Sumptuary Laws And Social Hierarchy Video Lecture - Class 8

it is said that clothes speak volumes
about a person's personality and taste
however in medieval Europe dress codes
were imposed upon different classes of
people of the society their clothing
styles were strictly regulated by class
gender or status in the social hierarchy
from 1294 to the time of the French
Revolution in 1789 there existed laws
that was strictly followed by the French
these laws were known as the sanctuary
laws these laws put restrictions on the
lower classes of society they prevented
them from wearing certain clothes
consuming certain foods and alcohol and
hunting in certain areas strangely in
medieval France the number of clothes
that a person could buy in a year was
also regulated regulation was based not
only on a person's income but also his
social rank
even the fabrics that people could use
for clothing was governed by law
only the royal class wore expensive
material like her mind for silk velvet
and brocade which reflected aristocracy
while the lower classes were forced to
wear clothes made from cheap materials
however with the French Revolution
these existing dress codes began to
vanish members of the Jacobin clubs
proudly called themselves sand coyotes
meaning without knee breeches
they won't loose and comfortable clothes
that distinguish them from the men
belonging to higher classes and royal
families who bought knee breeches
the colors of the French national flag
blue white and red were a common
favorite to express their feeling of
patriotism
other political symbols to became a part
of their dresses
some of these symbols included the red
cap of Liberty also known as the
Phrygian cap long trousers and the
revolutionary Kincaid pinned onto a hat
people now wore simple clothes to
express their idea of equality
the French Revolution helped get rid of
the restrictions of the sanctuary laws
that had reinforced social hierarchies
you