History of Clothing History of the Wearing of Clothing

History of Clothing

Different cultures approached to the clothing in different ways under the influence of climate, fashion, religion, and ecosystem. Under the same influences those cultures changed clothing throughout the history. Read about clothing history here.

History of Textile

Textiles were invented when humans needed them and some of them were invented by different cultures that never had any mutual contacts. Some were invented with one intent only to be later used for completely different one. History of textile is wide and colorful.

Making Clothing

Knitting and weaving are two very interesting achievements of human race. Nobody knows who was the first who got the idea to make fabrics in that way but we know that the idea was brilliant.

Clothing in the ancient world

Ancient civilizations like Greece and Rome favored wide, unsewn lengths of fabric from which they constructed their clothing (fabric was expensive and they didn’t want to cut it). Ancient Greek clothing was made of lengths of rectangular wool or linen cloth which was secured at the shoulders with ornamented pins and belted with a sash. Women wore loose robe called peplos, men cloak called chlamys while both men and women wore chiton - a type of tunic which was short to the knees for men and longer for women.
The toga of ancient Rome which was worn by free Roman men citizens was also an unsewn length of wool cloth. Under the toga they wore a simple tunic which was made from two simple rectangles joined at the shoulders and sides. Roman women wore the draped stola or a tunic that had length to the ground.
During the Iron Age that lasted from 1200 BC to 500 AD women of northwestern Europe wore wool dresses, tunics and skirts which were held in place with leather belts and metal brooches or pins. Men wore breeches with leg wrappers for protections and long trousers. They also wore caps and shawls made from animal skin and soft laced shoes made from leather.
During Medieval times the Byzantines made and exported very richly patterned cloth. Expensive variant was woven and embroidered while cheaper, intended for lower classes was resist-dyed and printed. They wore tunics, or long chitons over which they wore dalmatica, which is a heavier and shorter type of tunica or long cloaks.
At the same time look of European clothing depended on whether people who wore it identified with the old Romanized population or the new invaders such are Franks, Anglo-Saxons or Visigoths. Men of the invading peoples wore short tunics with belts and visible trousers, hose or leggings. In 12th and 13th century Europe clothing remained simple. In 13th century dyeing and working of wool improves and Crusaders bring with them craft of silk. Fashion begins in Europe in 14th century.
In Renaissance Europe wool remained the most popular fabric for all classes but the linen and hemp were also used. More complex clothes were made and urban middle class joins the fashion that was set by higher class and royalties. Early Modern Europe from 16th century sees even more complex fashion with ruffs, passementerie and needlelace. Enlightenment introduces two types of clothing: “full dress” worn at Court and for formal occasions, and “undress” which are everyday, daytime clothes. Full dress almost disappeared by the end of the 18th century.
Industrial revolution brings machines that spin, weave and sew and with that produce fabric that is of better quality, faster made and has lower price. Production moves from small cottage production to fabrics with assembly lines.
20th century invents synthetic fibers that is cheaper than natural and which is mixed with many natural fibers.