ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

1400–1500 in European fashion

Well, imagine you traveled back in time to a place called Europe around the years 1400 to 1500. People dressed differently back then, and they had a few key things they liked to wear.

First of all, men usually wore something called a tunic. This was a long shirt that went all the way down to their knees, and it had sleeves that went down to their wrists. Sometimes they wore something on top of the tunic called a doublet, which was like a vest with sleeves. They also liked to wear something called hose, which were like tight pants that went all the way down to their ankles.

Women also wore tunics, but they had a fancier version called a gown. These gowns had long sleeves and went all the way down to the ground. They could be made out of fancy fabrics like silk or velvet. Women also wore something called a kirtle, which was like a separate dress that went under the gown.

Both men and women liked to wear hats. Men often wore something called a beret, which is a round hat that sits on top of their head. Women wore something called a hennin, which was a tall, cone-shaped hat that sat on top of their heads.

Now, imagine that all of these clothes were made in very fancy ways. They might have lots of embroidery or beading on them, which made them look really special. The colors used were often very rich, like deep blues or purples.

Overall, the fashion in Europe during this time was very formal and very fancy. People liked to dress up in their best clothes, and they liked to show off how much money they had by wearing expensive fabrics and decorations.