Fashion, like any other art, has a long history. And it takes its origin from those times when the clothes were by no means aesthetic, but purely functional in nature. Later, with the development of society, the costume acquired new roles - in particular, the clothes could determine the social status of a person.
In this article we will tell you what clothes the peasants of European peoples had.
Clothes of peasants
The climate of most of Europe is not too soft. In this regard, peasants who spent a lot of time on the streets had to protect themselves from cold and wind. Therefore, their clothes were often multi-layered.
The main material for clothes was natural fibers of local origin - flax, hemp, nettles, wool. Later, with the development of trade, residents of European villages also learned other materials, but more often overseas fabrics were too expensive for ordinary villagers. They used a rough homespun cloth, most often not even bleached.
Women's and men's clothing did not differ too much. Loose knee-length shirts, short pants, a waistcoat or an outer shirt and a cloak (cloak) are a typical set of everyday peasant clothes. Later, the separation of men's and women's clothing intensified - women began to wear dresses and sarafans , long skirts, aprons, bonnets. Men wore shortened trousers and tunics. In winter, a sheepskin coat or a hooded hood was worn over the clothes.
Shoes were also as simple as possible - most often rough boots to the knee. The only accessories could be a hat (a cap for women) and a simple belt.
Medieval clothes of peasants
In the Middle Ages, the church strictly followed not only the actions, but also the appearance of the population. In particular, everything corporeal was proclaimed sinful, therefore, no one had the right to wear open clothes that emphasized physical beauty. Clothing should have been multi-layered, as free and discreet as possible.
Passion for fashion and the desire to decorate themselves were not welcomed by the church. However, the poor peasants did not have the opportunity to pursue fashion, as did well-to-do merchants and to know.
However, in the 17th and 18th centuries the population again had the opportunity to decorate their outfits without fear of condemnation by the church. The peasants used as embroidery embroidery, applique, decorative seams. Of course, such clothes were festive and in everyday life they were never used.
Now you know how European peasants dressed. And some examples of their outfits can be seen in the gallery.
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