Renaissance Fashion

I will now look at the clothing fashion used by the men in the Italian Renaissance, as this will help me imagine and concept how my hero, Aquaman, could possibly look during the 1400's. This will also help me when it comes to the modelling part of my project, it will allow me to understand how the flows and creases worked in the clothes and the style of texture that I could look at.

At the beginning of the 15th Century the men wore full and gathered or puffed sleeves, which gave considerable gracefulness to the upper part of the body, which was then discarded in the time of Louis XI. In the end  of the 15th century, the men's renaissance fashion imposed a short and ornamental mantle, which was a broad brimmed hat covered with feathers, and trunk hose, the ample dimensions of which earned for them the name of trousses.

In the 16th Century men's fashion changed and adopted clothes closely fitting to the body, with overcoats having tight sleeves, felt hats having with more or less wide birms, an closed shoes or boots. These Renaissance fashion garments, which differ altogether from those of antiquity, constitute the common type from which have since arisen the endless varieties of male dress.

Also in the 16th Century men wore coats that had a tight trunk fit but round the waist was puffed out, they wore a cloak only reaching down to their hips and was always much of an ornament. They carried a smooth or ribbed cap on one side of the head and a small upright collar adorned the coat, this collar was replaced after the 16th century.

Men in the Renaissance period wore four essential pieces of clothing. First, was the camicia or shirt. It was worn close to the skin as an undergarment. Tortora and Eubank (1989) stated that for upper-class men the camicia was made of silk or soft fine linens. The camicia was never worn alone, for that only symbolized a working man. Baines (1981) observed that lower-class men's camicias were made of heavy coarse linen. A gusset was inserted in the camicia to make it stronger and roomier. From 1440-1500 the camicia was very plain and never embroidered. Bucknell and Hill (1967) observed that throughout most of the 16th century the camicia had cuffs and had black on white Spanish-style embroidery.

 

Over the camicia was the doublet, which was a close fitted jacket worn with or without sleeves. A longer doublet was worn with a small skirt. Hale (1993) stated that doublets were worn only until the 16th century when the styles became fuller and less form fitting. The top of the doublet stood away from the neck to create a smoother more elegant look. Tortora and Eubank (1989) noted that doublets were very plain until about 1515, when contrasting fabrics were added.

The next piece of dress for the Renaissance man was the hose. Bucknell and Hill (1967) stated that the hose was attached to the doublet and seamed together at the crotch. Until the later part of the 15th century hose were worn by labour workers only. According to Hale (1965) the fabric was woven and worn tight to attain smoothness, yet hampering physical activity. Because of the controlled physical activity many painters show men with the laces of their hose untied and hanging in back.

The outer-most piece of clothing worn by common-men was the jacket. In the later part of the 15th century the jacket was worn over the shoulders and chest then falling in full pleats and belted at the waist. An alternative style was a huke-like jacket. Tortora and Eubank (1989) reported that early sleeves of jackets had puffs at the shoulders which tapered at wrists. In the middle part of the 16th century the sleeves of the jackets were worn severely tight and tended to cause loss of circulation. Sleeve attachments were worn purely for decoration. Tortora and Eubank (1989) reported that hanging sleeves were generally non-functional and attached to the jacket. An extra layer worn by lawyers and high political officials only, was a ceremonial robe. Hale (1965) stated that for outdoor weather a fur jacket was worn over the jacket and/or the ceremonial rob. Because of the stiff and tight clothing worn by the men of the early Renaissance period, movement was restrictive and mechanical. By the turn of the 16th century the movement became more natural with removal of padding from jackets. Lesley (1968) observed that yet another thirty years later movement was once again so restricted that it caused men to walk with their hands and arms out in front of the body with their feet turned out. The end of the Renaissance, though, brought a natural movement back again.

 

Footwear was a big part of the men's fashion. Bucknell and Hill (1967) reported that in the beginning of the Renaissance Period the shoes were long, pointed, and generally worn for indoor use only. Leather clogs with wooden soles were worn for outdoor weather. Aston (1968) stated that in 1485 shoes became less pointed and more rounded. Most were calf length, form-fitting, and laced up the sides. At the turn of the century men's shoes became broader or duck billed with ribbons tied across the top of the foot. Baines (1981) stated that toward the end of the period the footwear became more natural and slipper-like (p.176). Shoe-makers used slashing and pricking to give the shoe a better fit. Tortora and Eubank (1989) reported that at the end of the Renaissance Period the most popular mode of footwear was the footed hose.

Hats, hair styles, and accessories were the last essential pieces that finished off the man's costume. At the beginning of the Renaissance Period younger men wore their hair long from ears to shoulders, while older men wore their hair shorter and sometimes shaved. Aston (1968) stated that along with the hair styles, the early Renaissance brought turban-like hats that were worn with a white coif beneath. As well as hair styles and hats, accessories were a big part of the early Renaissance Period. Eubank and Tortora (1989) reported that men of the early Renaissance wore narrow belts, carried small purses and daggers. They wore finger rings on the joints of their first and second fingers only.

In the middle Renaissance, men started to wear cleanly shaved beards and moustaches, something never seen in the Renaissance before. Turban-like hats were replaced with beret-like crowns with upturned brims. The berets were made with thick cloth, felt, beaver, or velvet. As an accessory, the men in the middle Renaissance carried walking sticks with their berets resting on top. Hair styles of the late Renaissance Period were very short, even for young men. Hair below the chin was rarely or never seen. The hats of the late Renaissance Period were very elaborate. it was reported that black caps were worn with ostrich feathers, brooches, and jewels. As an accessory men of the late Renaissance Period wore huge jewelled rings over gauntlet gloves.

Lesley, P. (1968). Renaissance jewels and jewelled objects. Baltimore: Baltimore Museum of Art.

http://www.richeast.org/htwm/renf/ren.html 

http://www.renaissance-spell.com/Renaissance-Fashion.html

http://aneafiles.webs.com/renaissancegallery/extantmen.html