Description

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From the costly velvets and furs worn by kings to the undyed wools and rough linens of the peasantry, the clothing worn by the various classes in the Middle Ages played an integral role in medieval society. In addition to providing clues to status, profession, and/or geographic origin, textiles were a crucial element in the economies of many countries and cities.
 
Much of what is known about medieval fashion is gleaned from the pages of manuscripts, which serve as a rich source of imagery. This volume provides a detailed look at both the actual fabrics and composition of medieval clothing as well as the period’s attitude toward fashion through an exploration of illuminated manuscripts in the collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum. The last portion of the book is dedicated to the depiction of clothing in biblical times and the ancient world as seen through a medieval lens. Throughout, excerpts from literary sources of the period help shed light on the perceived role and function of fashion in daily life.
 

About the Author

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Margaret Scott is the former head of the History of Dress Department at the Courtauld Institute of Art, London, and a world-renowned authority on medieval clothing.
 
 

Praise For…

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“Margaret Scott’s beautiful volume Fashion in the Middle Ages . . . could almost be read as a guidebook for what to wear to one’s next medieval-inspired outing . . .“
 
— Times Literary Supplement

“The illustrations are of a brilliant precision with lovely reproduced colours and the text is as illuminating as you can expect from such an expert as Margaret Scott.”
— The Journal of Dress History