The Rich History of Renaissance Clothing

During the Renaissance, the wealthier and more prosperous members of a city, town or region often wore elaborate and highly-decorated renaissance clothing that was hand crafted from a variety of rich and expensive fabrics and finishes. In fact, the richer a family was the more expensive and ornate their Renaissance clothing was, as this was one of the primary ways of indicating stature and wealth during the Renaissance period (from the 14th to the middle of the seventeenth century).

The Rich History of Renaissance Clothing

The Rich History of Renaissance Clothing

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The Rich History of Renaissance Clothing

The Rich History of Renaissance Clothing

Interestingly enough, as there was little opportunity for financial investment, the Renaissance clothing of the ruling classes was not only seen as indication of wealth, but a form of investment. If a family were to require money in the future, the clothing could be resold.The fabrics that the wealthy and their designers favored during the Renaissance were fabrics that were the hardest to produce and therefore the most expensive and exclusive. This included cotton, velvet, silk and brocade. At the time, each of these was labor intensive and/or produced a great distance away from Western Europe, such as in Egypt for cotton. Rich finishes such as ribbons, seed pearls and golden / silver thread were also liberally embroidered on the Renaissance clothing of the day.

During the period Renaissance clothing for women ebbed and flowed from simpler pieces, such as underskirts, bodices and robes, to more complex clothing that included skirts, underskirts, bodices, over-bodices, hoops and collars. Men's Renaissance clothing on the other hand, was often designed to accentuate the body shape, providing them with a more rounded look (along the lines of a barrel). Made out of the same rich colors and fabrics, their renaissance clothing often included padded shoulders and breeches, as well as hats, embellished with the same embroidery and fancy finishes that completed the Renaissance clothing of women.

The Rich History of Renaissance Clothing

Fluro Clothing & Neon Clothing - 80s Fashion Or Fancy Dress?

Fluro Clothing & Neon Clothing - 80s Fashion Or Fancy Dress?

Fluro clothing or neon clothing, depending where you are from, is certainly coming back in fashion.

Fluro Clothing & Neon Clothing - 80s Fashion Or Fancy Dress?

Fluro Clothing & Neon Clothing - 80s Fashion Or Fancy Dress?

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Fluro Clothing & Neon Clothing - 80s Fashion Or Fancy Dress?

Fluro Clothing & Neon Clothing - 80s Fashion Or Fancy Dress?

This means article isn't just about 80s fancy dress, however, I am guessing that there will be some people who keep fluro clothing as an 80s costume idea, only!

Neon clothing is so much fun, and is really awesome to wear under the black lights in raves, nightclubs and discos.

I read comments by a social commentator somewhere, that fluro clothing is becoming popular, as we are looking for ways to just have fun and be a bit crazy, in these times of financial hardship with the global financial crisis. Sounds good to me!

So the fact that fluro is returning to the fashion table, and the fact that neon yellow and fluro orange are associated with safety high vis clothing, means you should be able to easily find neon clothing items to wear.

Just walk through your local shopping centre. I don't reckon you will find too much in the second hand op shops or charity stores, except maybe work related high vis clothing.

On this note, Bonds clothing sell fluro yellow trucker chesty singlets in packs of 3. I see these on people when they go to the cricket, or sport, and dress up.

To me, fluro clothing started to become very big in 1984, about the same time that the Madonna look, was also very popular. This is also when George Michael from Wham, released "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go!", in all of it's fluro neon fashion glory!

Roller skating was also massive, so we loved wearing white and fluro, under the black disco lights.

80s tee shirts predominantly were white, and had a cute 80s designed picture on the front, with the colours high lighted in fluro.

How to wear your fluro socks

My all time favourite with fluro though, were the fluro socks. You had to buy every colour. Cyan bright blue, lime green, yellow, hot pink and orange.

To wear them to their best, and, just because you could, wear two pairs over the top of each other, and pull them up.

Then, roll down the top sock on each leg. Now, roll down the second sock on each leg.

Do not be too concerned with making sure the colours match.

They can all mismatch if you want. this meant it didn't matter if you couldn't find a matching pair in the washing.

You could be tricky, with say, fluro pink / fluro green on one side, and fluro green / fluro pink the other.

So when you look at someone, the colours would match adjacently, not identical.

Fluro Clothing & Neon Clothing - 80s Fashion Or Fancy Dress?