History meets Fashion

Stock image via link

A new year, a new beginning, as the saying goes. Here is a post on the multifaceted development of fashion. But today, we're not only looking at fashion; we're also exploring the beginnings of history through exciting illustrations.

To make things clearer, I've created a provisional timeline, which you can see in the image below. Cool, right? It gives you an overview of how people's appearances have evolved over the decades. I've always found history extraordinarily fascinating. So for now, let's keep this timeline in mind:

As you can see people have gone through various stages of fashion history. Long before our current era, there was already something like "fashion." So let's take a broad look at the epochs:

1. Stone Age (ca. 10,000 BC)

The journey of this post begins in 10,000 BC with Homo sapiens. By this time, humans were already producing woven fabrics, simple tunics, fur cloaks, and the loincloth made famous by Tarzan. Even then, women were involved in making clothing. Humans learned to adapt to weather conditions and developed these innovations out of necessity. Clothing protected against the cold and served as a distinguishing feature from animals. Moreover, clothing was very functional, often worn by "hunters," such as bear fur cloak. Over the next thousand years, new forms of clothing were woven, including coats, tops and trousers.

Materials: fur, leather, bast fiber (flax)

Tools/Techniques: weaving, braiding, spinning (spindle)

2. Bronze Age (ca. 3000 BC)

The age of metalworking and jewelry. The oldest known jewelry was often made from shells, amber or animal teeth. Around 3000 BC, gold and silver were first deliberately shaped into jewelry. What we now colloquially call accessories finds its origins here. At this time, silver and gold bracelets were forged for the first time, demonstrating craftsmanship. It was the first time that clothing and jewelry conveyed a sense of rank and belonging.

Materials: bronze, gold, amber

Tools/Techniques: forging, casting, engraving, punching

3. Ancient Era (ca. 3000 BC – 500 AD)

After people of that time learned to reshape clothing, it gradually became more conceptualized. Rank now played a greater role than ever. Welcome to antiquity, the age of god worship and the iconization of existing rulers. The white garments of the Egyptian-Greek-Roman cultural fusion, became a fashion cult. Women draped in the finest silk and evening robes (tunic, stola, palla), followed by men in togas and cloaks, were part of everyday life. Women, whether poor or rich, wore long garments and sandals, and the wealthier among them adorned themselves with chains or crowns. It was a time of modesty and self-discovery. Alongside the baths, the Romans also introduced shops. The path toward standardized fashion was paved.

Materials: purple cloth, wool, silk, linen, leather (sandals)

Tools/Techniques: draping (chiton), embroidery, fibulae

4. Middle Ages (ca. 500 – 1500 AD)

From the tunic to the cotta and from the cotta to the "zoccoli." Back then, garments and roles were intuitively assigned. Clear boundaries were introduced and women were mostly seen in skirts and dresses. Shortly before the onset of the modern era around 1500, fashion ideals changed at incredible speed. Numerous sub-epochs followed, including the Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo. Each period had its own characteristics and influences. As princely power gradually faded, courtly life became the new standard. 1789, a date familiar to all of us: the year of the Sun King, marking a transformation in fashion. Gentlemen in justaucorps and tricorne hats, contrasted with their rivals, the sans-culottes, in long trousers and Jacobin caps. Meanwhile, the ladies were educated and adorned with wigs, corsets, and enormous hoop skirts. Noble, colorful fabrics, high shoes, exquisite jewelry and common beauty rituals symbolized a new era where power and status mattered. Peasant clothing, in contrast, consisted of simple fabrics and caps. Humanization found new forms in clothing, leisure and lifestyle. Alongside classic dance and music, fashion became synonymous with culture. Women, for the first time in the Middle Ages, distanced themselves radically from men.

Materials: buttons, feathers, silk, brocade, velvet, metal, colorful wool fabrics

Tools/Techniques: buttoning, knitting

5. Rococo (ca. 1730 – 1780)

Ruffles on the sleeves, whether on noble garments or peasant attire, along with underskirts, tulle and gloves, adorned the era. Across different periods, fashion evolved in stages, from the Renaissance to sumptuous, pompous dresses, lace, and parasols in the Rococo. Hoop skirts, pastel colors, fans and other decorative accessories became trendy. Women understood elegance and grace, frequented salons, and furthered their education. This was a time in which the emancipation and dominance of the aristocracy were ensured through elegance. It is still considered one of the most important fashion epochs, showcasing women with extraordinary style.

Materials: silk, lace, pastel colors, tulle, underskirts, fans, gloves

Tools/Techniques: draping, embroidery, sewing

6. Roaring Twenties (ca. 1920 – 1929)

Great Gatsby sums it up well. From the pomp of the Middle Ages and Rococo to modern role models. Women were no longer strictly viewed within courtly contexts. Progress and industrialization spread, especially in fashion. Clutches, feathers and Charleston dresses were now worn. Women appeared figure-hugging and showcased themselves for the first time. Celebrations abounded. The modern woman was not only educated but met many other criteria, particularly in leisure activities and social positioning. Not to forget haute couture and the rising celebrated designers, like Coco Chanel, who introduced exclusive fashion. Paris was declared the fashion capital, or at least it seemed so, given the many influences originating there. Later, toward the end of the 1970s, it was replaced by the "Alta Moda" in Milan, though this is highly subjective.

Materials: silk, chiffon, feathers, tulle, pearls, clutches

Tools/Techniques: tailoring, draping, embroidery

7. Retro & Co. (from 1970 to the late 1990s)

The final epoch in this post is the retro era. Andy Warhol, influences from Marilyn Monroe, and other timeless icons brought light to the darkness. Polka dots, bell-bottoms and jeans. And let's not forget the cute suspenders on children and men, which I personally found very charming. It's a shame they were forgotten; they were quite endearing. An era of fashion abundance. Designers, international influences, consumerism and advertising. Fashion is not a symbol but marketing, plain and simple. It represents pleasure, boldness, and exhibitionism.. A perfect summary toward the late 1990s is represented by the American TV series The Nanny. The clothing style combines the different influences from past years very well, as do many other well-known series and movies.

Materials: denim, cotton, polka dots, bell-bottoms, jeans, leather, tulle, feathers, accessories

Tools/Techniques: tailoring, sewing, printing, knitting

Today, most looks are inspired by the late '70s and '90s, and Flapper dresses are mostly seen as carnival costumes. However, there is a renewed interest in past trends, as forgotten pieces, like the infamous animal print, denim jackets, and oversized glasses, are back in vogue. Now, they exist only as inspirations from lost times.

This was an overview of fashion. Of course, there are more epochs and sub-trends, but I focused on the most important ones. This is why the post has a personal touch. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.