Why Fashion History is Quite Interesting

Whether you are a man or a woman, you no doubt try to look your best at any given time, and that is where fashion comes in. When you go to a mall or a boutique, do you ever stop to consider fashion history?

Fashion History Around the World

Fashion has, in some form or another, been around as long as there have been humans. Fashion history thus really started with early people, who used things like shells and animal skins or fur to adorn their bodies. There were special garments worn for special occasions, which is not unlike how humans dress today.

In places like Ancient Greece, fashion history really brought forward the use of naturalism. For example, if you were to look at many ancient sculptures, no doubt you would notice that great pride was taken in the human form, and as such, fashion meant wearing very little clothing.

Fashion history as we know it really started to emerge during the Renaissance. The Renaissance was a time of intellectual and cultural enlightenment, so it only makes sense that fashion should evolve as well. Men and women alike took pride in wearing decorative powdered wigs, a trend that would last until the early 19th century.

As the 17th century came, so did fashion trends that both women and men continued to share in. For example, buckled shoes, both plan and decorative, depending on the economic privilege of the person wearing them, became quite popular.

Also, men and women started wearing capes to shield themselves against the cold weather. Men and women also both began wearing the hats that are today commonly referred to as “Pilgrim Hats.” The only different being that women tended to weather feathers in theirs more often than the men did.

The 18th Century was a time of men wearing an outfit that most commonly consisted of stockings, buckled shoes, a shirt, waistcoat, and outer coat. They also began wearing thee-cornered hats. The women wore simple dresses, and had their hair often partially hidden by a white cap.

As the 19th 20th, and 21st centuries have shown, fashion tends are becoming history all the time, since trends are always evolving. Fashion history is indeed an immense topic that spans the entire world and every culture. So the next time you go clothes shopping, think about fashion history and how far fashion has come.