Biblical Costumes: Plays that depicted biblical stories often featured costumes that referenced ancient Hebrew or Middle Eastern attire. Characters like Adam and Eve would wear simple tunics, while kings and rulers like Herod might wear more elaborate robes and headdresses.
Classical Costumes: Costumes inspired by classical Greek and Roman theatre were sometimes used in medieval plays. These costumes included togas, tunics, and sandals, and often featured bright colors and intricate decorative elements.
Historical Costumes: Some medieval plays set in a specific historical period might feature costumes that attempted to recreate the fashions of that time. While the accuracy of these costumes would have been limited by the knowledge and resources of the medieval period, they often aimed to present a sense of historical authenticity.
Symbolic Costumes: Symbolic costumes were frequently used to represent abstract concepts or allegorical figures. For example, characters representing virtues might wear crowns of flowers, while devils might wear dark clothing with horns and a tail.
Everyday Dress: In some cases, actors simply wore their regular everyday clothes for their characters when no specific costume was required. The audience in medieval times would understand that a change in status had occurred as actors could go in between scenes to adjust their attire.
Fantasy Costumes: Medieval plays that featured mythological creatures or fantastical elements might include imaginative costumes with wings, tails, and masks to bring fantastical figures to life.
Notably, during the medieval period, theatrical costumes were predominantly worn by male actors as female roles were often played by young boys due to societal and religious norms and prejudices of the time. Over time, the complexity and variety of medieval theatre costumes developed and transformed.