Top 10 Fashion Facts That Historical Fiction Leaves Out

We get it – to modern eyes, boots just look cooler. But people in the Renaissance era didn’t wear them constantly. Just like today, they mostly wore boots for outdoor activities like hunting or riding. They usually didn’t wear them indoors, and they definitely didn’t wear them to formal occasions. In other words, no, King Henry VIII would not have worn thigh-high boots at his own wedding. Men wore ordinary leather shoes – often with high heels – and stockings to show off their legs. That said, we can understand why costume designers often go with boots instead of a historically accurate look. Modern audiences would probably think brightly colored tights look pretty ridiculous on a man.

This is a strange thing to get wrong in your period film, especially since it would be so easy to fix. A doublet was a form-fitting, button-up jacket popular in the 16th and 17th centuries. The operative word there is “button-up.” See that white shirt underneath? That’s underwear – it’s not supposed to be hanging out. Going out in public with your doublet unbuttoned would be like walking around with your pants around your ankles today. Maybe modern filmmakers feel like the buttoned-up doublet looks too formal, and they want to give their characters a casual, roguish look. Either way, it’s historically inaccurate.

Hollywood would have you believe that everyone in Rome wore togas constantly. In reality, togas were a formal garment reserved for special occasions. This makes sense, since the yards of fabric that made up a toga were hot, heavy, and difficult to get on just right. Only Roman citizens were allowed to wear them, and they only did so when absolutely necessary. It was kind of like wearing a tuxedo or evening gown today. For an important ceremony or public appearance? Sure. Just walking around town? No way. And while we’re on the subject, several Roman emperors, including Nero, made it illegal for anyone other than themselves to wear the color purple. So all those folks in 2014’s “Pompeii” had better run home and change.

We’re looking at you, “Pearl Harbor,” although that film is far from the only offender. During this era of fashion, silk or nylon stockings were an absolute must for western women. They simply didn’t leave the house with bare legs. And for women in uniform, stockings were a requirement. In fact, stockings were such an important part of women’s attire, that when nylon was in short supply during World War II, there were actual riots. Some people even resorted to desperate measures to simulate stocking seams when they couldn’t get their hands on the real thing.

It’s true that the 15th and 16th centuries weren’t as buttoned-up as, say, the Victorian era. But it’s also true that women didn’t walk around with heaving bosoms exploding out of the tops of their dresses all the time. High-necked gowns were popular, as were slightly lower-cut, square necklines, both of which were pretty modest by today’s standards. Women of all classes also wore a chemise or smock under their dresses. Since the gowns themselves were extremely difficult to wash, the chemise protected the expensive fabric from the wearer’s oily skin and sweat. Of course, many modern filmmakers are more interested in aesthetics than historical accuracy or practicality.

The kilt is the most iconic Scottish garment, so of course Scottish men in movies have to wear them. But they weren’t actually invented until around 1600. That means every film set in medieval Scotland that shows men wearing kilts got it wrong. Early kilts, like togas, were made of yards of heavy wool, and had to be pleated and draped over the shoulder. Smaller kilts, which were more like skirts, didn’t appear for another couple of centuries. Even after kilts arrived on the scene, no one wore them in battle. Instead, Scottish warriors usually removed their kilts and fought wearing only a knee-length shirt.

While tightlacing corsets was a thing in the mid-1800s, not everyone was doing it. The practice was actually extremely controversial, and most of the general public thought it was absurd. Many different types of corsets existed at the time, and they were worn for different purposes. They didn’t have to be laced extremely tightly, and they usually weren’t. And even back then, doctors were aware of the negative health effects of tightlacing, and warned against it. Some even advised men not to marry women who laced their corsets tightly, since it could actually affect reproductive health. Tightlacing also didn’t start until the late 1820s, so “Bridgerton,” you’re about fifteen years too early.

Listen, we know they look ridiculous to modern eyes. But no 16th century man worth his salt would go without one. Over time, codpieces evolved to be bigger and more pronounced, so as to better accentuate what was underneath. Suits of armor were even constructed with metal codpieces – maybe to give men that extra boost of confidence as they rode into battle. Yet in movies and TV shows set in the 1500s, there’s almost never a codpiece in sight. “The Other Boleyn Girl” deserves a shout out here. Say what you want about its historical accuracy, but at least Eric Bana got to wear a codpiece.

You have to be pretty knowledgeable about the history of fashion to spot this problem. While humans have been using natural materials to dye clothes for thousands of years, synthetic dyes weren’t invented until the mid-1800s. Although some natural dyes can impart deep shades of color, most were much more muted. It simply wasn’t possible to achieve these kinds of bright blues, greens, and purples using natural dyes. Yet films set in every time period, from ancient Rome to the Middle Ages to the French Revolution, love to feature these bright, eye-popping hues.

Throughout a good chunk of history, western women were expected to tie up and/or cover their hair. In fact, for hundreds of years in Europe, leaving one’s hair loose was considered a sign of sexual impropriety. Yet a huge percentage of period movies and shows get this wrong. For example, many depictions of the Tudor era show women wearing a French hood, but missing the veil on the back that would have covered the hair. We get it – Natalie Portman, Gwyneth Paltrow, and all of these other actresses have beautiful, long hair, and filmmakers want to show it off. But it’s just not historically accurate.

Which historical fashion fact surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments below.