Renaissance Clothing

The Renaissance period was an interesting one that had some really exquisitely designed clothing for men and women. The fashion in Renaissance period was inclined towards the opulent designs as well as the simplistic forms. This was the period that saw the lavish use of silks and furs! Here’s a detailed look at some of the details associated with Renaissance clothing.

Renaissance Clothing:
The Italians had a huge influence over the designs from the Renaissance period. Clothing during the Renaissance period was more about displaying one’s social status. The rich would wear clothes in expensive fabrics. Materials such as silk and brocade were used for clothing during the Renaissance period. Women’s fashion saw an evolution during this era. Style was the prime factor. The initial costumes worn during the Renaissance period did restrict freedom to move around. Women wore around 5 layers of clothing. This included the skirt, bodice, vest, underskirt and the collar. Wedding dresses during this period were particularly beautiful in their appearance and were made of brocades. Exquisite jewels were sewn onto the patterns. Many layers of clothing thus formed an important factor of Renaissance clothing for women. This was probably considered as a way to keep the body warm during the cold weather.

Women’s clothing also consisted of a kirtle, which was worn with a gown. The term kirtle means a frock. This frock consists of a tightly fitted bodice and a flowing skirt. Sleeves were often wide and the rich loved to line their sleeves with fur. Gowns often had long trains of cloth behind. This was on the similar lines as the clothing seen in the Medieval era. Women also used to take a long time to get ready due to the number of layers involved in the clothing. During the Renaissance period, it was particularly noted that Queens wore gowns made of purple color.

Fashion accessories also had a major part to play during this period. Renaissance clothing was considered to be incomplete without hoods or headgear. During the early period, women adorned pointed hats over their hair. This was also the time when berets arrived on the scenario. Berets were designed for people of all ages. These stylish caps were embellished with jewels and often had a string attached to the back.

Renaissance clothing for men began with the rich and opulent look. This was evident during the European Renaissance. From the rich and extravagant, this trend moved on to creating a wider look for men. Men wore coats and outfits that gave the silhouette a square look. This was created with the help of shoulder pads, which were used to widen the shoulders for men.

In Spain, fashion for women was a bit on the tedious side. Materials such as wires were used to create clothing. The Spanish farthingale was actually a stiffened skirt. This was made from whalebone and rope. The French farthingale was crescent in shape. This was also stiffened by whalebone. In many such skirts, hoops were displayed on the outer side. The skirts were broad over the hips and the cloth fell loosely below. This was also probably one of the reasons, why women took a long time to get ready during the Renaissance period.

Thus we see how Renaissance clothing was defined as per social status as well as the different regions. Fashion has definitely come a long way from the olden days till date.