Despite their mediocre knowledge of jewelry craftsmanship, the overflowing wealth of the nobles still allowed them to express their style with brilliant embellishments and accessories. From a simple coif to a complex butterfly hennin, nobles developed complex headwear to display personality and improved their formal appearances. To show their high social status, nobles followed the Sumptuary Laws to the maximum extent to fully present personal appearance. Due to these strong factors that influenced the clothing worn by Medieval nobles, it also influenced the style of modern fashion, centuries later. For example, there are many Medieval-themed weddings and costumes, which continue to be popular around the world today. In addition, modern designers are looking into the roots of Medieval luxury fashion, to help them create a new trend of clothwear by combining modern and Medieval styles. Like the evolution of a species, fashion development of a distinct style occurs over long periods of time. Punctuated equilibrium expresses periods of rapid development, like the Medieval and Renaissance time periods where large-scale contributions pushed the fashion world to where it is