Questions tagged [fashion]

For questions related to fashion, style and their changes in different historic times and territories.

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1 answer
181 views

How much did Queen Elizabeth I spend on her wardrobe over her reign?

Queen Elizabeth I of England had over 2000 expensive bejeweled gowns when she died. While she was thrifty by refurbishing her gowns when possible and giving some away to maids as payment what would ...
2 votes
1 answer
194 views

What kind of clothing was worn in Mahgreb states circa the high medieval period?

I'm interested in medieval clothing (I'd focus on the time period from the 9th century onwards) in north Africa especially in the Maghreb states and the other countries that surround the Sahara such ...
1 vote
0 answers
131 views

What era and region’s secular style is the Hasidic form of dress based on? [closed]

Is there some land and time in history in which an entire society’s men and women dressed in what is today the Hasidic style of dress? If so, then when and where was this? And were there still ...
10 votes
1 answer
1k views

How can I date this carved wood sculpture?

I found this beautiful wood-carved sculpture: It does look quite old and I wonder around what it was created. Also I'm interested which things to look out for, in order to determine the age and ...
2 votes
1 answer
308 views

Were short stem coupe glasses common in the 1920's?

Please advise, if I am mixing something up horribly. I remember images I've occasionally seen several times over past 30 years -- either historical posters or illustrations, maybe even American/...
41 votes
5 answers
35k views

When and why did having long hair become associated with women, and short hair with men?

It's obvious that having short or long hair is an identity sign for men and women respectively, more or less worldwide. I wonder why something like this happened, though. Maybe it was a way to ...
0 votes
2 answers
514 views

What are those Russian/Turkic/Mongolian semi-conical felt caps brimmed with fur called?

What are those Russian/Turkic/Mongolian semi-conical felt caps brimmed with fur called? When and from which culture did it originate from, and when and how did it get adopted by the Slavs? Did the ...
12 votes
2 answers
4k views

Did medieval people wear collars with a castellated hem?

Many drawings of peasants in the Middle Ages show the men with an oversized collar or short cape with a distinctive castellated margin. Did this really exist, and if so, was the shape dictated by a ...
3 votes
1 answer
151 views

What did male motorcyclists wear in 1930s England?

What did male motorcyclists wear in 1930s England? I'm assuming the outfits from Watch This Club Ride Vintage 1930s Motorcycles Across France are probably pretty accurate, as well as the top image ...
0 votes
0 answers
106 views

Can anyone provide any details on the model, history and value of my grandfather's watch?

After my grandfather passed away in 2010, a lot of his belongings were split between his daughters. My mother recently gave me a watch that belonged to my grandfather, but I cannot find any details ...
6 votes
4 answers
5k views

What are specific parts of this 19th century dress called?

Src: Portrait of Nadezhda Polovtseva So this a the Portrait of Nadezhda Polovtseva in which she is wearing a white and green gown. I just need a really simple explaination of what the separate ...
6 votes
4 answers
777 views

Did anyone interweave blue and red threads in order to give the illusion of purple cloth before purple dye became cheap?

The wikipedia article on purple contains nothing on this. Also, why did the ancients not simply mix red and blue dye together to make purple?
5 votes
1 answer
291 views

What is the meaning of the medieval word 'bliant', used to describe a fabric?

There are a number of references to "bliant" in The Mabinogion, but I cannot track the word down using my trusty Webster's Unabridged or Google (I get baby names, etc). Can anyone help? For ...
25 votes
10 answers
9k views

What was the 1970s name for skinny jeans?

I'm currently writing something set loosely in the 1970s. One character refers to another (who is not present) in a disparaging way. The insulting phrase includes the detail that this person only ...
5 votes
1 answer
218 views

What uniform is General Redvers Henry Buller VC GCB GCMG wearing in this colored photo?

Colored studio photograph circa 1900 of General Redvers Henry Buller VC GCB GCMG in uniform with decorations. Is it that of a General in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps? Confirmation or other ...
0 votes
2 answers
769 views

Does the leather strap often depicted on a Pith helmets serve a purpose, or is it purely cosmetic?

Pith Helmet are often depicted with a dark leather strap across the front (See picture). Does this strap serve a functional purpose: For example, is it a chin strap that has been hooked up to keep it ...
1 vote
2 answers
296 views

In what countries were plague doctor masks were most common?

Based on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plague_doctor_costume: The clothing worn by plague doctors was intended to protect them from airborne diseases during outbreaks of the Bubonic Plague in Europe. ...
6 votes
1 answer
3k views

At what age did girls start wearing corsets in 1880s-1890s Britain?

So, I found some contradicting information to answer this on the internet and almost none of it was dated to a specific time of the victorian era, so I would like to know if anyone can answer this ...
1 vote
0 answers
164 views

What historic documents do we have supporting women wearing veils as historically continuous since Assyrian law?

The documentation of Assyrian law is given in the answer to this question. What is the earliest history of Middle Eastern women wearing veils for modesty while in public? What historic documents do we ...
6 votes
1 answer
365 views

What is the earliest history of Middle Eastern women wearing veils for modesty while in public?

The Hebrew Bible (Tanakh, Christian Old Testament) recorded women wearing veils as early as Rebekah in Genesis (Breshith). See Judaism stack exchange However, there is debate over whether women wore ...
6 votes
0 answers
1k views

How did Europeans dye their garments black around 1800?

It is said budgetary restrictions made for example Lützower and Brunswickers chose black as their uniform colour. Since no state would provide funds for the equipment they brought old uniforms or ...
11 votes
1 answer
2k views

Did Continental Army officers wear wigs or keep their hair white like their British Army counterparts?

I just can't find any concrete answer to this question because there is just too much conflicting information. While I know British enlisted men weren't allowed to wear wigs but were forced to grow ...
5 votes
1 answer
413 views

What was considered utility clothing before WW2?

The term Utility Clothing became associated with Britain's Utility Scheme during WW2. However, apparently such a "utility" in fashion seems to have been known even before this time. I came ...
1 vote
2 answers
2k views

Did the Sturmabteilung uniform look ridiculous in terms of German fashion in the 1920s?

Ridicule is a common method of social dismissal. The Sturmabteilung (SA) were a German fascist militia in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. Their most basic uniform was described as a yellow brown ...
40 votes
3 answers
46k views

Why are military uniforms often flared or poofy above the knee?

I've often wondered why do various uniforms have those "poofs" on the outsides of the legs just above the knee? Was there a particular purpose to this, or a practical reason, or was it just the result ...
18 votes
1 answer
7k views

Did the Roman legions wear this type of boots?

I was looking at this drawing of a Roman soldier (copied below) About the boots: Is this pair of boots plausible for a Roman soldier (in any era/province of the Roman Empire)? I would like to confirm ...
23 votes
2 answers
10k views

What is the history of the popped collar?

A popped collar on a polo has become the symbol of Frat Boys and wannabes everywhere. Especially in the "Jersey Shore" culture. I initially thought maybe it was tied to New England preppy style (the ...
1 vote
1 answer
1k views

Identify the cover model from an issue of Life Magazine

Could someone identify the cover model for the Life Magazine issue dated August 22, 1969: https://twitter.com/historylvrsclub/status/1050574006632570880/photo/1 The issue itself is silent on this ...
2 votes
2 answers
778 views

Is it true that Christian English monks adopted Norse hairstyles before the start of the Viking age?

I remember a documentary suggesting that Vikings traded a lot with English monks, before the Viking Age started, and that the monks ended up adopting their hairstyles. They mentioned a senior monk or ...
-8 votes
2 answers
3k views

Why women in medieval India was topless? [closed]

I heard that women in medieval India was topless upto 1200 AD.. Why ? India was developed in many areas on that time , but women were topless.. Why ?
1 vote
1 answer
268 views

What type of ancient Chinese headgear is this and what more do we know about it?

This is Zhao Bing, Emperor Bing of Song, the 18th and last emperor of the Song Dynasty. Is this headgear a Tongtianguan? And whatever type of headgear it is, what more do we know about it? What does ...
5 votes
1 answer
468 views

Are there contemporary records of why flappers used cosmetics to create thin, upturned eyebrows?

What were young women trying to express when they applied cosmetics in this style? The cartoon character Betty Boop has a similar look, which could convey any number of things: hesitation, girlishness,...
1 vote
1 answer
228 views

Did anyone in England in the 1680's wear a beard?

I'm trying to find any examples of beards in England during the 1680s. I know they weren't popular but that doesn't mean they didn't exist at all. A picture would be ideal, although I appreciate this ...
2 votes
2 answers
497 views

Why did Charles the Bold have long fingernails?

After his death in battle at Nancy, Charles the Bold was found in a stream. He had been stripped of his armor, cloths, and jewels, and partially eaten by animals. His face was horribly mutilated and ...
1 vote
0 answers
139 views

Is this a Qing costume and did it have a purpose?

According to this article, clothing during was very codified during the Qing dynasty. Is it reasonable to think this suit may be of Qing dynasty, and if so, what would have been its wearer status and ...
9 votes
1 answer
571 views

Is the story about Mussolini and Oliver Hardy apocryphal?

There is a story that Mussolini wore bowler hats until someone told him that he looked like Oliver Hardy. Is this true? Is there any evidence for it or is it apocryphal? The times I have seen the ...
5 votes
2 answers
870 views

What's the difference between Potur and Şalvar?

I'm researching the clothing of 16th-century Ottoman clothing, and I keep getting Potur and Şalvar as "trousers." Was there a difference between them or were the words synonymous?
8 votes
2 answers
8k views

What is the significance of "Flappers" in American history?

The Flapper image of the 1920's American history of cosmetics seems to transform the cultural image of the feminine. However, I cannot piece together exactly how this change came about. I read about ...
12 votes
1 answer
4k views

"Musketeer" beard, mustache and hairdress - where did they originate?

This is a portrait of typical French musketeer, with typical triangle beard, mustache and long wavy hairs. I wonder where this fashion originates from? Is not it the Byzantine Empire where such ...
6 votes
1 answer
2k views

When did medieval monarchs start being depicted with ermine fur garments?

Probably all medieval monarchs wore fur garments when the weather was cold enough. But what seems to be the normal medieval picture of monarch in civilian dress was to wear a long robe with a cloak ...
9 votes
1 answer
2k views

Did unmarried Spartan women have longer hair than men?

I understand that in ancient Sparta, men wore their hair long whereas married women cut theirs short. However, in the brief mentions I've read about this (such as in one answer to "When and why did ...
5 votes
0 answers
1k views

When did the British gentry stop wearing wigs?

I'm researching dress in 18th century Britain. This article claims the following: "Brits stopped wearing wigs after William Pitt levied a tax on hair powder in 1795." The date seems odd to me, ...
23 votes
7 answers
15k views

How common was smoking in first half of the 20th century?

When watching movies that were made in first half of the 20th century, one can see many people are smoking (cigarettes), but it is not they smoke all time long. I refer to the movies, because they ...
2 votes
1 answer
782 views

Is there historical evidence on what might have been a maximum hair length for males in 1st century Judea?

I am interested in getting a better idea of what a maximum acceptable hair length might have been for Jewish men in the Roman province of Judea (i.e. Israel). Because the province at the time was ...
15 votes
3 answers
3k views

Why did people in 18th century wear wigs?

In many movies (and also drawings) that take place in the 18th century people use wigs. Why? Was it necessary?
3 votes
1 answer
196 views

Did the Canadian Tuxedo emerge out of the Wool Shortage of 1973?

I understand that the Hudson Bay Company is responsible for the proliferation of the "Canadian Tuxedo". The Canadian Tuxedo is described as a denim jacket with jeans. The denim jacket must have ...
3 votes
2 answers
317 views

What role did 17th c. luxury manufacturing play in the industrialization?

The luxury industry boomed with Louis XIV and his heirs. He made it mandatory for the nobles to invest their fortunes in the French luxury industry by following the latest fashion that the king ...
3 votes
1 answer
530 views

"Ridiculous" military haircut in Spanish California

According to the reminiscences of José Maria Amador, as translated by Gregorio Mora-Torres in "Californio Voices", around 1820 recruits at the Monterey Presidio received an unusual haircut: After ...
1 vote
2 answers
415 views

What did women wear during the Rashidun era?

What did women wear during the Rashidun caliphate?
12 votes
4 answers
2k views

When, where, why did clean shaving for men become the norm?

Fashions come in and out, and beards alternate between trendy and passe. By the introduction of the safety razor, shaving had obviously become so common that even the poorest farmer could afford to ...