Men's Fashion: Late Middle Ages & Early Renaissance (1420-1500)

September 23, 2026

The 15th century was a time of visual splendour. While the autumn of the Middle Ages in Northern Europe (Burgundy) brought angular, padded silhouettes, the Early Renaissance in Italy brought a renewed appreciation of classical forms. Fashion in this period became a political tool: whoever had power wore the most exclusive fabrics.

15th-century Burgundian aristocrat in noble black clothing with a chaperon according to late medieval fashion.

Fashion in Perspective: Burgundy vs. Italy

Burgundian Style: Dominant in the Low Countries, England and France. Characterized by extravagance, the use of black as a status colour, heavy brocade fabrics and padded shoulders.
Italian Style: Popular in Southern Europe. Focus on more elegant lines, the 'slashing' of sleeves so that the white shirt was visible, and lighter colour use.
Sumptuary Laws: After the Black Death, craftsmen earned more. To preserve the distinction with nobility, laws were tightened. In England this was strictly enforced; in Italy, wealthy merchants simply paid a 'tax' to wear silk anyway.

15th-century Italian aristocrat dressed in a luxury houppelande with a historical cap.

Undergarments: The Braies Revolution

In the 15th century, basic undergarments changed fundamentally. Long underpants gave way to shorter models.

Evolution of the Braies: Where braies previously came down to the knee, they became considerably shorter over the course of the century (comparable to modern boxers or briefs), as evidenced by the famous Lengberg finds.
The Shirt: The linen shirt became shorter and was now more often tucked into the trousers for a tighter silhouette of the doublet.

15th-century man in historical undergarments with hose according to late medieval fashion.

Nobility and Upper Middle Class: The Silhouette

Status was shown through volume and colour (wine red, emerald green and the elitist Burgundian black).

15th-century Burgundian aristocrat in noble black clothing with a chaperon and an Oakeshott type XVIII sword.

From Pourpoint to Doublet

The doublet developed from the military pourpoint. It was form-fitting and reached to the hips. In Burgundian fashion, the shoulders were often padded ("mahoitres") for an imposing appearance.

Overgarments: Houppelande and Giubberello

The houppelande remained the formal ceremonial garment in the early 15th century. In Italy, men wore the giubberello (a sleeveless tabard) over the doublet. In Northern Europe, the heuke (a short cape over one shoulder) became a true trend.

15th-century knight with a chaperon, houppelande, buckler and historical sword.

Legs and Feet: The Codpiece

The loose leg coverings (chausses) were definitively merged into one pair of trousers over the course of the century.

The Codpiece: With the arrival of merged trousers came the codpiece to cover the groin area. This became a symbol of masculinity and was often padded.
Footwear: The poulaines (pointed shoes) reached their extreme length, protected by wooden pattens.

15th-century Burgundian aristocrat hunting in noble black clothing with a crossbow.

Headwear: From Chaperon to Beret

The 15th century knew an enormous variety of hats:

Chaperon: Worn as a turban, often with a long liripipe.
Cap (Dürer-style): A tight little cap, often in red or black, popular in both Burgundy and Italy.
Bag Cap & Beret: The transition from a simple bag to the wide berets of the 16th century.

Rich 15th-century merchant couple, dressed in stylish late medieval clothing.

Peasants and the Working Class

While the nobility experimented with padding and brocade, the clothing of the working man remained functional, although it followed the shorter lines of fashion.

Torso: The tunic became considerably shorter. Also the kaftan (thick woollen overcoat) was popular in Northern Europe against the cold.
Accessories: The belt pouch was essential, as clothes had no pockets. Wearing a knife (dagger for commoners) was both a fashionable and practical statement.

15th-century merchant dressed in a houppelande with a historical purse on the belt.

Jewellery and Pilgrimage Badges

Jewellery was religious or functional (signet rings). Particularly striking in the 15th century was the mass production of pilgrimage badges made of tin. These showed not only piety, but also humour (satirical badges for carnival).