Aztecs were known for their bravery and superiority above
all the other tribes in the world. That was
why they were the ruling nation in the world in the 15-16th
centuries. However, the Aztecs weren’t
JUST known for being the mighty warriors, but the way they dress and present
themselves as well.
You have noticed that the Aztec clothing is starting to
trend today in the fashion industry. Its
striking colors and lively patterns attract anyone’s attention by just wearing
it. Their clothes is an obvious representation of how they lived, it is a testimony
on how affluent their tribe was.
Clothes for Aztec people weren’t merely for protection,
although warriors wore extensive form of armor to protect them during war. The way they dress depicts how wealthy they
are. As proud people they were, they dress
to flaunt and show their social status or rank to other people. They wore dresses for many purposes. As an advance and progressive city, Aztec Empire
was the only tribe to follow a certain government, in fact they were the first
to have a perfectly laid out government. And if there is a government, there are always
the rulers/nobles,
the commoner, serfs, and of course, slaves. Their clothes
will help you recognize which class they belong to in the early Aztec society.
The Noble
This is also called the upper class of their society, the
elite group of prestigious people, religious leaders, and noble class.
For Aztecs, the more decorated one’s clothing was, the
higher rank they were perceived to have. With this, the nobles dressed prestigiously
using cotton, a common material used in noble clothing. Symbols of their ranks
were embellished on the clothes they wore. The colors of their clothes also
portray meaning for them, for instance, bright colors were a sign of higher
status. Gold was an important noble accessory for them as well. The Aztec upper classmen were also fond of
headdresses made from feathers, their robes are also lined with brightly
colored feathers as well.
The women of the upper class wore extensive jewelries,
mostly gold. They want to decorate
themselves as much as possible; from earrings, pendants, necklaces, chokers,
hair accessories, to gold bangles.
The Commoner and the Serf
These classes could have probably fused in their time because
their privileges were almost equal. They
were also called the merchants, the free spirits or the ordinary people who had
more freedom than most people in the lower class. Commoners and serfs were
allowed to dress ornately but they choose not to. Their main reason for wearing
clothes is for modesty. Men of these
classes wore only loincloth which was less brightly colored than the nobles’. Whereas for the women, they chose to wear
simple cotton dresses, and given a special occasion, jewelries but lesser than
that of the nobles as well.
The Slave
Slaves often use very little clothing although they had but
one jewelry allowed to wear, these were jewels placed in holes in their
faces. They were not to wear cotton on
any occasion; any slave who go against this rule was punishable by death. They had handmade intricate feathered mantles which
were greatly admired for their workmanship, these were probably the only
beautiful thing they were allowed to have.
They dress for the purpose of convenience for their general work as
slaves.
