• History -> Middle Ages and Feudalism

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How did Medieval fashion represent the social hierarchy of the Feudal system?

Katharyn Lappine

Medieval fashion was a powerful means of displaying one's social status within the context of the Feudal system. In this hierarchical system, one's status was determined by birthright, and the clothes they wore were a vital tool to signify their position in society.

At the top of the social hierarchy were the monarchs and the nobility. They would display their high social status through the distinctive clothes they wore, made from the finest materials and adorned with the most expensive jewelry and metals. As the status of nobility often came through birthright, their clothing would often display their family coat of arms, to further emphasize their ancestry. They would also wear extravagant headwear such as crowns and diadems, which further accentuated their noble position in the social hierarchy.

Next down were the clergy who held an esteemed status within society. Their religious garments were supposed to be sober and plain in appearance, reflecting their humble nature. The clothing of the clergy, specifically the color of the clothing, was also used to indicate their status within the religious hierarchy. Cardinals, bishops, and archbishops wore different shades of red, while the Pope's garments were dazzlingly adorned with gold. Religious robes were also used to signify a religious figure's function: for example, lecturers dressed in black robes and subdeacons in violet robes.

The final major section of society in the Feudal system was the peasant class, who represented the vast majority of society. These people wore clothing that was durable and practical, often made from locally sourced materials. The clothing of the peasants was usually plain and undecorated since these people had no need to signal their position in the social hierarchy through their clothes. The peasants were often prohibited from wearing the costly materials that the nobility wore and were legally bound to wear only certain colors.

Overall, medieval fashion was a clear representation of a person's position in the social hierarchy. From the grandeur of the nobility to the modesty of the clergy, clothing signified social status in a manner that was easily decipherable by all members of society. Further, the limitations placed upon what peasants could and could not wear indicated the regressive nature of the Feudal system. Ultimately, medieval society acknowledged the importance of clothing as a social symbol, with clothes being used as a means of distinguishing people across social classes.