Clothes and fashion in the Renaissance

Clothes in the Renaissance

Learn about Clothes and fashion in the Renaissance.What did people wear?

Renaissance Clothes :

A significant aspect of life during the Renaissance was clothes and fashion. This was especially true of wealthy people who utilized fashion to flaunt their status and fortune. A wealthy person would own a wide selection of garments made from luxurious fabrics, furs, and silks. In contrast, a peasant often had just one or two outfits.

The Gonzaga family by Andrea Mantegna

What did the men wear?

Guys wore shirts, coats, and colored tights or stockings. The coat, known as a doublet, was often form-fitting. They also frequently donned caps.

What did the women wear?

Ladies typically wore long skirts with high waists, puffy shoulders, and puffy sleeves. Rich women would wear extravagant jewelry fashioned of gold and adorned with pricey gems like sapphires and pearls. On occasion, gold and silver thread was utilized in the needlework on their gowns.

Portrait of a Renaissance woman
Raffael by Raphael

What about hair styles?

Over the course of the Renaissance, hairstyles evolved. Hairstyles for males changed with time, going from long to short. Beards were the same way. Short haircuts and sharp beards were fashionable at periods, while long hair and a clean-shaven face were fashionable at other times.

Portrait of a Lady by Neroccio de’ Landi
Blonde hair was very popular

For ladies, blonde hair was especially fashionable. Their hair was frequently bleached to make it blonde. It was also common to wear wigs or false hair made of yellow or white silk.

Were there any rules about clothes?

There were a variety of laws and regulations regarding clothes, depending on where you lived. In an effort to prevent the “lower” classes from dressing extravagant, laws were frequently created. Only nobility were permitted to wear fur in some regions.

Sumptuary regulations, which outlined who could wear what kinds of clothing, were fairly extensive in England. You were only permitted to wear clothing made of specific materials and colors depending on your social status.

Facts about Renaissance clothes and Fashion

• Those were not particularly hygienic periods for people. They may have barely washed their clothes a few times a year and hardly ever had a bath.
• Jewish people were frequently required to wear specific attire to mark them as such. Jews in Venice were required to wear a yellow scarf for women and a yellow circle on their shoulders for men.
• For women, having a white complexion was attractive. They frequently donned hats or veils as a result to avoid tanning from the sun.

Read also : Food in the Renaissance