The life of the ancient Egyptians is often studied with great interest by archaeologists. Here, we shall take a look at some interesting aspects about their fashion.
Many people have always found Egypt as a mesmerizing place with a mystical appeal to it. A study of the daily life of the people of ancient Egypt unfolds many interesting stories. People that lived during that civilization were advanced in their thought process.
This is prevalent in the various construction techniques used for building pyramids, their use of medicines, the techniques employed for the agriculture processes, and many other features.
However, the one thing that always interested people was the fashion. With soaring temperature, the people always had to use lightweight material for clothing. Work related to textiles was often under the administration of the women folk. Let us see in detail as to what the people of that era practiced with respect to fashion.
What was the material used?
Materials were of prime importance in ancient Egyptian fashion. The climate dictated the kind of fabrics to be worn. Clothing was generally made of lightweight fabrics such as linen.
The wealthy lot wore the most exquisite quality of linen. During the Egyptian civilization, various types of linen were produced and the best variety was of the transparent type. It was produced in workshops or even in the homes of the common folk.
What did they wear?
For men and women, the tunic was a common factor. Tunics made of light fabric were worn with pleated skirts.
Clothing was often draped over the body. The royal families wore a headdress to denote their status. Males as well as females wore the 'kalasiris', which covered one or both the shoulders. The top of the garment touched the waist, which was either tight or loose in fit.
Men also wore kilts, which were short skirts that were tied around the waist.
The length of this garment varied. Men that belonged to the upper strata of society wore longer kilts. These skirts had pleats towards the frontal area. They were firmly wrapped around the waist and secured with belts.
For the women, the lower sides of the tunic consisted of cloth cut in rectangular pieces.
The lower sides of the garment were generally stitched. Women's dresses were also pleated and often covered with ornaments. Cloaks also became a part of their fashion. The royal families wore cloaks made of fine linen with wide sleeves.
Jewelry, Footwear, and Cosmetics
Cleopatra remains to be an iconic figure that best represents the Egyptian couture. Her beauty was known the world over, and she was one such woman who's costumes really gained popularity.
Jewelry was also of prime focus for the people of that era. Elaborate and exquisite pieces have been found in many excavations carried out by archaeologists. This was not restricted only to the royal families, and people who belonged to the lower strata of society, also wore some amount of jewelry.
Footwear worn by the wealthy lot was usually made of leather. These were designed with straps.
Cosmetics were also used by the people. They often used plant extracts to create cosmetics to protect themselves from the harmful effects of the sun or other such factors. A strange trend that was noticed was the method of adorning perfumed cones on top of the head. These were generally worn at get-togethers.
Although the ancient Egyptians did not really have the comfort to create the latest fashion, they sure managed to be creative with least resources. That fashion still continues to inspire designers even today!