Since the Ice Age and dawn of society, men and women have been wearing fashion. You may not think that clothing was considered fashion back in the early days of the icy glaciers but when thought about, style was always evident. When man was creating his clothing he was doing it for the main purpose of warmth and protection from the harsh conditions, but back in this age there was a lot of competition between the men. So obviously he would have strived to produce something fine enough to outdo the others so that he stood out as the alpha male among his tribe.
As the centuries went on so did the competition to look the best. Men and women have been striving to look their most stylish for the best part of a millennium. So maybe the need to look fashionable is buried deep within our genes.
Looking back over the past few centuries you can see that rivalry between people to look good is one that has always been apparent.
Fast forward a few years from the ice age and you have the Ancient Greeks and the Romans who used their fine clothing to separate the dignitaries from the commoners. If you were less important you did not wear the refined fashions that the higher class civilians adorned. Gladiators and noble men showed their authority by dressing in luxury attire and looked down on those who wore rags or simple cloths.
When it was the turn of Queen Elizabeth to rule England, styles changed again. A lot of change was happening during this time along with the textile industry.
For women, large uncomfortable dresses were the order of the day while men donned layers and layers of unnecessary fabric. Ornamental design and intricate details wear added to garments to create the look of wealth and affluence. The bigger your clothes were the more rich and dignitary you appeared.
With the 17th century you would not have been out of place wearing an extravagant and colourful dress like outfit, if you were a man. Styles were extremely elegant and frivolous with males choosing satin suits and petticoat breeches which appeared somewhat like a rather large skirt. Women adorned dresses that were slightly less rigid than the previous century’s, yet still acquired an uncomfortable feel.
For more interesting facts on past styles, read the next article on fashion in history and learn how the other centuries dressed during their times.
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