ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

English medieval clothing

In the olden days, when knights and castles were around, people used to wear clothes that were very different from what we wear today. English medieval clothing was typically made of wool, linen or silk and consisted of a tunic, hose, and shoes.

A tunic looked like a long shirt and was made of a simple fabric. They were often colorful and some had patterns on them. These tunics were worn by both men and women. Men’s tunics were usually made longer than women’s tunics, and they were often worn with a belt around the waist.

Hose is another word for pants. Unlike the pants we wear today, the medieval hose was made of two separate pieces - one for each leg. These were made to match the tunic as a set. They were held up with a string tied around the waist and were often made of wool or linen.

People also wore shoes, but they didn’t always cover their whole foot. Some shoes looked like sandals, while others were more like slippers or boots. They were often made of leather, and some had buckles or clasps to keep them in place.

Commoners typically wore clothes made of simple fabrics, like wool, while rich people wore clothes made of more expensive fabrics, such as silk. The more ornate and colorful someone’s clothes were, the wealthier they were thought to be.

Overall, English medieval clothing was designed to be practical and comfortable. It kept people warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and allowed them to move around freely to work or fight if needed.