Fashion of the court society: status as a main significa-tum of the costume

Abstract

This article examines the development of one of the main meanings of one's clothes as the status indicator. This indication as a basic unit of fashion semantics appears only in the court society as an expression of delegation of the power to the courtiers, thereby transforming fashion into a means of representation of the social hierarchy, that function being limited and retained by sumptuary laws. Signifying class distinctions, the court-dress is basically impersonal and marks the group within the social hierarchy. Nevertheless it is asserted that symbolic capital that is gained with the office hold is connected with individuality.