Bornheim Lifestyle - 1050 Years of Fashion

Fashion over the Centuries

The clothing of the rural population of the Southern Palatinate, and thus also of Bornheim, was rather functional in the early Middle Ages (976–1500), made from wool, hemp, and linen. Men wore a simple tunic or smock over their trousers, while women wore ankle-length undergarments with outer dresses. The colors were muted earth tones, grey, and brown-yellow. Stronger colors were reserved for the nobility in order to distinguish themselves from the rural population.

From the 15th to the 18th century, the state intervened heavily in dress regulations in order to distinguish social classes from one another. Palatine dress codes allowed farmers only selected fabrics and decorations. In everyday life, the smock became established as the standard garment for men, complemented by straw hats as protection from the sun.

The 19th century was marked by the emergence of traditional costumes. These served to distinguish regions and were often worn only on Sundays. In the cities, knee breeches, buckle shoes, and the frock coat were typical. On their heads, men wore the characteristic tricorne hat. Details of clothing could also provide clues about religious affiliation.

From the 20th century to the present day, clothing fashions increasingly became aligned with those of the cities. This was due on the one hand to the technical revolution, which made gainful employment in the city possible, and on the other hand to the period of economic recovery after the two World Wars.

Jeans, patented in the USA in 1873, became established as classless clothing and gained great popularity among young people in the 1950s. Within a short time, jeans in their indigo blue color spread across all social classes.

Another revolution was the development of synthetic fibers. Viscose had already been patented in 1884 by Hilaire de Chardonnet, but it was only semi-synthetic, as it was derived from wood fibers.

The breakthrough came in 1935 with nylon developed by DuPont. Nylon stockings created an unprecedented boom. Synthetic fibers democratized fashion, as even lower-income groups could now afford inexpensive clothing.