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, was typically relegated to wearing rags. Wool was the most common material of the day, with scratchy undergarments the order of the day. Washing clothes, and bodies for that matter, was done only rarely. At the upper end of the economic scale, the royalty displayed their wealth with ostentatious clothing.
Upper scale medieval clothing revolved around the latest fashions and trends. In fact, much medieval clothing of the royal variety was most likely very uncomfortable. Intended more as a display of wealth, royal medieval clothing was about showing off the latest styles and fashions. Womens medieval clothing, for example, often featured long trains and elaborate jewelry. Medieval clothing of men was often times just as elaborate as the womens.
If you have seen any of the medieval fancy dress 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 from to season to season, much like today.
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