Did you know that clothes layering is the connective tissue of European dress? It was once a practical habit that evolved into a thousand-year canvas for status and, at times, rebellion.
From sweat-absorbing linen shifts hidden beneath Crusader-era gowns to the roomy, cost-conscious showcased on today’s Pinterest boards, every generation reimagined how fabrics stack.
Today, we’ll march you through a whirlwind tour of lagenlook clothing: you’ll learn more about the seven pivotal fashion eras that led us directly to where we are today.
Medieval Foundations (1100-1500)
The medieval wardrobe began with the linen chemise, a washable base that protected expensive outer garments made of wool and silk from sweat and smoke.
Noblewomen then added fitted kirtles (overdresses) or bliauts (overcoats) while men laced hose to short doublets (a snug-fitting jacket) that could be untied when fields or forges heated up.
Sleeveless surcoats (a cloth worn over armour) of dyed wool or fur finished the ensemble; because pigments like scarlet were regulated by law, colour itself announced rank as clearly as a coat of arms.
Renaissance & Baroque (1500-1700)
Richer courts began to turn layering into a spectacle.
Tailors slashed satin sleeves and bodices so jewel-bright linings could puff through, flaunting Italian dyes in a literal display of wealth.
Beneath the surface, stacked linen and silk petticoats gave skirts their trademark bell shape; by 1600, three or more were recommended for grand occasions, each quilted with batting that warmed draughty palaces.
Men’s jerkins (short, close-fitting jackets) followed suit with panelled panes and ribbon ties, proving that insulation could double as flamboyant pageantry!
Georgian & Regency (1700-1830)
Revolutionary politics and neoclassical art replaced heavy brocade with chemise gowns cut from fine white muslin.
Britain’s climate, however, was less Mediterranean: silk Spencer jackets (short, close-fitting jackets), cashmere shawls and quilted petticoats were worn to retain warmth while maintaining the new columnar line.
At evening assemblies, style periodicals even recommended a concealed flannel petticoat to fend off draughts without spoiling the statuesque drape.
This episode in history showed layers could be feather-light yet still functional – a balance that minimalist dressers still chase today.
Victorian Innovation (1830-1900)
The Industrial Revolution meant that women could now trade a dozen heavy petticoats for hoop-steel crinolines that ballooned skirts outward (while still staying surprisingly light!)
By the 1870s, bustles migrated volume rearward, sculpting dramatic negative space at the front of the silhouette. Silk tea gowns (loosely belted robes inspired by Japanese kimonos) offered corset-weary women their first taste of comfort-first layering.
Early 20th-Century Modernism (1900-1945)
The 1920s rewrote proportion as flappers replaced corsets with silk slips topped by beaded chemises and loose cardigans that swung to jazz.
Coco Chanel’s jersey twin-set blurred under- and outerwear, turning knits into daywear. Wartime rationing later reframed layering as thrift: detachable collars, reversible coats and “make-do” jumpers stretched precious coupons while keeping civilians warm.
Even men layered waistcoats beneath demob suits, ready to shed cloth as coal shortages dictated comfort.
Post-War Avant-Garde (1945-1980s)
Post-war subcultures turned layers into a manifesto. Punk teens safety-pinned ripped tees over tartan kilts, weaponising charity-shop finds against authority.
In 1983, Japanese designers Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo stunned Paris with oversized black coats that celebrated the space between fabrics – an idea called ma.
Their asymmetry and unfinished hems inspired Western houses to treat void and volume as equal partners, a concept that still underpins avant-garde layering.
Digital Era (1990s-Today)
Scroll culture has turned layering into a global conversation: Pinterest mood-boards and street-style pin collections let users trial everything from grunge plaid to cottage-core pinafores before they ever touch a wardrobe.
As climate anxiety rises, fabrics matter as much as silhouettes, and low-impact linen (quick-drying and biodegradable) has become the fibre of conscience dressers.
A lagenlook solution across thousands of years
Layering has survived plagues, the punk movement and Pinterest boards because it adapts to every new need.
So slip a cropped knit over a flowing tunic! Cinch an asymmetric dress with a vintage belt, or let generous volume hang loose: every combination writes the next chapter in a thousand-year conversation that is still (thankfully) unfinished.
Featured Image from Pexels
