Little known and funny facts about fashion. Interesting and useful information about the repair and tailoring of clothes

At all times, fashion has played an important role in society. She dictated the rules of behavior and style of dress. You can talk for hours about modern fashion and its history. Sometimes it seems that it is already impossible to come up with something new. To be honest, coming up with something new is like coming up with a new color. Over time, a person realized that there was no point in blindly following fashion, but also not to notice the fact of its existence is not worth doubly.

StyleNews likes to remember interesting things from the history of fashion and style. Today we will tell you about ten amazing, and sometimes shocking, fashion facts that we managed to find.

1. In 1500 BC. NS. among the ancient Egyptians, a head without a single hair was considered the ideal of female beauty. Therefore, women removed their hair with special golden tongs and rubbed their bald heads to a shine.

2. Queen Victoria considered makeup to be an invention of the devil, so women were strictly forbidden to use lipstick. And in 1770, the government of England issued a decree that a woman who seduced a man with cosmetics should be recognized as a witch.

3. The homeland of French manicure is America.

4. In the Middle Ages, dirt and lice were considered special signs of holiness. Therefore, people have not washed for years. The Queen of Spain Isabella of Castile (late 15th century) admitted that she had washed only twice in her entire life - at birth and on her wedding day. The original task of the famous French perfume was to mask the stench of years of unwashed body with a strong and persistent smell of perfume.

5. In ancient Rome, high-heeled shoes were worn only by prostitutes. Heels helped the "priestesses of love" to stand out in the crowd.

6. In the Victorian era, there was a strange fashion for photographs with deceased relatives. When someone died from the family, a photographer was invited to take pictures so that the deceased seemed alive. Sometimes the photographer, when developing the picture, painted the eyes of the deceased to make them seem even more alive.

7. Do you know how the Victorian mourning outfits and the little black dress are related? No? Then now we will tell you.

At that time, mourning was divided into periods and a certain type of dress was intended for each. In the first year and one day of mourning, widows were only allowed to wear a black dress completely covered in crepe. The head and face had to be covered with a mourning cap or a hat with a veil. Everything shiny was forbidden, even the buttons on the clothes were dull.

After the first year, there was a period of "half-mourning", which lasted six months. Now women could use the same black crepe to trim their dresses, gradually adding a little color to it and returning to shiny fabrics. In addition, the widow could already wear a hat decorated with feathers.

It was easier for men - the mourning lasted six months. In addition to a black tailcoat, they were required to wear a special bandage on the sleeve or on the hat, but after six months a man could immediately marry.

8. Several centuries ago in England, ladies wore intricate wigs made from ... dead birds.

9. The ideal external beauty and sexuality of ancient Chinese beauties were bandaged legs and mincing gait. The emergence of the custom of bandaging women's legs dates back to the Chinese Middle Ages, but the exact time of its origin is unknown. About a billion Chinese women have gone through leg bandaging. This eerie process looked like this: the girl's legs were bandaged with strips of fabric until four small toes pressed close to the sole of the foot. Then the legs were wrapped in strips of fabric horizontally to arch the foot like a bow.

Over time, the foot no longer grew in length, but it stuck out upward and took on the form of a triangle. She did not give a solid support and forced the women to sway, like a lyrically sung willow. Sometimes walking was so difficult that the owners of miniature legs could only move with the help of strangers.

10. Who would have thought, but if it were not for Napoleon Bonaparte, then in modern clothes, buttons might not exist! After all, it was he who introduced them into everyday life in order to wean his soldiers from the annoying habit of wiping their noses with their sleeves.

Fashion is quite an entertaining phenomenon. It often develops in turns and returns to its origins when cornering. There are many little-known, but very interesting events in the history of fashion. In this article, we will present some interesting facts about fashion.

The tuxedo

The first interesting fact about fashion and style will be about the peculiar jacket, usually black. In English, smoking is smoking. The fact is that before, most women aristocrats could not stand tobacco smoke. Therefore, the men retired for a smoke break in specially equipped offices. So that they would not be haunted by the fragrance that the ladies did not like, they wore a special “smoking jacket” on top of their outfit - a tuxedo. He must have had satin lapels.

The lapels on the jacket were provided for a reason. The fact is that no traces of ash remain on the atlas. Previously, shaking off the ashes from a cigar in an ashtray or somewhere else was not accepted and was considered disrespectful to those present. He had to fall off the cigar himself. If it fell on the lapel of a jacket, it did not leave marks there. A little later, the ladies realized that the tuxedo looks very sexy and decided to bring it into their wardrobe.

Buttoned sleeves

Many of us probably wondered why buttons are needed on the sleeves of jackets, because they do not carry any functional load. Let's take a look at this interesting fact about fashion from the point of view emerged during the time of Bonaparte. The famous ruler invented this attribute to disaccustom his soldiers to wipe their noses on their sleeves. He wanted to instill in his subordinates basic hygiene skills.

The concepts of "vintage" and "retro"

Another interesting fact about fashion. Not everyone understands the difference between vintage and retro. But experts believe that the retro thing dates back to about the middle of the 20th century. Vintage clothing, shoes, interior items, accessories came to us from a later period.

Clothes for kids

Today there is a whole one for children. But the concept of "children's fashion" appeared not so long ago - only in the 19th century. Before that, children were dressed completely like adults. The little ones wore, for example, stockings with suspenders. This was dictated by the rules of decency. It was believed that a little girl is already a woman, only of a younger age.

Fashion shows

Today, fashion models are paid good money for shows. This affects the budget of each collection. But such a thing as a catwalk model appeared only in the 19th century. Before that, fashion designers demonstrated their creations on dolls. And it should be noted that it was much more profitable than paying fashion models.

Bermuda

Another fun fact from the fashion world: Do you know how Bermuda shorts came about? Interestingly, the name of the shorts was taken from the name of Bermuda, where the garment appeared in 1930. The fact is that on the islands, ladies were forbidden to bare their hips. This is how the elongated shorts appeared. They were more comfortable than a skirt or trousers.

Skirt

Did you know that the first skirts were worn by men? Representatives of the stronger sex used this wardrobe item as a loincloth. Only in the 16th century did skirts become the subject of women's wardrobe. In Russia, girls began to wear skirts only a few centuries ago. Before that, sundresses were in use.

Pink - for girls, blue - for boys

An interesting fact about fashion for clothes and shoes. We are used to the fact that pink is a girlish color, and blue is a shade for boys. But such a division appeared quite recently (in 1940). Before that, outfits were mainly chosen to match the color of the hair or eyes. For example, in the fashion magazine Earnshow's, which came out in 1918, it was recommended for young representatives of the stronger sex to use pink. It was believed that it is stronger. Blue, as the color of tenderness and innocence, was offered for little girls. that it is more sophisticated and refined.

Walking stick as a fashion element

Today, the cane is perceived as an accessory worn exclusively by the elderly. It may look quite stylish, but young people still rarely use it. And before, it was a fashion accessory that was worn by both young men and women. For example, the writer Voltaire began collecting canes at a fairly young age. He collected more than 80 types of products. Also acquired interesting specimens of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. There were slightly more pieces in his collection. In the days of these writers, the fashion for walking sticks was very common in France.

Legendary Chanel

Here are some interesting fashion facts related to Coco. The woman had no professional education. She was not a dressmaker. She created her models by pinning the fabric to a mannequin and cutting off all unnecessary things until the silhouette she needed loomed. Chanel was also the first to start sewing women's jersey clothing. This fabric in those days was used only to create men's clothing, or rather linen.

Not everyone knows that for the appearance of many things, we have to thank Coco. What exactly did she create?

1. "Sailing Pants".
2. Snow white cotton dresses.
3. Two-tone shoes.
4. Pleated skirts.

Chanel also made black a symbol of elegance. This happened when, after the death of her beloved man, she did not take off her black clothes for several months. It was then that the idea of ​​a little black dress came about.

Versace

Next, let's talk about what this talented fashion designer brought to the world of fashion. This is a designer who has succeeded in the almost impossible. In some incredible way, he was able to put together completely different materials. For example, leather, metal mesh, neon colors, gilding and animal prints. Moreover, his models do not look flashy.

Gianni Versace brought top models to the catwalk for the first time. He gathered the most beautiful girls in the fashion world under his wing. Thanks to Versace, such models as:

• Naomi Campbell;
• Claudia Schiffer;
• Linda Evangelista.

These ladies began their careers with the shows of the Versace fashion house.

Hugo boss

The designers of this fashion house sewed uniforms for SS and Wehrmacht officers. After the end of World War II, the company began developing uniforms for postmen and railroad workers.

Fashion for caries

Interesting fact about medieval fashion. The fact is that in the era of Elizabeth 1 there was a fashion for rotten teeth. Blackheads and missing chunks of teeth were the trend. And all thanks to the fact that sugar was available only to the nobility. The poor strata of the population could not afford such a delicacy.

Since no one even suspected oral hygiene at that time, it was easier to introduce black teeth into fashion. After all, no one knew how to deal with this problem. The poorer segments of the population also wanted to be in trend, so they simply smeared their healthy white teeth, not damaged by sweets, soot and charcoal. The trend passed when sugar became a cheap product that many people could afford.

Deadly Shoe Shine

At the very beginning of the 20th century, boots, rubbed to a dazzling shine, came into fashion. To achieve this effect, they used a dangerous substance called nitrobenzene. He could reanimate even the most terrible and old shoes. If used correctly and allowed the cream with a toxic substance to dry completely, then it did not bring much harm. But the point is, people didn't want to wait.

Often the shoes were cremated just before leaving the house, and then a dangerous substance was inhaled on the way. His vapors caused cyanosis of the skin, fainting. If a person wore such shiny shoes, was drunk, then he could poison himself and die in just a few minutes.

you can start counting from the moment when the clothes themselves first appeared. The word "fashion" in Latin meant "rule", in clothes it concerned the requirements of what and how to wear.

1. The first - until the 15th century, fashion changed very slowly - some items of clothing for several decades, and sometimes more than a hundred years, have not undergone changes. But today you can't keep up with fashion, and this is all thanks to technical progress, which made fabrics, threads, dyes cheaper, the invention of sewing machines and man's love for creativity.
2. The clothing of the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Rome, Greece, India and other territories was a piece of cloth draped around the body, there were many options, but all of them had to emphasize the gracefulness, grace, majesty of the body.

   

3. The first pants appeared among the Scythians around 500 BC. NS... It was the most comfortable clothing for the nomads, who spent most of their lives in the saddle. The Romans and Greeks did not adopt this type of clothing for a long time, considering it a sign of barbarism, of low origin.

   

4. Before modern times, buttons looked like balls with eyelets for sewing.... They served not only for fastening clothes, but also emphasized the consistency of the owner, especially in cases when they were made of precious metals with inserts of glass and precious stones. In the wills of the 13th-15th centuries, buttons on the death of the owner were often bequeathed, and even separately from the clothes themselves. There could be several dozen of them on one dress.

   

5. In the 14th century, fashionable clothes sharply changed from wide to narrow, and among men it was also greatly shortened, sewn from expensive bright fabrics, richly decorated. The church was indignant, the king issued "Laws of luxury" which limited the amount of jewelry, the quality of fabrics and the quantity and length of outfits, but this did not help much - the fashion was stronger.

   

6. Mods of France in 1630 got ties, the idea of ​​which was borrowed from the Croatian soldiers who wore headscarves around their necks. Ties have changed, but have not disappeared until now, and their name "cravate", as a derivative of the word "Croat", also stuck in many languages ​​of Europe.

   

7. By the middle of the 17th century, heels became fashionable.... Women's shoes were not visible from under the long hem, and men's, which everyone saw, became the object of attention due to the colored heels. Reds had the right to be worn by representatives of the highest nobility, the king and princes.

   

8. Empress Elizaveta Petrovna's contemporaries said that there was no other such fashionista - her wardrobe was huge, dresses were constantly ordered from Europe, and it was believed that the empress allegedly did not wear the same clothes twice. But her dresses have hardly survived, and most of the outfits were altered during Elizabeth's lifetime.

   

9. Until 1772, umbrellas were only used to protect from the sun.... When silk and lace were replaced with a dense, waterproof fabric, it became possible to hide under an umbrella from the rain, although the ladies for a long time preferred to hide under an umbrella from an “ignoble” tan, and not from bad weather.

   

10. Until the 19th century, wedding fashion did not imply clothes of a special color, but in Europe, Russia, Asia, the most popular color for such celebrations was red. White took its place firmly in 1840 when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in a white dress.

    

11. After the Revolution of 1917, Prince Felix Yusupovs, like other Russian aristocrats who emigrated to Europe, opened the Irfe model house with his wife. Princess Irina Yusupova became a fashion designer, tailor and fashion model all rolled into one.

    

12. Coco Chanel believed that there is no other such ugly part of the female body as the knees and therefore I sewed all dresses and skirts so that my knees were covered.

    

13. The Hugo Boss company was founded in 1923, managed to go broke, and only with the outbreak of World War II did it find success when it began to sew uniforms for the German army, which were worn by both ordinary soldiers and high-ranking officers. The German form of those times is recognized as the pinnacle of style in men's fashion of the 20th century.

    

14. In 2001, the Levi Strauss Company bought out jeans of its production for 45 thousand dollars.... Workers' trousers from one mining village at that time turned 121 years old. The first jeans were made from tent tarpaulins.

    

15. For 10 years, only Valentin Yudashkin represented Russia in the shows of the fashion week in Paris... Some of his dresses are kept and exhibited at the Louvre.

    

This item of clothing was "presented" by Coco Chanel.

The better the leather, the more pleasant it smells. But the sharp and "hitting the nose" smell suggests that the chemical industry has worked hard on dressing the skin.

If at the time of Peter the Great the boyars were deprived of their beards, then during the reign of Ivan the Terrible they were generally exhibited for general ridicule. Those who angered the king had to wear clothes worn inside out. And the commoners punished the thieves in the same way, before giving them a good heat. It was since then that the omen has gone: accidentally putting on clothes inside out means soon to be beaten ...

The famous British fashion connoisseur Blackwell, compiling a list of the most extravagantly dressed ladies, included ... Elton John. They say Elton sulks at him to this day.

The ancient Romans had a limited choice of clothing. In the heat, they wore one light tunic, and when it got colder, several at once.

The sailors "presented" to the world fashion not only flared trousers and vests, but also one of the most popular items of clothing today - a regular T-shirt.

The ancient nomads, the Scythians, are considered the inventors of the trousers. At first, they got along fine without unnecessary clothes, but hours of horse racing rubbed the most delicate places. This is how the first similarities of trousers appeared - trousers made of thick leather or fur. But the Romans suffered inconvenience for a long time - just not to resemble barbarians and not to adopt barbarian habits. Pants were allowed to be worn only by equestrian soldiers, for the rest, these clothes were prohibited.

There was a time when trousers were not a single piece of clothing, but were two separate trousers, which were pulled over the legs, and tied with ropes to other elements of the outfit.

Everyone knows that jeans as a piece of clothing came to us from the West. But the word "jeans" is not at all from of English language... He also borrowed it - in Italian, transforming the word "januas", that is, "Genoese" in his own way.

But jeans were really invented in America, when the young entrepreneur Levi Strauss, who came along with numerous prospectors and adventurers, decided to provide the workers of the mines with tents for sleeping and resting. However, the goods were sold poorly, and it was then that the idea dawned on Ostrich that the workers lacked pants: especially durable and low-wear. This is how the world famous "Levis" was born.

Jeans long time remained "clothing for workers" - until, in the mid-50s of the last century, the youth protest movement began in the United States, which then spread to Europe. Young people wore jeans, and soon the most popular pants for today began to buy everything - from politicians to pensioners and children. In the 1980s, the denim boom began to subside, but only to begin again a few years later.

Paul the First hated vests, as he believed that these were the clothes of revolutionaries and rebels. Wearing it was prohibited, and a person who dared to put on a vest was immediately arrested. Having learned that Pavel had been killed, the first thing the fashionistas in the capital took out of the secret chests were vests and poured out into the street.

One of the richest men in world history, John Rockefeller, was extremely stingy. His younger children were wearing the clothes of their elders. Worst of all was the billionaire's only youngest son, who got the sisters' rags, including dresses.

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The weirdness of fashion and the creativity of fashion designers surprise us every season. Nevertheless, every unusual trend has its fans. This was the case both in antiquity and in the Middle Ages. And this is proved by stories about controversial, but very popular in their time fashion trends.

We site we offer to evaluate a selection of fashionable accents of the past centuries and understand that they did not arise for a reason.

1. "Elizabethan" collars became the prototype of collars for animals

Head-on-plate collars were at the height of fashion in the 16th century, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England. No one could have guessed that the fashion that came from Spain for collars of linen peeking out from under the dress would provoke such "gigantism." Elizabethan collars grew from year to year, and frames, starch and layering were used to maintain their shape. The proud position of the head of noble persons was forced - just try to turn your head in such a collar.

In 1960, physician Frank L. Johnson drew attention to this forced retention and invented collars for animals that are used in the postoperative period. And the name "Elizabethan" has survived to this day.

2. Wigs became fashionable to hide the effects of the syphilis epidemic

In the XVI-XVII centuries, Europe suffered greatly from the epidemic of syphilis. Therefore, the popularity of long hair, mustache and beard as indicators of health has increased. A bald person meant sick, people began to be ashamed of even natural small hair growth. But those who were overtaken by the disease were forced to hide the resulting flaws under wigs and clothes.

But the fashion for wigs was introduced by King Louis XIV of France. He began to go bald at an early age, as did his brother, King Charles II of England. It is not known for certain whether they survived the disease, but dozens of hairdressers saved the image of the kings, and the courtiers and nobles followed their example. Wigs have become a symbol of prosperity, and the price of wigs and care products (powder, perfume) were constantly artificially inflated. Fashion lasted until the 18th century, when natural hair again entered the mercy.

3. Egyptians wore oil cones on their heads to moisturize hair and body

The ancient Egyptians knew a lot about self-care - here they invented the principle of cold curling hair with clay and the first perfume. Scented oils were widely used, and for convenience, Egyptian women of fashion wore a cone made of specially made aromatic wax on their heads. In the sun, the wax began to melt and gradually cover the hair and body with a fragrant film.

Often these were not natural hair, but wigs, which were worn in Egypt by both men and women. The head was shaved bald for reasons of hygiene, and the shape of the wig was chosen depending on the case.

4. Emphasis on the sex characteristics of men

Initially, the codpiece - a part of a men's dress - was invented for protection, and only later transformed into a key piece of clothing. Knights began to focus on it in the 16th century, it was one of the symbols of strength. From the knights, the codpiece migrated to the outfits of kings and nobles.

To maintain the shape, a kind of push-up was used - layers of fabric, or wallets, coins and small things were kept there. To draw attention to this piece of clothing, it was embroidered with gold threads and adorned with precious stones. The peak of the codpiece's popularity was at the beginning of the 16th century, at the end of the same Elizabeth I began to rule England, who did not like such demonstrations of masculine power. And the royal court of Spain was devout and did not support "shameful fashion". Therefore, the codpiece gradually disappeared.

5. Precious comb-sticks for tall hairstyles helped to drive away lice and fleas

The huge and elaborate hairstyles that were so popular at the end of the 18th century also caused difficulties in caring for them. Indeed, what kind of shampooing or combing are we talking about when you have a model of a ship on your head, flowers in a real vase, or a bird?

Such structures have been preserved for a long time, so the fact that insects were introduced into them is not surprising. But a way out was found. Special sticks-comb, so that, without damaging the hair, chase away insects, were one of the main accessories of court ladies. They were often adorned with jewelry, but the ideal wand had to be flat so that hair would not cling to it.

6. Candid dresses of Korean women

From the 17th century to the beginning of the 20th century, unusual women's fashion reigned in Korea. Of course, not all women wore specific costumes with open breasts, which were part of the national dress.

Such a cape jacket is called a geogori. A blouse - heority was invented for it, but only representatives of the upper classes began to wear it.

An open suit was worn at home and in public, one of its meanings is a sign of motherhood. In such an outfit, it is convenient to feed newborn children, and the fact that this happens in plain sight was considered a manifestation of pride in one's position.

7. Fashion for tame animals to dump unpleasant odors on them and wipe their hands

In addition, noble ladies thought that for insects, animal fur is more attractive than hair. Therefore, everywhere they carried their pets - "protectors" or artistically processed animal skins with them. So that their fleas jump over, and strangers do not stick. In addition, such tame animals performed several more functions: you could wipe your hands on them after dinner or blame the pet on an unpleasant body odor, which even the spirits could not interrupt.

8. Long camisoles were designed to hide crooked legs

King Charles VIII of France, who ruled at the end of the 15th century, did not at all believe that appearance was not the main thing for a man. In particular, he was worried about the curvature of his own legs. They attracted unnecessary attention, and in order to divert it, the tailors had to try.

The richly embroidered long camisoles were first made by order of Charles, and, of course, the courtiers could not help but pick up the new trend. During the reign of the king, the nuances of embroidery and decoration of this wardrobe item changed, but the length had to remain unchanged.

9. Special hairstyles for samurai

Funny samurai hairstyles are a certain symbolism, convenience and help in battle. It is convenient to hide hair under a helmet if necessary.

Hairstyles could be different, but there were common features: a high, often shaved forehead; hair, twisted or braided in a pigtail, which could be directed in different directions, but must necessarily fit snugly to the head. a trendsetter. Her outfits were instantly copied.

Therefore, when Alexandra after giving birth fell ill with rheumatoid arthritis and began to limp, her gait was copied in all seriousness - as a fashionable nuance. But it is very difficult to imitate lameness for a healthy person all the time, so a way was invented.

Shoes with different heels were made to order, and the “trendy” gait embraced high society. A little later, such shoes even began to be sold in stores under the brand name "Lame Alexandra".

What features of past fashion impressed you the most? Or are you haunted by modern details?