The Aztec Clothing

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 15-16^th 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.