Question about medieval peasant head gear?

[belfpala]

Because shirts were invented before elastic fibers. You had to get the thing over your head but have a reasonable sized neckhole and still be taut around the waist. In the classical era, tunics solved the problem by being pretty loose and having a very broad neck slit. After that, tighter shirts were the fashion, but for that to work you needed a way to put it on that isn't super awkward so they used buttons or laces in the front.

Also I think it might've been easier to produce the shirt in 3-4 panels, stitched together with buttons in the front, rather than a single piece of cloth?

But really, the entire suit is silly. Make the shirt elastic, eliminate the buttons, then you don't need the tie. Or you can keep it but make it whatever shape you like, since it's purely ornamental.

Yet, entire cultures wear clothes that do not involve buttons.

And most of my wardrobe involves clothes that do not involve buttons or synthetic fabrics. Everything I'm wearing right now is just cotton and there are no buttons involved.

(Please do note, as I noted, I'm being intentionally obtuse here).

[Mormolyce]

Yet, entire cultures wear clothes that do not involve buttons.

Generally loose fitting garments, kaftans and the like.

It's all fashion of course. For example, in recent decades Western office culture has gotten less formal and now it's pretty common to wear shirts without ties, exposing the buttons.

[shadowmouse]

Please do note, as I noted, I'm being intentionally obtuse here

Asking for this kind of knowledge is sort of like wondering if ghost peppers would have the same effect were they mashed up and fed into the digestive system in reverse. Some questions, one is bound to regret learning the answer for!

bungee may have survived having to listen to too many costume Laurels back in the day. I'm going for quick and dirty here, I haven't had enough coffee to dig up the costumer references.

Let's begin with why you have a shirt at all:

The World's Oldest preserved garment, discovered by Flinders Petrie, is a "highly sophisticated" linen shirt from a First Dynasty Egyptian tomb at Tarkan, c. 3000 BC: "the shoulders and sleeves have been finely pleated to give form-fitting trimness while allowing the wearer room to move. The small fringe formed during weaving along one edge of the cloth has been placed by the designer to decorate the neck opening and side seam."[1]

The shirt was an item of clothing that only men could wear as underwear, until the twentieth century.[2] Although the woman's chemise was a closely related garment to the man's, it is the man's garment that became the modern shirt.[3] In the Middle Ages, it was a plain, undyed garment worn next to the skin and under regular garments. In medieval artworks, the shirt is only visible (uncovered) on humble characters, such as shepherds, prisoners, and penitents.[4] In the seventeenth century, men's shirts were allowed to show, with much the same erotic import as visible underwear today.[5] In the eighteenth century, instead of underpants, men "relied on the long tails of shirts ... to serve the function of drawers.[6] Eighteenth-century costume historian Joseph Strutt believed that men who did not wear shirts to bed were indecent.[7] Even as late as 1879, a visible shirt with nothing over it was considered improper.[2]

The shirt sometimes had frills at the neck or cuffs. In the sixteenth century, men's shirts often had embroidery, and sometimes frills or lace at the neck and cuffs and through the eighteenth century long neck frills, or jabots, were fashionable.[8][9] Coloured shirts began to appear in the early nineteenth century, as can be seen in the paintings of George Caleb Bingham. They were considered casual wear, for lower-class workers only, until the twentieth century. For a gentleman, "to wear a sky-blue shirt was unthinkable in 1860 but had become standard by 1920 and, in 1980, constituted the most commonplace event."[10]

European and American women began wearing shirts in 1860, when the Garibaldi shirt, a red shirt as worn by the freedom fighters under Giuseppe Garibaldi, was popularized by Empress Eugénie of France.[11][12] At the end of the nineteenth century, the Century Dictionary described an ordinary shirt as "of cotton, with linen bosom, wristbands and cuffs prepared for stiffening with starch, the collar and wristbands being usually separate and adjustable".

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirt

Yep, you are wearing what used to be your undies and in days past it flapped around your arse. As it became an outer garment, it went through shifts for fashion and cleaning (note that collars and cuffs were once separate).

What about those danged buttons? Here's an answer that tracks what I recall, sources are listed at the end:

People belonging to the Indus Valley Civilization were the earliest to use Buttons, but they were more of an ornament or decoration rather than a normal button. These were mostly made out of stones, shell or metals like copper or Iron.

Then came the roman era, where buttons were used just like Brooches or Pins, to fasten loose and flowing clothes like a toga.

Functional buttons with buttonholes for fastening or closing clothes appeared first in Germany in the 13th century. They became widespread with the rise of snug-fitting garments in 13th- and 14th-century Europe. This didn't mean clothes were cut more sparingly; wealthy people still liked the costly display of excess fabric. Buttons were used to accentuate the curves of the body. e.g. Arms of a man or the bosom of a woman.

The First Button Makers Guild was formed in 1250 AD. The guild produced magnificent buttons, but were only worn by the wealthy. In fact, there were actually laws passed which forbade the common person from owning any button other than thread or cloth covered ones (It's not like they could afford the costly ones anyway). There even exists an episode where tale, a magistrate quizzed a woman overly bedecked in buttons. It was a maniacal fashion trend among the rich to own dresses with unique and exotically-designed buttons. In some cases, buttons covered most of the garment. And each button had its own button hole! Imagine how much work and time it could take to dress oneself!

In the 16th Century, A French king had 13,400 Gold buttons made for a special outfit for his meeting with an English king! Around this era is when buttons migrated to different sides of a shirt for men and women. Men usually donned their own shirts, so their buttons faced right for their convenience. Women with ladies’ maids wore their buttons on the left, to make it easier for the maids to maneuver while facing them.

In the 17th century, the first duke of Buckingham had a suit which consisted of buttons made of Diamonds.

In 1802, Abel Porter established a company in the United States that began making metal buttons. He saw an opportunity for big business as the imported ones were scarce and expensive. This company became the famous Scovill Manufacturing Co.

By the turn of the 20th Century, picture and novelty buttons were very much the fashion. Picturesque buttons for men's waistcoats were very popular. Animals and hunting scenes were vastly produced for this purpose. Many collectors adore them. With the introduction of plastics, buttons weren't quite so precious anymore.

Sources and References: Books, Banks, Buttons: And Other Inventions from the Middle Ages: Chiara Frugoni, William McCuaig: 9780231128131: Amazon.com: Books, The Button: A Visual History of the World’s Sexiest Fastening, LEARN THE HISTORY OF MOTHER OF PEARL BUTTON JEWELRY, Button

Source: https://www.quora.com/Who-invented-b...oles-on-shirts

So, buttons used to be hand made, decorative, and an element of fashion all on their own. As it made its way from being underwear, your shirt got fancied up.

But wait! <look, bungee is used to lecturing on when there are just five minutes left before the bell> Collars are no longer detachable and now they have extra buttons. Why?

Yep, blame Indians practicing mounted sword drills by whacking a ball. The game took a winding path from nomads in Central Asia to sport in Manipur becoming polo. Be glad you got button down collars instead of a game involving dead goats (buzkashi). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polo

The button-down collar is one of the cooler pieces of the menswear history puzzle as it’s path is clear and unquestionable – none of this ‘may have been invented sometime during the middle ages somewhere near or around Europe’ and whatnot.

Just as the look itself is firmly and unmistakably cemented in the men’s style lexicon, the origins are just as clear and iconic.

The button-down collar was originally called a ‘polo collar’ and was worn pretty exclusively by – yes, you guessed it – polo players (largely in England in the late 19th century).

While most men’s collars at the time were not fastened at the point with buttons, polo players found the non-fastened style to be cumbersome as it would flap in their faces while riding. At first, the button was merely a homemade remedy as polo players attached them to keep their collars out of their way.

Believe it or not, it was Brooks Brothers very own John Brooks who took note of this style maneuver and began offering button-down shirts to the general public in the family stores. In fact, Brooks Brothers button-down shirts still say ‘The Original Polo Shirt’ on the label today.

Source: http://hespokestyle.com/history-of-m...n-down-shirts/

The buttons that hold your collar down should be regarded as a happy reminder that the British did not bring back the game involving dead goats, you got off easy.

[turboether]

Why are there even buttons on a shirt?

(I'm asking this in a purposefully obtuse way.)

To sell more ties.

[Mormolyce]

To sell more ties.

Careful man, you don't want Big Tie to hear you.

[shadowmouse]

Careful man, you don't want Big Tie to hear you.

We know what happens once they get a lock on you.



"Luke, stop screwing around! Who said anything about using your fork?"

[belfpala]

/snip most of the things

So, buttons used to be hand made, decorative, and an element of fashion all on their own. As it made its way from being underwear, your shirt got fancied up.

I just find it amusing that I'm sitting here in boxers and a long underwear shirt, both intended to be beneath something else, and both have buttons for no reason.

I'm imagining historically making buttons out of bones or something, but I'm into efficiency not fashion. I understand buttons on my overwear (for example, in a cold climate, using buttons to close a jacket made from fur).

- - - Updated - - -

To sell more ties.

On that note, I used to have only one tie. I kept it at work, pre-tied, for that once-per-month when I had a meeting with the owners.

Useless fabric.

[shadowmouse]

both have buttons for no reason.

Ah, but there is a reason. The buttons on your boxers are there because your boxers no longer have a codpiece. Back in the days of a codpiece, there were ties. Today, lacing up your fly would be awkward and time consuming. Velcro would be something better not imagined. That leaves buttons or a fly that flops open and you'd might as well go commando. For the long underwear ... where the hell do you buy long underwear tops with buttons? That's an abomination that you'll have to take personal responsibility for! Why did you seek out an abnormal set of undies just so you could flaunt your buttons?

but I'm into efficiency not fashion

You say this, but then you shop inefficiently >.>

For a guy who doesn't like buttons, why don't you buy underwear without buttons! Cartelo. Problem solved.

[belfpala]

You say this, but then you shop inefficiently >.>

For a guy who doesn't like buttons, why don't you buy underwear without buttons! Cartelo. Problem solved.

I don't even know where I got this shirt. Target, I think. It was cold out and I need layers. I usually just wear a t-shirt over it, for that 90's look.