Danielle Veesaert

Chapter One: Introduction

The Origins of Dress

 Beads are the biggest example of early dress

o Sikul Cave, Israel have the oldest beads

 Sculptures and statuettes, paintings in caves

o Paleolithic period

o Some elements of dress, especially textile weaving

o Difference in time indicated by sizing of weaving

 Oldest textile made 30,000 years ago

 Sandals and slip-on shoes found in Central Missouri, Arnold Research Cave

 Humans most likely wore dress from fur, skins, and fibrous materials

 4 Basic motives for wearing clothing

o decoration

o protection

o modesty

o status

Limitations to the Design of Garments

 “Wearer must be able to move, carry the weight of the garment, and perform specific

duties”

 Draping of skins only allowed certain shaping of garments

 Natural fibers caused specific uses for each garment

 Limitation of location and materials readily available in that region/area

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 Draped dress: “arrangement around the body of pieces of fabric that are folded,

pleated, pinned, or belted in different ways”

o Fit body loosely

o Developed after learning to weave

 Tailored dress: “pieces are cut and sewn together and fir the body more closely”

o Provide body with warmth

o Use of skins and leathers

 Limitation of customs of the time and region

o Dress codes, must remain with the norm

Common Themes in Costume History Across Time

 Theme: “recurring or unifying subject or idea”

Functions of Dress in Social Context

 Gender Differences

o Men and women should dress differently

o Social roles each gender plays

 Age

o Reaching a certain age and changing dress

o Breeching: “5/6-year-old boy was given his first pair of breeches”

o Usually not a ritual, just happens over time

 Status

o Uniforms show occupation

o Wedding rings
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o Sumptuary laws: “restricted the use of, or expenditures on, luxury goods”

 Group Membership

o Specific uniforms

 Ceremonial Use

o Specific garments as rite of passage

o Weddings, baptisms, funerals

 Sexual Attractiveness

o Focus on women’s breasts/men’s genitals

o Waist and hip emphasis

o Seeming successful

Social Communication

 Silent language

 Tells about how a society works in a specific region

 Class structure

 Separates religious leaders from common people

Historical Context

 Political leaders and government

o Banning certain materials

 Warfare

o Restricting available materials

 Economic Events

o Trade
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o Production and acquisition of textiles and apparel

 Technology

Cross-Cultural References

 Visitors attract attention

 Elements deemed attractive or helpful are adopted

 Mixtures: “styles that incorporate components from several cultures”

 Cultural authentication: “process whereby elements of dress of one culture are

incorporated into the dress of another”

Geography, Natural Environment, and Ecology

 Preferences based on climates

 Protecting endangered species

Clothing as an Art Form

 Mix of social, psychological, and aesthetic

 Zeitgeist: “spirit of the times”

 Shapes utilized or colors

 Proportions and lines

Phenomenon of Fashion in Western Dress

 Fashion: “a taste shared by many for a short period of time”

 Western dress: “dress prevalent in western Europe and Euro-America since the Middle

Ages”

 15th century, style changes every several decades

 fashion system: “fashionable clothing available in a wide variety of price ranges”

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 folk costume: “dress of the European peasant class”

Sources of Evidence for the Study of Historic Costume

 socioeconomic structure of a society, customs relating to dress, art of the period,

technology available

 written records

 printing press, 1500s, allowed for more pictorial evidence

 fashion magazines demonstrate proposed styles, not what people were wearing

 terms utilized in writing can sometimes be hard to depict

 dating of actual garments is not always correct, be skeptical