Do you ever feel drawn to the whimsical? Possibly you’ve felt the desire to escape to another timeline, one in which the belief of mythical creatures still exists, their presence hidden behind trees within magical forests. Maybe you harbour a longing for a simpler time, one in which long velvet gowns are worn with intricately soldered headpieces adorning long, free flowing hair. If you have, the current revival of medieval fashion may be a place for you to express this longing, with its emphasis on the reestablishment of the perceived romantic nature of the mid-century.
That’s right my fanciful friends, we are currently undergoing a medieval revival. Similarly to the Victorian era and the psychedelic sixties, medieval fashion has made a comeback, with rich velvet and silken fabrics reminding us of a forgotten era of opulence and grandeur. Chainmail, studs and metal adornments hint to a time of knightly ensemble, while the frills, lace, and muted colours of the forest encapsulate the romanticism of this pre industrialised period.
The revival does not focus on historical accuracy, but rather, the whimsy surreal feelings of nostalgia evoked when looking back at the medieval period. Within the sixties and seventies, political turmoil saw the rise in a desire to escape to a simpler time, with its seamless blending of psychedelic culture andmid-century fashion. Think crushed velvet miniskirtsembellished with intricate gold embroidery, lacey corsets wound tightly, bold patterns on bellbottomed sleeves, chunky jewellery with medieval embellishments.
The rise of the revival of the medieval resurfaced in the sixties alongside both the Civil Rights movement and the second wave of feminist thinking. Within the feminist movement, the rise in popularity of the mini skirt as a means to embrace femininity, acted as active rebellion to the sexist notion of shorter length attires as vulgar or indecent. Within this time, many black women were seen alongside white women sporting the mini skirt as a reclaimed symbol of feminine freedom and rebellion. Not only did this subvert the notion that women ought to be modestly dressed, but women of colour found a new way to express their femininity in a world that so often masculinises them.
Similarly, as a result of political and social unrest, according to medieval author Stephen Fleigal, the Victorian age harboured a desire to return to a time that possessed romantic notions of chivalry and honour, as well as a feudal order and monastic institutions. This was in direct rebellion to the Victorian notions of what Freigal describes as ‘problems of social order, industrialisation, poverty and crisis in faith.’
Fashion has evidently been used throughout history as a means to either demonstrate a lack of satisfaction with, or escape from, social problems of the time. I wonder then, why medieval or mid-century fashion is influencing our culture today? Within Dr. Abeena L. Mhoon’s article Dressing for Freedom, she poses that in the sixties, those who sported the mini skirt, or rightfully wore their hair in its natural state unashamedly, were typically younger activists who felt freer, and cared less about how others may perceive them. Does this resonate today, in our world where sharp, colourless silhouettes are the standard for capitalistic success?
In order to dress in a medieval/ mid-century style, one could obviously find pieces akin to sixties fashion on websites such as AliExpress or Shein. However, I might argue the appeal of the revival stems from the individual becoming a unique model for eclectic layering, bizarre shapes and silhouettes, and possessing a quality almost otherworldly: these are elements you arguably cannot succeed in possessing while wearing fast fashion – you have to shop second hand, or vintage. This revival is ultimately moving buyers away from shops which churn out clothes based on micro trends daily, and instead, its leading them towards more sustainable fashion.
In a world of capitalism and subsequent fast fashion, perhaps the growing popular desire to dress in a way emblematic of a pre industrialised period, is a subconscious desire to thwart these damaging social conventions, which ultimately strip the individual of their individuality. Perhaps we are longing, through fashion, for a time of pre industrialisation, where clothes were symbols of the self, rather than adhering to a dress policy designed to further a capitalistic regime which strips individuals of their uniqueness. Or, maybe, we just love the idea of fantasy and dressing like princesses. Maybe it’s a combination of the two.
Alas, what better way is there to rebel against social convention than to dress like a fairy destined for knighthood.
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