Sumptuary laws were originally enacted ostensibly to control excessive
conspicuous consumption, but they eventually morphed into a tool of
social control and enforcement of social stratification. Over time, many
habits of dress that were originally imposed from without via sumptuary
laws became self-imposed sumptuary customs. A good start on researching
the topic would be Wikipedia, "Sumptuary Law"
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumptuary_law).

Some historical - or at least pseudo-historical - sumptuary laws that
could be justified under the "conspicuous consumption" rubric include:

* In Rome, only the Emperor could wear a cloak or toga of Tyrian purple,
  and only Roman Senators could wear togas with a Tyrian purple stripe.
  This was ostensibly because of the great cost of the murex dye. Tyrian
  purple was also restricted in other places and times, for the same
  reason.

* In various parts of Europe at various times, the following items of
  dress were restricted to royalty or nobility:
  » Lace
  » Cutwork
  » Embroidery
  » Cloth-of-gold or cloth-of-silver
  » Garments sewn with gold or silver thread
  » Garments or outfits of greater than a specified number of colors
  » Garments of silk or other fine cloth

As a tool of social control/stratification, the following historical and
pseudo-historical sumptuary laws have been mentioned:

* Jews or Moslems were often compelled to wear distinctive badges or
  dress, which may have included such articles as hats, robes or coats,
  or footgear; sometimes the men were forbidden to shave. Recent (post-
  Renaissance Eastern European) examples of this type of sumptuary law
  imposed against Jews has become something of a sumptuary custom among
  the most orthodox communities, including the various Hasidic
  communities in the New York metroplex and the Haredi in Israel.

* Courtesans in the Venetian Republic - generally in Venice itself -
  were ostensibly required to wear red shoes (and no self-respecting
  woman not in that profession would be caught dead in such). Other
  compulsory articles of clothing for courtesans could be found at other
  times and places.

Some communties with Calvinist or Mennonite origins, because of their
religious views on personal vanity or "distractions" from faith, have
self-imposed sumptuary customs. The best-known among these are the Amish
communities (Mennonite origins) of southeastern Pennsylvania in the
United States, who rarely wear clothing not of black or white (and the
white is usually that of unbleached and undyed cloth), and eschew most
use of most technology beyond about the late 18th/early 19th century.
The Puritans (Calvinist origins) of the Massachusetts Bay Colony were
similarly austere of dress, though there is no indication of opposition
to then-extant technology.

While the best-known examples of sumptuary law involve dress, this was
not the only area in which such laws were applied:

* Chinese sumptuary law regulated graves, including pedestals and number
  of statues allowed in mausoleums.

* Feudal Japan, in its later period, allowed concessions from earlier
  sumptuary law to the merchant class who had in fact become wealthier
  than the samurai class - they were permitted, for example, to wear a
  single sword (while samurai in the course of their duties were
  mandated to wear a matched pair).

* There is evidence that in 16th Century France, and in China, some food
  items (turbot in France, some kinds of tea in China) were considered
  luxuries and their consumption restricted to the upper levels of
  society.

In modern times, while not cast as such (except in some political
diatribes against them), there are various restrictions that could be
considered sumptuary laws or customs:

* Prohibitions on the wearing of articles of clothing that could suggest
  military or police status. In the United States, enforcement of such
  prohibitions is generally limited to wearing them with logos, patches,
  embroidery, et cetera, that suggests official status in a context
  where someone with that status and concomittant authority may be
  misled.

* Prohibitions on trade in or consumption of alcoholic beverages. In
  some cases (e.g., among some Moslems not living in Sharia law
  countries, or the Latter-Day Saints), this is a custom rather than a
  legislatively-codified prohibition; elsewhere, the prohibition is
  codified into law (Sharia law countries, and "dry" counties in some
  areas of the United States).

* The Latter-Day Saints maintain as a custom a prohibition on the
  consumption of beverages containing caffeine.

* Observant Jews and Moslems have various prohibitions regarding
  allowable foods. Some of these differ only in the interpretation of
  the governing text (e.g., under what conditions the meat of a cow,
  goat, or sheep may be consumed); others differ between the two
  religions in that the prohibition may exist in one but not the other
  (e.g., mixing meat and milk - prohibited to Jews, not to Moslems; or
  consuming alcohol - prohibited to Moslems, not to Jews); still others
  are the same in both religions (e.g., prohibition of pork).

* Prohibitions on trade in or use of certain "mind-altering" substances.
  The most controversial such are those prohibiting the use of marijuana
  (Cannabis Sativa). [This is presently a politically-charged subject in
  the United States. Discussion of such political issues in this thread
  (and in fact on this list) should be considered discouraged.]

Generally, these prohibitions differ from "traditional" sumptuary laws
in that they are "universal" (that is, there are no exemptions within
the context of enforcement from them (except for uniform restrictions,
where those who legitimately have the requisite status/authority may be
required to wear them in the course of their official duties)).

--
Jeff Zeitlin, Editor
Freelance Traveller
    The Electronic Fan-Supported
    Traveller® Fanzine and Resource

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