The grandeur of medieval costumes has always been a fascination and a favorite at costume parties. These costumes have been a favorite among children and adults alike as they provide a sense of grace and elegance which is sorely missing in modern fashion.
Medieval history began in 476 AD with the fall of Western Europe. The progress in clothing from classical to medieval was gradual. The Eastern Empire, which was later known as Byzantine by the West continued to rule for another thousand years, with both men and women from the upper class wearing tunics as their basic garment. Byzantine dresses included longs hems and sleeves and covered more of the body than earlier roman costumes. This is generally regarded as a reaction to the Christian view that the body was not beautiful, but a pit of vice. Western invasion brought trousers, hoods and fitted. Men wore short tunics with trousers to encase the lower limbs which were adopted from the roman army and lower classes of society. Emperors and other high officials wore toga in vestigial form as a 6”long thin strip wrapped round the torso. The men at court wore long half circle capes over the long sleeved tunica, worn in place of the old toga.
A notable feature of dresses of the Eastern Empire was its surface decoration which was not left undecorated like the earlier period. The dresses were embroidered, woven and beaded with surface embellishment, especially on court dresses and church vestments. This style of beautifying garments survives to this day in priestly vestments of Orthodox churches in Russia, Greece and Eastern Europe. Women wore clothes similar to those of men, which consisted of a simple long tunic with a tight fitting sleeved beneath. Ladies at the court wore long tunics with a super tunic worn over it hitched by a girdle to show the tunic’s beneath. The super tunic was broadened at the sleeves, neck and hem. A cloak fastened below the chin in front was worn with a cloth veil to conceal the hair. Married women, except the queens generally veiled their hair.
Even though these costumes were worn centuries ago, medieval clothing has not lost its charm. With the growing popularity of vintage designs and the fascination with medieval culture, more and more medieval influences are making their way into modern designs. | 
