Sumptuary laws were a tool on the part of states to regulate not only manufacturing systems and moral economies via the medium of expenditure and consumption of clothing but also banquets, festivities and funerals. Leading scholars on Asian, Latin American, Ottoman and European history shed new light on how and why items of dress became key aspirational goods across society, how they were lobbied for and marketed, and whether or not sumptuary laws were implemented by cities, states and empires to restrict or channel trade and consumption.
Their findings reveal the significance of sumptuary laws in medieval and early modern societies as a site of contestation between individuals and states and how dress as an expression of identity developed as a modern 'human right'.
Full-text via DOI: ISBN: ; ; Not only were the fabrics expensive, but tailors charged hefty fees to design attractive outfits and fit them specifically to their clients to make them look good. Even the colors used indicated status: bolder, brighter dyes that didn't fade easily were more costly, too. It was expected of the lord of the manor or castle to throw great feasts on special occasions, and nobles vied with each other to see who could offer the most exotic and abundant foodstuffs.
Swans weren't particularly good eating, but no knight or lady wanting to impress would pass up the chance to serve one in all its feathers at their banquet, often with its beak gilded. And anyone who could afford to build or hold a castle could also afford to make it warm and welcoming, with opulent tapestries, colorful draperies, and plush furnishings.
These ostentatious displays of riches concerned the clergy and the more pious secular rulers. They believed that lavish spending wasn't good for the soul, especially keeping in mind Christ's warning, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. In times of economic upheaval such as the years during and following the Black Death , it sometimes became possible for the lower classes to acquire what was usually more costly clothing and fabrics.
When this happened, the upper classes found it offensive, and everyone else found it unsettling; how was anyone to know if the lady in the velvet gown was a countess, a wealthy merchant's wife, an upstart peasant or a prostitute?
So, in some countries and at various times, sumptuary laws were passed to limit conspicuous consumption. These laws addressed the excessive cost and reckless display of clothing, food, drink, and household furnishings. The idea was to limit wild spending by the richest of the rich, but sumptuary laws were also designed to keep the lower classes from blurring the lines of social distinction.
To this end, specific garments, fabrics and even certain colors became illegal for anyone but the nobility to wear. Sumptuary laws go back to ancient times. In Greece, such laws helped establish the reputation of the Spartans by forbidding them to attend drinking entertainments, own homes or furniture of elaborate construction, and possess silver or gold.
The Romans , whose Latin language gave us the term sumptus for excessive expenditure, were concerned with extravagant dining habits and lavish banquets.
They also passed laws addressing luxury in women's adornment, the fabric, and style of men's clothing, furniture, gladiatorial displays , the exchange of gifts and even funeral arrangements. And certain colors of clothing, such as purple, were restricted to the upper classes.
Although some of these laws were not specifically called "sumptuary," they nevertheless formed precedents for future sumptuary legislation. Early Christians had concerns over excessive expenditures, as well. Both men and women were admonished to dress plainly, in keeping with the humble ways of Jesus, carpenter and itinerant preacher.
God would be far more pleased if they garbed themselves in virtue and good works rather than silks and brightly-colored clothing. When the western Roman Empire began to falter , economic hardship reduced the impetus for passing sumptuary laws, and for quite some time the only regulations in effect in Europe were those established within the Christian Church for clergy and monastics. Charlemagne and his son Louis the Pious proved to be notable exceptions.
In , Charlemagne passed laws limiting the price of certain garments in the hopes of reigning in the extravagance of his court. When Louis succeeded him, he passed legislation forbidding the wearing of silk, silver, and gold. But these were only the exceptions. No other government concerned themselves with sumptuary laws until the s. With the strengthening of the European economy that developed in the High Middle Ages came the return of those excessive expenditures that concerned authorities.
The twelfth century, in which some scholars have seen a cultural renaissance, saw the passage of the first secular sumptuary law in over years: a limitation on the price of sable furs used to trim garments. This short-lived legislation, passed in Genoa in and dropped in , may seem insignificant, but it heralded a future trend that grew throughout 13th- and 14th-century Italy, France, and Spain. Most of the rest of Europe passed little to no sumptuary legislation until well into the 14th century, when the Black Death upset the status quo.
Of those countries that concerned themselves with their subjects' excesses, Italy was the most prolific in passing sumptuary laws. In cities such as Bologna, Lucca, Perugia, Siena, and most especially Florence and Venice, legislation was passed concerning virtually every aspect of daily life.
The foremost motive of these laws appears to be the restraint of excess. Parents could not dress their children in garments made of particularly costly fabric or adorned with precious gems. Brides were restricted in the number of rings they were allowed to accept as gifts on their wedding day.
And mourners were forbidden to engage in excessive displays of grief, wailing and going with their hair uncovered. New York: Greenwood, Original edition published in Types Sumptuary regulation is of two general types: prescriptive and proscriptive. Goals and Outcomes Personal liberty is never a factor in such legislation; however, actual statutes are written to address any of a number of sociocultural objectives deemed important by the issuing authority.
Parameters The desire for upward mobility may be both innate and unquenchable; however, much of sumptuary legislation is concerned with defining the degrees of rank and wealth that govern the wearing of metals, textiles, colors, decorative techniques, furs, and jewels.
Women As might be expected, the attention paid to women in sumptuary law varies with time and country, and does so in ways that reflect their place in society. Summary Collectively, sumptuary laws reflect a need for permanence that is shared by governments, religions, and smaller societal groups alike. Bibliography Baldwin, Frances Elizabeth. Great Britain. Statutes of the Realm. London: Reprint, London: Dawson, Internet Resource Geocities. Social Class and Clothing. Western Europe Folk Dress.
History of Mourning Dress. Jean Baudrillard. By Adrienne Warber. Impact on Fashion by Actors and Actresses.
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