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History Of Fashion: Ancient Rome

The legend tells that Rome was founded on April 21, 753 BC, by the twin sons of Mars, Romulus and Remus. Romulus killed his brother over the throne and became the sole ruler of Rome. He reigned until 715 BC, when he was succeeded by Numa Pompilius, the founder of Roman law and its religious practices.

With time, Roman power, influence and territory grew to unprecedented proportions in the ancient world. By the end of the Republic (31 BC), Rome controlled the entire Mediterranean. They defeated their most powerful rivals, the Carthaginians, and took over many of the lands ruled by the Greeks, including Egypt. Although, eventually ancient Rome was sacrificed at the altar of its own internal struggles for power, it was not before it had written its name under one of the most important periods in humankind’s history. Two thousand years later, ancient Rome remains an endless inspiration of art, culture, architecture, and even fashion.

Costume

Roman costume was influenced by the styles of previous civilizations, such as the Etruscans and the Greeks, and also reflected the dress of conquered peoples, although in a lesser degree. It comprised two main categories: indutus, items that were put on, and amictus, clothing wrapped or draped around the body. The wide range of climates that existed within the vast Roman Empire led to the creation of the seasonal dressing concept. Dress was adapted to the specific seasons and weather conditions.

Women’s clothing

Women’s clothes were made of light materials and in a variety of colors, which set them apart from men’s clothes. Also, unlike men’s dress, women’s clothes changed little. The primary garment was the stola, a long tunic with full sleeves. It was made from wool, cotton or linen, with the more expensive designs made from silk. The stola was worn with a girdle known as cingulum and a wide belt, known as a succinda. With the help of these, women achieved to create a double-bloused effect. Under the stola women wore a bust bodice – the strophium, and a sleeveless shift dress – the subucula.

Roman matrons wore wide tunics, pleated into tiny folds, which were held together at the shoulder by a series of buttons along the sleeve.

The palla was a warm piece of cloth with a hood, fastened with a clasp. Another outer garment was the sapparum, worn by women of the upper class, which had short sleeves, and the olicula, which basically was a short cape.

Men’s clothing

In the early days of the Republic, Roman men wore a simple linen loincloth known as the subligaculom or licinium. By the time of the empire, only athletes and workmen were permitted to wear loincloths. Romans, unlike the Greeks, were not tolerant of nudity. They did, however, inherit from them their two main garments: the tunic and the cloak. The basic short-sleeved tunic consisted of two pieces of wool cloth joined at the shoulders and down the sides, with slits for the head and arms. It was gathered at the waist with a belt, but could also be worn with a girdle.

There were different tunic styles for different occasions and social ranks. Magistrates wore the Tunica angusti clavi, which had two narrow purple stripes on each shoulder. The Tunica laticlavia, worn by senators, featured wider purple stripes. Made from purple silk and embroidered with gold thread, the Tunica palmata was worn by victorious generals. It consisted of two pieces and was worn together with the Toga picta. There were also other tunics, such as the Tunica recta, the Subucula and Tunica exteriodum, and the Caracaila.

The most important mantle was the toga, which was descended from the Greek himation and the Etruscan tebenna. The draped, elliptically shaped woolen piece of fabric was reserved for Roman citizens; slaves, foreigners, and lower classes were forbidden from wearing it. The toga’s decoration, color and shape denoted the wearer’s social rank. As did the manner in which the toga was draped.

The different forms of togas included the Toga picta, which signified victory and was worn by Roman generals on specific occasions. This toga was property of the state and only loaned to generals for ceremonial wear. Another toga was the Toga candida, which was worn by candidates for public office. Mourners wore the Toga pulla, which was either black, dark brown or gray, and had a head cover. The solid purple Toga trabea was worn by spiritual men. The same toga with purple and crimson stripes was reserved for the augurs or omens interpreters, while the purple and white one revealed the rulers of the Republic.

With the expansion of the Empire, Rome came to include in its territories much of northern Europe, which translated into harsher climatic conditions. Warm outer garments became a necessity. The Roman wardrobe included the sagum – a blanket-like wrap, taken from the Gauls; the lacerna, a rectangular piece of wool, draped over the shoulders, which had to be fastened with a clasp; the pallum – or women’s palla – was a short rectangular cloak, influenced by the Greek himation; the paludanentum, was an enlarged version of the Greek chlamys, worn by Roman generals.

The author is the founder and owner of Adriana Allen LLC – a European fashion brand offering handmade and one-of-a-kind handbags and fashion accessories. You can learn more about world fashion, fashion’s history, and how to buy fashion accessories at our official blog

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History Of Fashion: Ancient Egyptian Dress

Women’s dress

The Eighteenth Dynasty, which spans the time period from 1550 until 1292 BC, is probably the most famous of all the dynasties of ancient Egypt. This is the age of the rule of Tutankhamen, as well as of Amenhotep IV and his wife Nefertiti. This is also the Dynasty of Hatshepsut, considered one of the most successful pharaohs and the longest reigning woman of an indigenous Egyptian dynasty.

Until the Eighteenth Dynasty, the women wore kalasiris, or sheath dress, made from a tube of material sewn along one side. The traditional kalasiris was simple in shape. It fell from below the breasts to above the ankles and was held by two shoulder straps. This could vary however. Archeologists have found kalasiris supported by sleeves instead of straps, or just one strap instead of two. It could also extend over the breast or up to the neck. Although paintings and sculptures portray such costumes as molded tightly over the body, these depictions are deceptive. Surviving clothing is loose and flowing for ease of movement.

Women also wore an ensemble of two separate pieces. It consisted of a wide skirt with horizontal folds and a short, tight bodice with slim-fitting sleeves. It opened back and front and had to be secured with thin cords.

In the Eighteenth Dynasty new dress styles appeared. Depictions of Nefertiti show her in a long, flowing, pleated linen drapery or wearing a long, tight dress under a pleated tunic with wide sleeves that came down to the elbow. A belt fastened below her breasts forms an Empire line, while a beaded collar hung at her neckline.

There was remarkably little change in women’s clothing after the Eighteenth Dynasty, even during the Greek Ptolemaic Dynasty (304-30 BC). As established by the first pharaohs, the exclusive use of draped linen garments and the wearing of similar styles by men and women remained almost unaltered as the main features of ancient Egyptian costume.

Men’s clothing

The traditional male garment was the white linen kilt or schenti, a rectangular cloth wrapped around the lower body and tied in front. Beneath it, men wore a triangular loincloth sometimes fastened with cord ties. The length, fullness and method of adjustment of the kilt changed with the the wearer’s social position and the historic epoch.

The original schenti was made of leather or hide, which was later replaced by a light cloth, usually linen.

Later kilts were more angular and heavily starched. The stiff cloth would stick out and create a triangle, which emphasized the genital area. This zone was considered sacred for its procreation role.

Men’s costume evolved gradually. One of the first innovations to follow the schenti was the loin skirt. In the Middle Kingdom (2040-1640 BC), men wore long linen skirts over the kilt. They varied in length and were sometimes held in place by a decorative belt.

Egypt’s conquest of Syria in the 15th century BC introduced the tunic and the robe. The Syrian weavers imported sophisticated weaving techniques that led to better textile production. The tunic, a short sleeved nightshirt, could be worn over the schenti, while the robe was complicated in form and was made from of fabric twice as long as the wearer’s height. It had a wide neckline, wide sleeves and the skirt was gathered at the waist. The robe is probably the most unusual Egyptian garment.

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History Of Fashion – Ancient Egypt

The Egyptians originally came from the area known today as Ethiopia. They referred to the fertile Nile valley as ‘kemet’, or ‘the black land’ and called themselves ‘remet-en-kemet’ or the ‘people of the black land.

Early Egypt was composed of two kingdoms, Upper and Lower Egypt. Its people lived in the countryside, using towns and temples as service centers and dwelling places. There were a few large cult areas, the principal being Memphis and Thebes, but for the most part, the country contained scattered villages and markets.

It was in 3100 B.C. that Menes, a king of Upper Egypt, conquered the north and unified the country. This was the beginning of a civilization that was to survive into the age of Classical Greece and Rome. Today historians distinguish five historic periods: the Old, Middle and New Kingdoms, each a time of success or consolidated government, and the intervening First and Second Intermediate periods, which were marked by weakness and disruption from external and internal causes.

It was under the Old Kingdom – ca. 2685-2186 B.C. – that the pharaoh came to be viewed as the absolute lord of the land. Conceived not just as king but as god, he controlled every aspect of society, including art and dress. Visual proof of pharaonic power can be found in the great pyramids at Giza, testaments to an unsurpassed social and administrative concentration of human labor, including slavery.

Pyramids had immense symbolic significance: their shape represented the sun’s rays slanting to earth and functioned as ‘stairway to heaven’ for the pharaoh’s soul. Their internal structure was highly descriptive as well, as were some of the paintings on the walls, which portrayed aspects of the occupants’ daily lives, and illustrated how they would spend their afterlife. Everyday scenes decorated the walls of tombs, temples, and palaces, and it is from these that archeologists have gleaned much of their knowledge about Egyptian clothes.

Costume

For centuries Egyptian culture has been a source of inspiration for art and architecture, and so has been Egyptian dress. Yet, when we think of ancient Egyptian attire, we conjure images of the stunning, elaborate costumes from some of the Hollywood classic movies, such as the 1963 epic Cleopatra with Elizabeth Taylor. The lavish guise has overshadowed the actual simplicity of the white linen schenti – a man’s loincloth, or kilt – and the kalasiris – the long, close-fitting sheath dress worn mainly by women.

The dry, hot climate and the environmental conditions at many burial sites have helped preserve very well the clothing, jewelry, and artifacts, than historians have used to study Egyptians’ attire and lifestyle.

Fashion changed little throughout the history of ancient Egypt, and when new garments or styles were introduced, they were worn alongside the old ones. Initially, most garments were simple in shape, and roughly triangular. Because of the extreme heat, clothes were roomy, light, and spare. Complete nakedness, however, was not acceptable; it was considered immoral for anyone other than children, slaves, or commoners to appear naked.

Both men and women could keep their upper body bare, although women covered themselves more than men. The proportions of clothing lines were similar, however the female dress had a high waistline, while men’s clothing emphasized the hips. Women’s clothing was far more restrictive than that worn by men, perhaps an indication of men having a more active lifestyle

Clothes reflected the strictly hierarchical nature of Egyptian society and distinguished social rank. The quality of cloth denoted a person’s position. The higher a person’s rank, the better the cloth he wore. The Pharaoh’s kilt would be made of fine linen, possibly enriched with gold, whereas the commoner’s loincloth was made of vegetable fibers or leather.

Textiles and colors

The most commonly used fabric for clothes was linen for it was light, fine, and easily draped over the body. Initially, linen was woven from vegetable fibers – a technique invented in Egypt – but, as irrigation techniques improved, vegetable fibers were replaced by flax. Textile production and fabric quality improved with the Syrian weavers who imported their sophisticated weaving techniques.

Linen was indeed the most commonly used cloth, but it was not the only one: the simple slave’s garments were made from reeds; byblus and papyrus were used for aprons; wool was woven into shawls and outer garments; cotton was fashioned into tunics and robes that could be embroidered with gold. Battle dress, such as soldiers’ aprons, was made of leather. Silk was introduced in Egypt by the Greeks and the Romans c. 323 BC. Wool and leather were forbidden in the temples because it was considered profane to worship the gods in any garment made from animal fibers.

Colors were symbolic. Green symbolized life and youth and yellow was the symbol of gold, the flesh of the immortal gods. While black was used exclusively for wigs, white, the symbol of happiness, was commonly found in the Egyptian wardrobe. The technique of dyeing with natural, indigenous ingredients technique had been developed in Egypt, but it was not evolved enough and dyeing linen was hard. Clothes were normally made from natural, bleached linen.

Egyptians did dye some cloth. Slaves were often dressed in blue linen, for instance. Red dye was extracted from plants including Alkanna tinctoria, Rubia tinctorum and flowers such as Cathamus tinctorius (safflower). Thread was dyed gold and used as weave for royal tunics and gloves. Leather was also dyed red, yellow and green.

Next: Women’s clothing in Ancient Greece

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The History Of Linen: From Ancient Pharaohs To Modern Day Wedding Linen Rentals

When you are shopping for wedding table linens, you may not know that the fabric you are choosing has an ancient and elegant history. Linen started with humble beginnings-it comes from the flax seed and is the earliest vegetable fabric to be woven but soon became a symbol of refinement, dignity and good taste. When you are choosing wedding linen rentals, you can feel assured that you are following in the path of kings, priests and leaders of taste by selecting linens for your wedding linen rentals.

The Symbolism of Wedding Table Linens

Linen textiles may be the oldest in the world. Their history goes back many thousands of years. Fragments of straw, seeds, fibers, yarns and various types of fabrics which dating back to about 8000 B.C. have been found in Swiss lake dwellings. Linen similar to that used for your wedding table linens was used in the Mediterranean in the pre-Christian age. Linen was sometimes used as currency in ancient Egypt. Egyptian mummies were wrapped in linen because it was seen as a symbol of light and purity, and as a display of wealth. This symbolism suits wedding table linens perfectly, as a wedding also represents a moment of newness and pure love.

Wedding Table Linens and A Royal Past

In the earliest Biblical times, linen appears as the fabric of choice for high-ranking religious and government officials, not to mention the Saints! Priests of all denominations have been known to wear linen because of its purity, and linen was the favorite fabric of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs-often the fabric is one of the few surviving artifacts found in ancient ruins. For help with custom linens for your next special event visit http://www.magicalpartyrentals.com.

Nearly 4,000 years ago, the Phoenicians (known for their ships and trade on the high seas) opened up new channels of commerce to the peoples of the Mediterranean and introduced flax growing and the making of linen into Ireland before the birth of Christ. Hundreds of years later, Belfast would have The Royal Manufactory of Linen and Damask, and would serve some of history’s greatest royal families with the highest quality linen fabrics, including providing for their wedding table linens.

Wedding Table Linens Today

Today, linen is embroidered all over the world, especially in Portugal, Spain, France and Italy. The Italians have mastered the dying of this fiber, which results in its extraordinary variety and depth of color unequaled on cotton.

Egypt and Ireland are the two countries that come to mind in connection with the ancient history of linen, and up to the 1950′s, Ireland, France and Belgium were considered the finest producers of flax. Now, it is also massively cultivated in China. So, when you are choosing wedding linens, you know that you are participating in the exciting history of one of the world’s most widely respected fabrics.

From this history of linen we learn that linen is the noblest cloth, it is the strongest and purest material, it is unharmed by germs, and it resists time and humidity, while gaining extreme softness with time. You may have experienced the fact that the most delicious of all linen sheets are the ones that have been stored in grandmother’s cupboard. Learn more about wedding linen rentals at http://www.magicalpartyrentals.com/rentals/weddinglinenrentals.html.

It was the cloth of Pharaohs, Priests, and Kings. It remains the noblest and most luxurious material for the confection of the finest lingerie and nightwear, bed and table linen, decorative fabrics and, of course, wedding table linens. From the finest handkerchief to the thickest double damask tablecloth, there are literally dozens of ways to spoil yourself with linen. Start with the linens you choose for your wedding and experience what it means to become a part of history.

Janet Ireland is a special event decorating enthusiast and frequent contributor to Magical Party Rentals.com, a premier Internet resource for wedding chair cover rentals. Making dreams a reality online since 2003.

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