Renaissance Clothing - A Historical Account
During the Renaissance, the wealthier and more affluent fellow members of a urban center, town or neighborhood often wore elaborate and highly decorated renaissance clothing that was hand crafted from a variety of rich and expensive fabrics and finishes. In fact, the richer a family unit was the more expensive and ornate their Renaissance clothing was, as this was one of the fundamental ways of indicating stature and riches during the Renaissance period of time.
Interestingly enough, as there was little chance for financial investment, the Renaissance clothing of the ruling families was not only seen as indication of wealth, but a form of investment. If a family were to require money in the future, the clothing could be resold.The cloths that the affluent and their designers favored during the Renaissance were fabrics that were the hardest to acquire and consequently the most expensive and exclusive. This included cotton, velvet, silk and brocade. At the time, each of these was labor intensive and/or created a great distance away from Western Europe, such as in Egypt for cotton. Comfortable finishes such as ribbons, seed pearls and golden/silver thread were also generously embroidered on the Renaissance clothing of the day.
During the period, Medieval clothing for women ebbed and flowed from plainer pieces, such as underskirts, bodices and gowns, to more complicated article of clothing that included skirts, underskirts, bodices, over bodices, hoops and collars. Men’s Renaissance dressing on the other hand, was often designed to accentuate the body shape, supplying them with a more rounded look. Made out of the same rich colors and fabrics, their renaissance clothing often included padded shoulders and breeches, as well as hats, embellished with the same embroidery and fancy finishes that completed the Renaissance dresses for women.