Costumes of the Medieval Period 

Dark Ages or the the early medieval period (476-800) of Western European history lasted from 5^th to 10^th century. There was a decline of the Western Roman Empire in the early middle ages. There was population decline, people starved for food, decline of trade etc. The powerful warrior Alaric captured Rome and filled the city with blood, dead bodies and fire. He was looking for powder, plunder and food. They were desperate to win because if they did not win, they starve to death. People were starving.

Small pox and Measles entered the European population for the first time during 2^nd or 3^rd century. Dark Ages was that time of Rome where there was no emperor, the next 7 centuries was a age of wide spread violence, illiteracy, disease and superstition. City life withered. Scale of life got smaller and it became even worse. People were in darkness in gloom.

People dressed differently. The people who invaded usually wore short tunics with belts and visible trousers, hose or leggings. The romanised population and the church used to wear longer tunics coming below the knee, often to the ankle. We have a little information about the clothing of the people at that time because the wealthy were buried with clothing.

Male Clothing:

The main garment used was the tunic. Mostly it was a long fabric folded over with a neck-hole cut into the fold, and sleeves attached. It was also belted with a leather or a strong fabric belt. The trousers depended on the climate, whether they should be stitched tight or loose or no trouser at all in hot weather. During the winter season “cappa” or chaperon, a one-piece hood and cape over the shoulders was worn and the roman straw hat for summer fieldwork. Shoes was a thing of the wealthy people. Generaly the poor did not wear shoes and used to remain bare foot.

Female Clothing:

Even for the females the main garment was the tunic. A simple sleeved tunic dress with a vertical slit. For the woman of an age to breast-feed, the slit was generaly laced at the bodice. For the wealthy upper class females the borders and hems might be decorated with embroidery. Leggings were worn underneath depending on the weather. Sometimes an under-tunic might be worn, and cloaks and mantles for outside wear. Married women had to cover their hair in public with a loose shoulder cape.

Both men and women could decorate or beautify their tunics by adding different bands. Then bands could be embroidered, or with colourful borders or woven, etc. Since most of the people during the Dark Ages in Rome had low living standards, their clothes were mostly home made, cloth made at a village level, and very simply cut. The wealthy people also used to have nice jewellery mostly brooches, buckles, purses, necklaces, bracelets,etc.