The History of Purple Dye, Molluscs And A Victorian Teenager
Throughout history purple has been a colour closely associated with royalty, holiness and spirituality, but what made purple dye so expensive and rare? The use of molluscs to create Tyrian dye meant it was a difficult tincture to produce.
Medieval Body Hair And The Curious Practice Of Forehead Plucking
Throughout history and in all cultures hair has been of high importance, a way to express marital or religious status as well as a symbol of beauty. Our middle ages ancestors had some quite disturbing beliefs about body hair which led to some odd hair trends.
The Most Useful Victorian Fashion Accessory, The Chatelaine
A chatelaine is a decorative belt hook or clasp worn at the waist with a series of chains suspended from it, each of which is mounted with various household tools such as scissors, watches, keys, thimbles, household seals and so much more. Ancient Roman’s utilised a similar device with ear scoops, nail cleaners and tweezers.
What Were Codpieces and Why Were The Tudors Obsessed With Them?
Ever noticed a very prominent area in portraits of Henry VIII? That’s a codpiece, an item initially created to solve an issue in the 16th century that soon became a status, and size, indicator.
The Edwardian Hobble Skirt Fad
The pencil skirt is often laughed at for how it can limit its wearer’s movement, but its predecessor, the hobble skirt, was far worse. This Edwardian fashion fad didn’t last long, yet it made its sometimes dangerous impact.
A Brief History of The Fashion Week
The September 2021 New York Fashion Week is well underway, with all eyes on the fashion industry. The first-ever official fashion week was held in New York in 1943 during WW2, with the London, Paris and Milan joining in future years.
Sumptuary Laws in Fashion: What Are They?
The most basic definition of a sumptuary law is of a law that is designed to regulate consumption, particularly regarding things like food, furnishings, expenditures, and particularly apparel. Some of the earliest examples of what we would consider being predecessors of sumptuary laws can be found in Ancient Egypt.
Why You Should Be Wearing Linen (and not just in the summer!)
Linen is one of those materials that people can often feel reluctant to go near. Linen is a naturally occurring fibre created from the flax plant and is actually one of the oldest textiles in the world. The use of linen can be traced back thousands of years, and rightly so because it is one of the greatest natural fabrics.
The History Of High Heels May Surprise You
While heels had their resurgence amongst men during the 70s with disco fever, they didn’t stick around. If heels were seen as the epitome of masculinity for so much of history, why can’t they now?
9 Of The Greatest Little Black Dress Moments In History
Few things are as classic and timeless as the little black dress. From Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s to Princess Diana’s iconic black revenge dress from 1994, let’s look at some of the greatest LBD moments from history.
The History of The Pocket
Women, sometimes, have tiny ones. Pockets had a brief moment in the 90s and early 00’s for women, but alas, all too soon we went back into the pocketless void of very tight trousers and fockets. But, what is this history of the pocket?
What Happened To Jackie Kennedy’s Pink Suit?
The blood-stained pink suit that became a symbol of the tragic assassination of JFK worn by Jackie Kennedy is burned into our memories. But, what actually happened to that Chanel suit?
Modern Austen - An Interview with Olivia Annabelle
Do you wish you could dress like an Austen character every day? Well, with Olivia Annabelle you can! The sustainable and slow fashion brand is perfect for fashion history lovers.
What Did Victorian Women Wear Under Their Clothes
Underwear is rarely spoken about and yet has been worn for millennia. So, what did our Victorian ancestors wear under their often elaborate outfits and dainty corsets?
5 Ways The Past Can Inspire Our Fashion Sustainability
Struggling to know how you can shop and dress more sustainably and ethically? Looking back to the past, to history, can give us more answers than we may, at first, think.
The (Pre)History of Fashion
Despite popular belief, humans have been dressing for fashion for the majority of their existence. Though we picture cavemen and prehistoric peoples as individuals enslaved to basic survival, ancient cultures were filled with decorative accessories, complex patterns, and fashion workers who made the trendy hunter-gatherers possible.
A Discovery of 1590s Fashion (and Witches!)
A Discovery of Witches has returned to our screens once more, bringing us drama, suspense and 1590s fashion! Let’s take a look at how historically accurate these costumes are…
The Minoan in Mary Katrantzou
Greek designer Mary Katrantzou has often allowed the famed past of her home country to inform her designs. For her SS17 collection, Katrantzou looked to the Bronze Age, rather than the more popularly known Classical period.
Victorian Mourning Dress
When a monarch and their family do something, especially in regards to fashion, people tend to follow suit and so, due to Victoria’s deep state of mourning, mourning etiquette and mourning fashion became a staple for Victorian society.
Maternity Fashions in History
In 2020, maternity clothing is a massive business, with most pregnant people choosing to keep up with the main fashion trends. However, having an entire fashion market dedicated to pregnancy is perhaps more modern than we think. In history, things were a tad bit different.
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This unofficial syllabus covers the brands, moments, designers, and ideas in women’s traditional workwear that have long been omitted from the conversation. While it’s not fully comprehensive, it is a good place to start if you want to look like you know how to change a tire.