I 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 the ancient Egyptian civilization were rather advanced in their thought process. This is prevalent by the various construction techniques used for building pyramids, their use of medicines, the techniques employed for the agriculture processes and many other features. The one thing that has always interested me was ancient Egyptian fashion. With soaring temperature, the people of ancient Egypt always had to use lightweight material for clothing. Work related to textiles was often under the administration of the women folk in ancient Egypt. Ancient Egyptian fashion was thus related to many such factors. Here, we shall take a look at some details associated with ancient Egyptian fashion.
Ancient Egyptian Fashion:
Materials were of prime importance for ancient Egyptian fashion. The climate dictated the kind of fabrics to be worn. Clothing in ancient Egypt was generally made of lightweight fabrics such as linen. The wealthy lot in ancient Egypt wore the most exquisite quality of linen. During the ancient Egyptian civilization, various types of linen were produced. The best variety of linen was the transparent variety. This linen was produced in workshops or even in the homes of the common folk.
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 also 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 are 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. This was 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 ancient Egyptian fashion. The royal families wore cloaks made of fine linen with wide sleeves.
Cleopatra remains to be an iconic figure that best represents ancient Egyptian fashion. Her beauty was known the world over and she was one such woman who’s costumes really gained popularity. Jewelry also was of prime focus for ancient Egyptians. Elaborate and exquisite pieces have been found in many excavations carried out by archaeologists. This was not restricted only to the royal families. 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 ancient Egyptians. They often used plant extracts to create cosmetics to protect them 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. Ancient Egyptian fashion still continues to inspire designers even today!