Sumptuary laws

Sumptuary laws are regulations that set restrictions on what individuals can wear or own, often to reinforce social hierarchies and control luxury consumption. Historically, these laws aimed to maintain distinctions between classes by limiting the use of expensive materials or specific styles to the elite. For example, in some societies, only nobility might wear certain colors or fabrics. Although these laws aimed to promote moral behavior or economic stability, they often reflected societal values and class structures, helping to define social order and limit the extravagance of the wealthy in relation to the rest of the population.