Fashion from the Middle Ages (around the 5th to late 15th century) gives us a great look into how people lived and how society was organized back then. Clothes weren't just for keeping warm; they showed a person’s social rank, wealth, and group membership.

1. Layers and Fabrics:

• Rich people wore fancy fabrics like silk, brocade, and velvet.
• In contrast, ordinary people had to wear rough wool and linen.
• In 14th-century England, a law said only the royal family could wear cloth made of gold. This shows how special high-status clothing was.

2. Colors and Styles:

• Bright colors were mainly for the wealthy because they cost a lot and took time to make.
• For example, purple was a royal color because the dye from certain sea creatures was super expensive, costing about $3500 to$4000 per pound!
• Paintings from that time often show rich people dressed in fancy layered outfits, while peasants wore simpler tunics.

3. Accessories and Footwear:

• Items like fancy hats, jewelry, and shoes also showed how high someone’s social standing was.
• There were laws that said who could wear certain accessories.
• Art from the Late Middle Ages often shows rich people with beautiful jewelry, while average peasants might only own one or two simple pieces.

4. Gender Roles:

• Both men and women showed their status through their clothing. Wealthy women wore tight gowns, and men wore decorated tunics.
• The styles for each gender reflected their roles in society. For example, women’s clothes usually focused on modesty and elegance, as seen in many artworks from that time.

In summary, looking at art from the Middle Ages shows that fashion was closely connected to social status. Clothes were a clear sign of where someone stood in a strict social system.