| In today's modern world, nobody would have grown up | | | | continued to spread throughout Europe during the |
| without ever owning a pair of the blue jeans. Pair up | | | | Middle Ages. It was usually worn over underclothes, |
| your blue jeans with a designer blouse for the | | | | which for men, basically consisted of drawers or |
| glamorous look or with a t-shirt for an everyday | | | | ankle-length pants, undershirts and hose. |
| get-up. In the medieval times, they also have this stable, | | | | On the other hand, the ladies wore "kirtles" or tunics |
| basic get-up which they could either dress up or down | | | | worn up to the ankles. These tunics were worn after |
| - and this is the tunic, which is the most basic medieval | | | | the undershirts. When they went out of their homes, |
| costume. | | | | the ladies wore a more elaborate and shorter kirtle |
| This legendary medieval costume, the tunic, derived its | | | | over their tunics. This is truly an interesting fashion era |
| name from the Latin word "tunica" worn in the ancient | | | | that will have present day designers a field day with all |
| Rome. The Romans however, originally got the idea of | | | | the tunics that they have to create. All women had to |
| this outfit form the earlier Greek costumes. In today's | | | | wear at least one tunic. The downside of this is of |
| terminology, the tunic is your big baggy t-shirt. | | | | course the weight of all these layers of medieval |
| The original tunics worn by the Romans soldiers were | | | | costume restricted women to move as fast and as |
| simply two pieces of identical rectangular cloth sewn | | | | carefree as women of today do. |
| together, but leaving provisions for the arms and the | | | | Tunics were usually made of wool and linen but the |
| head. Later, people learned to make tunics with | | | | aristocrats and those who can afford it had silk tunics |
| sleeves especially in the colder regions of Europe such | | | | or had it trimmed with silk. The tunic became the |
| as Britain and Germany where similar clothes were | | | | foundation clothing of people for the next hundreds of |
| already used by the locals. | | | | years, until they were replaced by the modern day |
| The style, design, simplicity or complexity of this | | | | clothing that we now have. |
| medieval costume indicated the social status of the | | | | Tunics in the early middle ages had embroidery. This |
| wearer in the Roman society. Let's just say that the | | | | was probably the precedent for the elaborately |
| more ornate your tunic is the higher is your social | | | | embroidered tunics used today by religious persons |
| status. People who led a more sedentary life had | | | | such as priests, clergies, monks, nun and the like during |
| longer tunics, while those who are doing manual labor | | | | religious rites such as the mass and similar events. |
| such as soldiers, slaves and horse-back riders had | | | | From the Middle Ages and onwards, the tunic has |
| their tunic just above the knee to give them freedom | | | | evolved into several variations of styles, lengths, width |
| of movement. For formal occasions, tunics were worn | | | | and fitness. Despite its evolution, one thing remains. This |
| under a toga. | | | | medieval costume never went out of style from the |
| Even after the fall of the Roman Empire, the popularity | | | | time it was discovered until now. |
| of the tunic as an everyday medieval costume | | | | |