1390. A daughter of a wealthy squire is ready to be whisked away by her “knight in shining armour” to his castle. Her floor sweeping wedding dress will flap behind her as they ride away on their horses together.

1390. The heart emerged as a symbol of inner feeling, sincerity, and devotion at weddings. The idiom is often linked to the Middle Ages, where knights would wear a lady’s token (such as a ribbon, scarf, or handkerchief) on their armor sleeve during jousting tournaments to dedicate their performance to her. This was an open, public display of their private affections.

1604. The phrase “wear your heart on your sleeve” originated from the William Shakespeare play Othello Act 1 Scene 1.