Šľachtické odievanie podľa korešpondencie Judity Balassovej v 2. polovici 17. storočia

The correspondence of the nobility is an invaluable source of knowledge of early medieval clothing culture. Clothing not only provided protection from the weather, but also reflected personal and family identity, status, and wealth. The letters reveal the importance of clothing in everyday life. They provide details of specific items of clothing, materials, colours, cuts and decoration, which are particularly valuable in cases where other types of sources are not available. In terms of everyday practice, they offer a closer insight into the acquisition, wearing and care of clothing. In this paper, I examine clothing culture based on the correspondence of baroness Judith Balassa (c. 1630 – c. 1685), second wife of Stephen Koháry I. (1616 – 1664), between the 1650s to 1680s. First, I focus on the function of clothing and on its importance in terms of representativeness. Next, I characterize the dress itself in the context of influences and developments in the period, based on data from family correspondence. Finally, I analyse the means by which Judith Balassa and her immediate family acquired clothing and textiles.