Category: Middle Ages

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12th century – Norman Mosaics

artwork analysis, Byzantine, Middle Ages

The Norman Mosaics are a series of 12th-century artworks in churches across Sicily. The dress seen in these mosaics reflects Byzantine styles including the divetesion and loros. The mosaics have notably also served as inspiration for designers in the 21st century.

1964 – Glenville, Becket

1960-1969, film analysis, Middle Ages

King Henry II of England comes to terms with his affection for his close friend and confidant Thomas à Becket, who finds his true honor by observing God’s divine will rather than the king’s.

545-549 CE – Imperial Mosaics of the Basilica of San Vitale

artwork analysis, Byzantine, Middle Ages

The church of San Vitale in Ravenna is one of the most important Byzantine monuments in northeastern Italy. The basilica is fully decorated by mosaics, including two depicting Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora, which reveal the key features of sixth-century imperial style.

barbette

1300-1349, 1350-1399, 14th century, 15th century, B, Middle Ages, term definition

A piece of linen which passes under the chin and is pinned at the sides, usually worn in conjunction with additional head coverings during the Middle Ages.

Byzantine

Asia, Byzantine, culture overview

Clothing during the Byzantine era was strictly regulated based on identity, status, rank, and gender. Visual and literary sources from the period provide a glimpse to Byzantine court and upper-class dress.

dalmatic tunic

Byzantine, D, T, term definition

A t-shaped tunic with very wide sleeves. Worn by both men and women during the Byzantine empire.

Early Middle Ages

decade overview, Middle Ages

OVERVIEW Womenswear [To come…] Fig. 1 - Artist unknown. Coronation of a prince : formerly identified with Charlemagne, circa 870. Illumination on parchment; 27 ×...

tablion

Byzantine, T, term definition

A rectangular panel, often ornamented with embroidery or jewels, attached to the front of a cloak. Worn as a sign of status by Byzantine emperors and other important officials.

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John Singer Sargent’s 1890 portrait of Elsie Pal

John Singer Sargent’s 1890 portrait of Elsie Palmer proves to be an intriguing artwork that tells the story of a girl who finds herself between childhood and womanhood. Elsie is depicted wearing a semi-formal white satin tea gown with a high-necked bodice. The bodice itself is adorned with double sleeves that open just below the elbow, revealing silk chiffon under sleeves. A white satin sash cinches the waist, creating gathering on the two-layer skirt. At seventeen years old, Elsie’s fashionability falls into a gray area. She is not quite a woman, but no longer a child. Her dress rejects mainstream fashion of the time. Fashionable womenswear was characterized by volume and adornments such as bows, sashes, and pleats. Elsie’s dress incorporates some of these details, but doesn’t match the fullness and grandeur of popular styles of the time. However, her ensemble doesn’t completely match with fashionable childrenswear either since it has much more length and maturity than the outfit of a little girl. Her ensemble closely mimics elements of the dress reform movement, which opted for looser silhouettes and sashes instead of corsets. Click the link at the bio to learn more!

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In the 1770s, menswear began to shift towards simp

In the 1770s, menswear began to shift towards simplicity and understatement in both color palette and fabrication. Darker colors and little to no trimmings were preferred, and became the norm for men’s fashion during the time. However, the macaronis were a subgroup of young British men during this time who went against the simplistic fashion norms, and instead dressed in lavish, eye-catching attire. Specifically, the macaronis were aristocratic Englishmen who adopted and exaggerated the more colorful styles worn by the Continental elite. They seem to have gotten their name from an Italian dish they had tasted while on their Grand Tour. The Grand Tour became a rite of passage for young men, and consisted of a couple years traveling Europe, with Italy as a key destination. Macaronis typically wore high collars and more tight-fitting ensembles than that of typical menswear of the time. A perfect example of classic macaroni style can be seen with this 1770 bright-green, 3-piece suit. Among the macaronis, it was very stylish for elements of the suit to be mismatched, color-wise. This set themselves apart from typical menswear of the time because all parts of men’s suits were dyed to match. A macaroni’s suit was also frequently embellished with heavy decoration. This specific example features metallic passementerie and sequins. Another defining characteristic of this subgroup was their hair. The macaronis preferred to wear extravagant powdered wigs, which were constantly made fun of by mainstream fashion. As a whole, the macaronis preferred bright, exuberant fashion and decorations such as flowers, embroidery, and lace collar ruffles; however, during this time they were heavily ridiculed for not following typical menswear styles. Read more about the macaronis and 1770s fashion in the link at the bio!

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Artist Raimundo de Madrazo y Garetta was a Spanish

Artist Raimundo de Madrazo y Garetta was a Spanish realist and impressionist painter famous for his portraits of women painted in a traditional style while placing the subjects in risqué situations. The artist created several paintings of women either wearing or holding a mask as they are attending a costume ball therefore, their clothing doesn’t reflect 1870s high fashion. Masquerade clothing for the late 19th century was famous for representing animals, objects, and nature themes including plants and astronomical phenomena. Similarly, fancy dress took inspiration from fairy tales or previous eras. The ball the guests attend in the painting would’ve been held for the upper echelon of the society and were elaborate celebrations; while male guests were likely aristocratic, women of different classes could be in attendance given the pretext of masquerade. The dress of the woman on the right is inspired by the Commedia dell’arte Pierrot character from the 16th-18th century, a popular choice for costume. She wears a fitted evening bodice with a wide neckline and off-the-shoulder sleeves decorated with pale pink, round pom-poms. Still, her dress is made in the fashionable silhouette of the 1870s although much shorter. Both the cape and shoes of the woman represent the artist's interest in Rococo style. The use of a blue lining for the cape is representative of Victorian trends as well as the toe and heel shape of the shoes she wears. Madrazo’s representation of the ‘Pierrette’ character is repeated again in an 1878 and an 1893 work. The man’s dress is a combination of 15th and 16th century German clothing with the styles of the late 19th century. His costume consists of a doublet, hat, breeches, striped hose, shoes, a belt and gloves; all done in the ‘particolored’ style in which garments are made of panels of contrasting colors. Other elements of his dress imply the artist's mixing of historical styles including the use of a belt at his waist, the use of the duckbill shoe made in the style of Victorian dress shoes, and his 15th-century inspired hanging sleeves. Read more at the link in the bio!
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This late 19th century silk and lace evening dress

This late 19th century silk and lace evening dress was designed by Jean-Philippe Worth for the House of Worth. The bodice of the dress is made with a lace-edged box-shaped neckline with a silk waistband at the waist. The dress features an under layer with lacing at the front of the garment in order to give the look the tight fit that was popular at the time. Additionally, the outer layer of the dress features additional boning in order to provide more structure to the bodice. The dress features three-quarter length sleeves with folded and gathered fabric as well as a lace trim at the bottom. The 1887 dress features a bustle with large amounts of fabric gathered at the back in order to create more width. A bow is used at the center back of the dress by which the gatherers of the fabric fall gracefully down into a small train. The beige lace used in the front neckline of the garment ends in a v-shape at the center back. A beige-pink silk is used to fabricate the dress and is printed with a leaf-like design. The lace featured on the details of the dress is a lighter shade of beige, as is the silk used to adorn the shoulders and to tie the waist. The use of both silk and lace is typical for the period, as both fabrics were considered to be usual for women’s dress. The ‘suede coloring’ of the dress was considered one of the most popular color schemes for the year of 1887 according to the fashion press. Draped lace across the skirt of the dress was another popular technique for dresses at the time. In terms of the silhouette, the dress appropriately features a small corseted waist with the wide bustle of the 1880s. Jean-Phillipe Worth, as the son of Charles-Frederick Worth, follows his father’s techniques and styles in order to craft the dress for the house. Read more at the link in the bio!

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Lurex is a decorative metallic fiber and yarn made

Lurex is a decorative metallic fiber and yarn made out of an aluminium-coated plastic. When woven into fabrics, lurex provides a metallic effect that helps to imitate more expensive materials woven with gold or silver thread. As such Lurex provided an economical option for women who still wanted the sheen and glimmer of such opulent fabrics. Unsurprisingly, lurex was well known for its use in both eveningwear and disco-wear. Lurex is most commonly associated with a silver or gold look but in reality, the material can be made in any color. The name ‘lurex’ was trademarked by the American Dow Badische Company used from the 1940s onward. Lurex could be woven or knitted with other fibers including cotton, nylon, rayon, and silk or wool. Despite the material’s creation in the 1940s, lurex experienced its heyday in the 70s and is still used today. ‘Lurex’ refers to both the fiber and the fabric that it eventually made. Despite the fact that the title given to the fiber is trademarked, ‘lurex’ is often used to describe similar treatments of fiber not made just by the company of origin. Due to the material’s shimmery nature, it was also particularly popular during the 1960s for space-age designers who wanted to emulate the looks of the future, often using new and experimental techniques and technologies. The film ‘Saturday Night Fever’ from 1977 increased the popular demand for sparkly Lurex disco dresses and bell bottoms made of the material. By the 80s, lurex was used in more than just disco and evening dresses, having been incorporated into sportswear in order to add a touch of elegance to everyday wear. 1970s revivalism in the middle of the 1990s led to an additional resurgence in the use of lurex on the catwalk, also being used to add a glimmer to swimwear for some of the biggest names in the industry including Gucci, Armani, and Hermès. Read more at the link in the bio!
#fashionhistory #textilehistory #20thcenturyfashion

This 1863 French silk day dress has a fairly simpl

This 1863 French silk day dress has a fairly simple and standard silhouette for the period; however the embroidery and cornflower blue color make it extremely fashionable. The bodice is a high-neck, double-pointed jacket with pagoda sleeves, and intricate, beaded black buttons. Jackets with skirts became widespread in the late 19th century because of their versatility and affordability. A popular silhouette called the “Postillion” shares many of the same features as this bodice, including the double-pointed waistline. The wide sleeves feature two rows of black floral cording along the dropped shoulder and sleeve hem. The skirt is full, and adorned with black and white floral embroidery motifs, and a black ribbon trim peeking out from under the hem. Two sash tails decorated with cording and beaded flowers emerge from the back waistline of the dress, which was a very popular adornment during this period. Sashes during this time came in many variations; most were tied into knots or bows, or simply attached straight down the back like this ensemble. Underneath, the skirt has a full crinoline, giving a perfect bell shape. There is a slight emphasis in volume towards the rear, hinting at the bustled silhouettes of the following period. This day dress proves to have been very fashionable because during the 1860s, simple silhouettes mixed with embellishments and vivid colors were quite popular. Read more at the link in the bio!

#fashionhistory #digitalhumanities #19thcenturyfashion

Gabrielle Chanel’s 1938 red silk velvet suit rep

Gabrielle Chanel’s 1938 red silk velvet suit represents a vibrant departure from her usual designs, but still followed the high fashion trends of the time. The ensemble features a jacket fit tight at the waistline with a skirt that falls just below the knee, which made the suit very fashionable for the late 1930s. However, the high, tight collar and white ruffles at the neckline and cuffs set the suit apart from typical styles of the time, and served to add a touch of history. The suit also has striking gold buttons in the center of the blazer and sleeves. Velvet was extremely fashionable in the 30s, but proved to be a departure from Chanel’s typical fabrications as she liked to use wool jersey and woven tweeds. Even though this red silk velvet differed from her normal designs, this suit still strikes viewers as a Chanel design because of its clean, simple cut that she was known for. Practicality was always her guiding element, which led her to create designs exemplifying ease and comfort. Chanel didn’t favor striking colors for her suits; however, this ensemble was a special order for Diana Vreeland, who was known for her colorful fashion choices. The suit was modeled after an identical one in black, but was designed in red to fit Vreeland’s vibrant style. This ensemble closely resembles the work of more surrealist designers of the time such as Elsa Schiaparelli. Schiaparelli was known for playing with unusual shapes and forms; however, Chanel’s special touches came in the forms of fabric texture, buttons, and neckline adornments. This red velvet suit, along with Chanel’s other designs during this time proved to be very on trend, all while keeping true to her clean, simple look. Read more at the link in the bio!

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A xicolli is a sleeveless vest typically embellish

A xicolli is a sleeveless vest typically embellished with fringe that comes in various lengths worn by priests and high rank warriors in ancient Mesoamerican cultures. During important ceremonies, priests were required to wear a xicolli in order to impersonate specific male deities. In addition to fringe, the xicolli can also be adorned with sacred designs depending upon which deity a priest was trying to represent. However, a xicolli could also be unadorned, most likely for warriors who do not want the fringe to get in the way during a battle. These garments were typically open in the front, and could be tied closed with a ribbon. Many different Mesoamerican cultures adopted the xicolli such as the Aztects and the Mayans. In all instances of its use, the xicolli was only worn by high class men, and limited to ritual and official purposes only. There are many surviving representations of these sacred garments including statuettes, sculptures, and even illuminated manuscripts. At Teotihuacán, depictions of the xicolli appear on wall murals and ceramic vessels, worn by lavishly dressed males. Xicolli were worn for centuries for important ceremonies, and represented status in many Mesoamerican cultures before the Spanish invasion. Read more about our newly published article at the link in the bio!

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Elsa Schiaparelli’s 1938 ‘Skeleton Dress’ is

Elsa Schiaparelli’s 1938 ‘Skeleton Dress’ is a floor-length black body-hugging evening gown made of silk crêpe. Most interestingly, the dress features quilting that resembles large bones including the rib cage, vertebrae, hip, and leg bones. The actual structure for the skeletal element is made using exaggerated trapunto quilting involving cotton wadding to give a three-dimensional effect. Schiaparelli was famous for her collaborations with various Surrealist visual artists and she even considered herself to be a Surrealist in her work. The skeleton dress was a part of the designers Le Cirque collection inspired by the circus, featuring many whimsical and light-hearted circus-themed elements. Salvador Dalí, a close friend of Schiaparelli, collaborated with the designer on this piece by giving her a drawing of a woman in a sheer, body-hugging dress but with her rib cage and hip bones exposed. Schiaparelli also famously collaborated with Dalí in her well-known lobster and tear dresses. The 1938 evening gown is emblematic of Schiaparelli’s work because it is avant-garde yet also classic in its silhouette. Besides the three-dimensional skeletal elements, the broad shoulders and skin-hugging, full-length look was considered popular for the decade. The pencil silhouette fitted with additions and embellishments is a look that became associated with the designer. Additionally, the skeleton dress represents how Schiaparelli got her start; sportswear. Schiaparelli designed the skeleton dress with mobility, comfort, and practicality in mind despite the surrealist theme. Schiaparelli’s avant-garde fashions continue to inspire contemporary designers including Alexander McQueen and the current iteration of the Schiaparelli couture house. Schiaparelli’s 2020 Spring/Summer haute couture collection was envisioned as a tribute to the trailblazing 1930s gown. Read more about Schiaparelli and her work at the link in the bio!

#fashionhistory #digitalhumanities #20thcenturyfashion

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