Hello! I’m John Green, and welcome to my salon. Today, we’re diving into some cool historical fashion facts. Did you know that the buttons on men’s and women’s shirts are on different sides? This is because, in the past, men usually dressed themselves, while wealthy women had help from servants. So, men’s shirts were designed for right-handed people, while women’s shirts were made for someone else to button up.
People started wearing clothes between 80,000 and 170,000 years ago. We know this because head lice and body lice began to evolve differently around that time. Shoes, however, are much newer. The oldest shoes we know of are from around 8500 BCE and were made from tree bark in Oregon. Ancient Greek actors invented platform sandals around 220 BCE to show their importance, much like how we recognize celebrities today.
In ancient Egypt, noble women might have worn scented cones on their heads. These cones, possibly made of wax, would melt in the heat and release a pleasant smell. However, we’re not sure if they were real or just shown in art. In Japan, people started wearing kimonos around the 8th century. The word “kimono” means “the thing worn.” The word “candidate” comes from the Latin for “white toga,” which Roman politicians wore.
Ninjas in 16th-century Japan didn’t wear black; they wore dark navy blue at night to blend in better. In ancient China, men wore dao robes for formal events, and during the Ming Dynasty, these robes had badges showing their rank.
Fashion as we know it began in Europe around the mid-4th century. Styles started changing more quickly, and people had to keep up with trends. Rose Bertin, a French designer, helped shape Western fashion by creating dresses for Marie Antoinette, a famous fashion icon.
In England, a law in 1571 required men over six to wear hats on Sundays. Although this law is gone, hats are still worn at special events like weddings. During this time, platform shoes called “chopines” were popular in Venice, Italy. Some were so tall that people needed help walking in them!
High heels were first worn by men in the 17th and 18th centuries, inspired by Persian cavalry. Women later adopted them, and while men stopped wearing heels, women continued the trend. In the 1850s and 60s in England, hoop skirts were popular but dangerous, as they were highly flammable and caused many accidents.
Cowboy boots, often linked to American cowboys, actually came from Spain. They were a mix of Spanish styles and Wellington boots. Bell-bottoms were first worn by sailors and later became part of naval uniforms worldwide.
During the Revolutionary War, musicians wore unique outfits to stand out from soldiers. In the 19th century, stilts were used in Languedoc, France, to help shepherds walk through swamps. The 1800s were a big time for fashion in France, with department stores and new textiles making stylish clothes more accessible.
The term “flapper,” linked to 1920s women, might come from a type of overshoe in Great Britain. The “hemline theory” suggests that shorter skirts are popular in good economic times, like the 1920s, while longer skirts are worn during tough times, like the Great Depression.
The miniskirt, named after the Mini Cooper car, was created by Mary Quant, who saw both as symbols of youth and optimism. During World War II, light-colored accessories became popular due to blackouts. The war also led to New York Fashion Week, as American designers sought new ideas when Parisian designers couldn’t travel.
Boat shoes were invented in the 1930s by Paul Sperry, inspired by his dog’s paws. The Lacoste crocodile logo, created by tennis player René Lacoste, is considered the first designer logo. Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis made the first jeans, originally called “waist-high overalls.”
Hawaiian shirts came about in the 1920s, influenced by Japanese immigrants’ bright kimono fabrics. The rule of not wearing white after Labor Day likely started in the late 1800s, when people returned to work in darker clothes after summer vacations.
Wearing black to funerals varies by culture. In some European countries, white was worn for mourning. After Prince Albert’s death in 1861, Queen Victoria wore black for 40 years, making it the standard in Western cultures.
Thanks for joining me on this fashion journey! Feel free to share your thoughts on which fashion trends should make a comeback. And as we say in my hometown, don’t forget to be awesome!
Create a timeline of fashion history based on the facts from the article. Use a large sheet of paper or a digital tool to illustrate key events, such as the invention of platform sandals in ancient Greece or the creation of the miniskirt. Include images or drawings to make your timeline visually appealing.
Choose a country mentioned in the article, like Japan or Egypt, and research more about its traditional fashion. Prepare a short presentation or poster to share with the class, highlighting unique clothing items and their cultural significance.
Inspired by historical fashion trends, design a modern fashion line. Consider incorporating elements like the scented cones from ancient Egypt or the platform shoes from Venice. Sketch your designs and explain how they blend historical and contemporary styles.
Participate in a debate about which historical fashion trend should make a comeback. Use facts from the article to support your argument. Consider trends like high heels for men or bell-bottoms, and discuss their practicality and style in today’s world.
Conduct an experiment to explore the functionality of different fashion items. For example, test how easy it is to walk in platform shoes or how comfortable a kimono is to wear. Record your findings and share them with the class, discussing how fashion balances style and practicality.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript, removing any informalities and ensuring clarity:
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Hello, I’m John Green. Welcome to my salon. This is a Mental Floss video. Did you know that the buttons are on different sides for men’s and women’s shirts? This is because historically, Western men dressed themselves, while upper-class Western women had servants to assist them. Consequently, men’s shirts were designed to be easier to button for a right-handed wearer, while women’s shirts were designed for a right-handed person who was not wearing the shirt.
This is just the first of many fascinating historical fashion facts I will share in this video. We know that people began wearing clothes somewhere between 80,000 and 170,000 years ago. Unfortunately, the reason we know this is rather unpleasant, as it coincides with the divergence of head lice and body lice.
In comparison, shoes are a relatively new phenomenon. The oldest known shoes date back to around 8500 BCE; they were made from tree bark and discovered in Oregon. Ancient Greek actors are credited with the invention of platform sandals, which date back to around 220 BCE. The height of these sandals allowed the audience to identify the importance of the actors, similar to how we recognize stars today.
In ancient Egypt, noble women may have worn scented cones on their heads, believed to be made of wax or other meltable materials, which would release fragrance as they melted in the heat. However, experts are uncertain about their actual existence outside of artistic depictions.
Kimonos, on the other hand, definitely existed. Japanese people likely began wearing them around the 8th century, and the term literally translates to “the thing worn.” The word “candidate” comes from a Latin term meaning “white toga,” as politicians in ancient Rome wore white togas.
Interestingly, ninjas did not historically wear black; 16th-century Japanese ninjas wore dark navy blue at night for better camouflage. Ancient Chinese men wore dao robes for formal occasions, and during the Ming Dynasty (14th to 17th century CE), these robes featured badges indicating civil and military ranks.
The concept of fashion emerged in Europe around the mid-4th century, with styles changing more rapidly than before. Europeans were expected to keep up with trends more frequently than earlier populations. A couple of centuries later, Rose Bertin, a French woman, helped define fashion for Western society by designing dresses for Marie Antoinette, who remains a fashion icon.
In England, a law was enacted in 1571 requiring men over the age of six to wear hats on Sundays. While this law is no longer in effect, many English people still wear hats for certain events, such as weddings. During this time, platform shoes known as “chopines” became popular, especially in Venice, Italy. These shoes could reach heights of up to 20 inches, leading to some wealthy individuals requiring assistance to walk.
High heels were originally worn by men in the 17th and 18th centuries, inspired by Persian cavalry. Women later adopted this trend, and while men eventually stopped wearing heels, women continued to do so.
In the 1850s and 60s in England, approximately 3,000 women died in incidents involving hoop skirts, which were highly flammable. These incidents were referred to as “crinoline fires.” As fashion evolved, skirts became wider, making it difficult for women to navigate doorways.
Cowboy boots, often associated with American cowboys, trace their origins to Spain, where they were popularized by Spanish cowboys and herders. The modern cowboy boot emerged from a combination of Spanish styles and Wellington boots.
Bell-bottoms were initially worn by sailors and later adopted by the US Navy and the British Royal Navy. By the end of the 19th century, virtually every country’s navy had bell-bottoms as part of their official uniform.
During the Revolutionary War, musicians wore distinct outfits to differentiate themselves from combatants. In the 19th century, stilts were popular in the region of Languedoc, France, helping local shepherds navigate swampy areas.
The 1800s were significant for fashion in France, with the rise of department stores in Paris and new textile technologies allowing the middle class to access clothing previously unavailable to them. The term “flapper,” associated with women in the 1920s, may have originated from a type of overshoe worn by women in Great Britain.
The “hemline theory” suggests that shorter skirts correlate with better economic times. For example, shorter hemlines were popular in the 1920s, while longer skirts were favored during the Great Depression.
The miniskirt was named after the Mini Cooper, and its invention is attributed to Mary Quant, who described both the car and the skirt as optimistic and youthful. During World War II, blackouts led to the popularity of light-colored accessories.
World War II also inspired New York Fashion Week, as American designers sought inspiration when Parisian designers were unable to travel due to the war. Boat shoes were inspired by dogs, invented in the 1930s by sailor Paul Sperry, who noticed how the grooves in his dog’s paws helped it walk on wet surfaces.
The Lacoste crocodile logo is considered the first designer logo, created by tennis player René Lacoste, who also invented the modern tennis shirt in 1933. Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis created the first jeans, originally called “waist-high overalls.”
Hawaiian shirts emerged in the 1920s, influenced by Japanese immigrants who brought bright fabrics associated with kimonos. The fashion rule of not wearing white after Labor Day likely originated in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when the upper class would vacation in summer and return to work in darker clothing.
Finally, the tradition of wearing black to funerals has varied by culture. In some European countries, white was traditionally worn for mourning. However, after the death of Prince Albert in 1861, Queen Victoria wore black for 40 years, establishing it as the standard in Western cultures.
Thank you for watching this Mental Floss video. Please share your thoughts on fashion trends you believe should make a comeback. As we say in my hometown, don’t forget to be awesome.
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This version maintains the informative content while ensuring clarity and professionalism.
Fashion – The popular style or practice, especially in clothing, footwear, or accessories, during a particular time or place. – In the 1920s, flapper dresses were all the rage in fashion, symbolizing a new era of freedom for women.
History – The study of past events, particularly in human affairs. – Learning about the history of the Renaissance helps us understand how art and science flourished during that period.
Clothing – Garments collectively; clothes, especially those worn in a particular time or place. – The clothing worn by ancient Egyptians often included linen tunics and elaborate jewelry.
Ancient – Belonging to the very distant past and no longer in existence. – The ancient civilization of Mesopotamia is known as the cradle of civilization due to its early development of writing and cities.
Europe – A continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere, known for its rich history and cultural heritage. – During the Middle Ages, Europe saw the rise of powerful kingdoms and the spread of Christianity.
Trends – A general direction in which something is developing or changing, often related to fashion or culture. – Art trends during the Baroque period were characterized by dramatic use of light and shadow.
Culture – The arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively. – The culture of the Aztecs included impressive architecture, such as the Templo Mayor in their capital city, Tenochtitlan.
Egypt – A country in northeastern Africa known for its ancient civilization and some of the world’s most famous monuments, including the pyramids and the Great Sphinx. – Egypt’s history is filled with fascinating stories of pharaohs and monumental architecture.
Japan – An island country in East Asia known for its unique blend of traditional and modern culture. – Japan’s history includes the samurai, who were skilled warriors serving the shogun during the feudal period.
Shoes – Footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. – In ancient Rome, shoes were often made of leather and designed to indicate the wearer’s social status.
