I’ve lived in New England for a few years now and I only recently found out that every year a town in MA holds a Renaissance festival know as King Richard’s Faire. I’ve always been fascinated with ancient civilizations and cultures and sometimes feel like an old soul in a new world. One of the most interesting aspects about the old days is the fashion.
For example, during the renaissance period men wore elegant vests with wide padded shoulders, silk slacks, shiny black shoes and a wide hat to form a ‘square look’. Women's clothing went from three pieces (underskirt, bodice and robe) to one piece and then back to five or more pieces (skirt, underskirt, bodice, vest, hoop and collar). The clothing was made of rich fabrics such as silk and velvet; often used to express one’s status in society.
Obviously such clothing would be highly impractical to both sexes today but it made me wonder how much of an influence this era had on fashion and if there were any traces of it left today. The closest ‘renaissance-like’ item of clothing that I could find on our website was this Paisley Peasant top. What do you think?
By keNzo
