Abstract EN:

WITH THE INTRODUCTION AN SPREAD OF A SHORT AND NARROW MILITARY OUTFIT AMONG THE MASCULINE POPULATION OF EUROPE AROUND YEAR 1340 ONE IS WITNESS TO A RADICAL CHANGE OF VESTIMENTARY FASHION WHICH INAUGURATES AT ONCE A NEW RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MAN AND HIS BODY, AS WELL AS IT PERMANENTLY MODIFIES THE VESTMENT APPARATUS. FROM ITS INCREASED VISIBILITY THE BODY IS NOW "PUT ON STAGE" ; THROUGH ASSEMBLAGE OF ELEMENTS, OVERLAPING, AND SCISSORING WORK, ITS CURVES AND ARTICULATIONS ARE MORE UNDERLINED, THUS EXTENDING THE LIMITS OF ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE EXTERIOR WORLD AND TO NUDITY. CLOTHING BECOMES A MEAN OF PHYSICAL TRANSFORMATION, AS IT COMPELS THE CONFORMATION OF BODY TO MODEL. ALTHOUGH WOMEN ARE INVARIABLY ASSOCIATED WITH ADORNING AND ORNAMENTING, AND FURTHER WITH LEWDNESS - FROM THEIR PRIMEAVAL RESPONSABILITY IN THE FALL - VESTMENT TRANSFORMATIONS ONLY CONCERN THE MALE POPULATION, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG ELEMENTS OF THE NOBLE AND KNIGHTLY CLASS, ENDOWED AS THEY ARE WITH PHYSICAL FORCE. AT THE TURN OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY, HOWEVER, NEW FASHION ADDRESSES OTHER SOCIAL CATEGORIES, SUCH AS CRAFTSMEN, LABORERS, WARRIORS, AND COURTLY DOMESTICS. AUTHORITY NOW RESIDES LESS IN MILITARY strength - ITS REPRESENTATIVES HAVING LONG PROVED THEIR TURBULENCE, IF NOT THEIR INCOMPETENCE, IN THE WAR AGAINST ENGLAND - THAN IN ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL POWER, PLACED IN THE HANDS OF MORE SPECIALIZED AND "WISER" ELEMENTS OF SOCIETY, WHICH MAY BE RECOGNIZED IN THE NOBLE AND RICH BOURGEOISIE, CLOTHED AS THEY ARE IN LONG AMPLE DRESS.