Recently, I’ve seen an influx of whimsical edits of medieval princesses on my feed and I am not mad about it. The thought of a medieval princess evokes powerful imagery of hennins (those stereotypical cone shaped head pieces), the color pink, intricate lace, long wavy hair, unicorns, and of course beautiful billowing dresses. 

Unsurprisingly, as fashion is cyclical and always political, medieval revival is not a new concept and has floated around the cultural zeitgeist for centuries.

One of the first instances of medieval revival was during the early 19th century, where Romanticism found itself at odds with Enlightenment, which had characterized the century prior. During this time, Europe found itself in disarray as the French Revolution ended and wars popped up across the continent. 

Romanticism emphasized nature and emotionality, with many authors and artists harking back to the Middle Ages for inspiration and nostalgia. In this time, emotional stories and paintings depicting medieval knights and princesses brought comfort to the warring continent.

In the 60s and 70s, the medieval aesthetic also made a big comeback. While politics in this time became more uncertain as the Vietnam War divided the nation and the Space Race continued underway, American culture treaded towards one of peace and escapism. 

People longed for a simpler and more magical time; the perfect storm for yet another medieval revival. Fashion like bell sleeves, embroidery, bright colors, and velvet were soon adopted into Western culture and the Ren Faire established itself as an American staple. More recently, the 90s and 2000s also saw a mini medieval revival, with the rise of empire waist dresses and movies like Ella Enchanted and Shrek.

Considering the tumultuous times we live in, the medieval revival almost seems like the only next logical step. Early adopters like Chappell Roan have already evoked medieval imagery, with Roan dressing in knight armor for her 2024 VMAs performance. 

As many become disillusioned with the state of American politics and culture, we can find comfort in a magical time populated by knights, princes, and pretty princesses. Thus, dear reader, I encourage you to indulge in this revival: repost that TikTok about unicorns, wear those jewel tones, blast that Kate Bush, grow your hair out to obnoxious lengths, and dream of a kingdom far, far away from here. •