Clothing
As an important marker of social
status in Byzantium,
dress depended on a host of factors, such as the financial standing of the
individual, occupation, age and gender.
Members of the
middle
and
lower
classes
generally
wore
linen or woolen clothes woven by women in the home.
These
were shorter in length than the attire of the upper class,
so
as to afford greater freedom of movement. The upper class dressed in long garments of expensive
materials (silk, linen). The clothing worn by the royal family was in a
category of its own, made of costly fabrics and richly decorated with
embroidery and precious stones.
The basic garment in Byzantine dress was the tunic; it
could be worn by both sexes, and was combined with other types of clothing such
as trousers, cloaks and overcoats. Men usually wore a short tunic, long knitted
socks, a cloak or heavy coat and a cap, while women preferred long, broad, long-sleeved
tunics together with shawls, scarves and headdresses, in accordance with
prevailing etiquette.
Byzantine garments were classified
as first, second or third rate, the best being worn on special occasions and
celebrations. More generally, clothes of the time were noted for their rich,
brilliant colors and the variety of patterns employed. Colour was the main means
of distinguishing rank, as was the case with the purple garments worn exclusively by the emperor.
Although
Byzantine
fashion
evolved
rather
slowly, a
significant
change
in
male dress was seen in
the 11th
century. Clothes became closer fitting; when combined
with the widespread use of buttons and the
appearance
of
new
features
such
as
hats
and
men’s
jackets,
this
reveals that Western features had
entered Byzantine fashion.
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