All the clothing we wear today has a history, sometimes a history that goes back hundreds of years. You may love fashion, but you probably aren't aware of how much can be learnt from the complex history of the fashion and textiles industry! To get your fashion education started, here are a few fun facts!
Fashion in History
- No need for yoga pants: ancient Greeks did all of their exercise naked! In fact, the word "gymnasium" actually comes from the word "gumnos," which means naked.
- Platform sandals have increased in popularity recently, but they've actually been around for thousands of years! Ancient Greek actors wore them on stage.
- Prior to the 17th century, heels were primarily worn by men; they were worn for riding horses.
- In the medieval ages, the color of a person's clothing could tell you their place in the class system; for example, members of the nobility wore red, whereas peasants wore grey or brown.
Ancient Greek actors wore platform sandals on stage!Courtesy of shefinds.com
20th Century Fashion
- In 1917, Keds was the first company to create a pair of sneakers. Converse released their first pair of sneakers later that year, and they're still going strong today!
- It wasn't until World War II, when fabric was rationed, that it became socially acceptable for women to wear shorts in public.
- Jeans were originally designed for cowboys and industrial workers, but started to become more and more popular as casual wear during the 1950s and 1960s. Can you imagine not owning a pair of jeans?
- The modern bikini didn't exist until 1946; it was named after an atoll in the Asia Pacific area where the US military tested nuclear devices after World War II. It was later declared a sin by the Vatican and banned in numerous countries!
Check out the first pair of Keds!Courtesy of Pinterest
Modern Fashion
- Over the course of her lifetime, the average American women supposedly spends over $100,000 on clothing!
- More than 2 billion t-shirts are sold each year! This isn't much of a surprise; besides jeans, t-shirts are probably one of the most common pieces of clothing in the world.
- Do you have a pair of Hunter rain boots? They've been gaining popularity over the last 10 years, after Kate Moss brought them back into style by wearing them to the Glastonbury Festival in 2005.
- GPS shoes have actually been invented; pretty soon your parents will be able to track you through your footwear!
You can go anywhere in these GPS shoes!Courtesy of dominicwilcox.com
There really is a lot to learn about fashion and where clothing trends have come from; as long as people have been wearing clothes, there have been changes in what's popular, what's available, and even what's socially acceptable.
Have Your Say!
Did any of these fun facts surprise you? Share with our Kidzworld readers!
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