Is Medieval Back in Fashion?
(Lizzi/Daughter) This marking period we are studying the Middle Ages in Social Studies. Even though some of the things we are learning about are weird and gross (um, they didn’t clean themselves regularly?!), I’ve noticed that a lot of what we wear today was inspired by what both women and men wore back in the 13th to 15th centuries!
I wouldn’t have noticed this if my teachers hadn’t told me, “Your outfit is very Medieval-looking! Very cool!” For example, when I wore an orange chiffon tunic with leggings and fringe ankle boots. Of course, the boots were more Native American-like, but the tunic and leggings, I realized, were very similar to something a man would wear in the Middle Ages. Or when I wore a pair of slouchy suede boots (Robin Hood style), I also got a similar comment… or compliment.
I found some medieval clothing sketches that look similar to what we wear today:
This tunic is very Medieval-like, especially the colors and the shape.
… here are some more….
Tory Burch Linen Split-neck Tunic
Flowing, belted dresses were trendy way back when AND now….
One of my favorite designers, Anna Sui, incorporated a lot of Medieval-looking fabrics and styles into her Fall 2009 collection. This dress happens to be one of my favorites.
And this dress is really lovely also:
Now, for shoes. Men in the Middle Ages wore flat leather or suede boots and lace-up flats.
Wet Seal has a lot of nice boots this Fall like this pair:
And these:
Women wore embroidered flats like these:
… and Kadam shoes has a wonderful pair that I think grasp the look very well:
Now, put the whole look together:
And voila! You have a Medieval Masterpiece!
Mom, what do you think of the Medieval trend?
(Erika/Mom) Great history lesson, my daughter! What abundance of gray matter resides in thy head! Hmmm, sorry, I’ll drop the Medieval speak. Lizzi is right–it is remarkable to see how strong the fashion connection is with silhouettes, colors, and fabrics worn 800 years ago. After so many years of jeans and T-shirts this is a welcome transition. I was driving out of Blockbuster the other day and slowed down to let a woman cross the parking lot. She had on a darling plaid tunic and black leggings. Something along the lines of this:
Paired with either cuffed boots a la Robin Hood or embellished ballet flats, this would look great on just about any 40-something figure. If that figure is on the heavier side, ditch the leggings for black pants, either denim or a really nice fabric blend, like viscose and cotton. If the tunic is long enough, or your legs are skinny but your middle is hefty, a longer tunic and great boots along with nice-quality leggings will make a most comely combination:
For us middle-aged women, the Middle Ages is a fantastic fashion era. Fantastic hygiene era? Not so much.
Recent Posts By Erika Kotite
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Tags: ballet flats, boots, Fashion, leggings, Medieval fashion, tunic
[...] A great accessory to add to your wardrobe is a belt. Belts can either accessorize your pants or your top. The best place to put your belt is at your waist, like mom did. You can belt anything from cardigans to loose tunics (think medieval!) [...]