<i></i> <i></i> <i></i> 0<p> </p> <p>Fashion is a universal concept. It is both constant and ever-changing over the course of time. The flexible and ever-evolving nature of fashion can be seen in the last century. Societies were embracing the new industrial and mass production era and alongside that, new ways of thinking and expressing their values. For women, for example, fashion had always been the best means of expression. At first, it was used as a tool of oppression and to keep them in the traditional, subservient roles assigned to them. As times changed, and women voting and working was finally approved, fashion became their biggest weapon to express freedom of action, opinion and creativity.</p> <p>Coco Chanel once said, “<em>Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening</em>.” The idea of fashion extends to more than just outfits and accessories. It influences the traditional norms of a community, the thinking of its people and how they display their basic philosophies and beliefs. Deeply tied in social movements, fashion has always been around, in one form of the other, and will always be around as long as civilization exists.</p> <p>With the advent of the information technology era, fashion has become an integral part of everyone’s lives all around the world. The demand for high-end brands has gone up as fashion items – from clothes to jewellery to household accessories – have become increasingly accessible and affordable. But why wouldn’t fashion have an equally major influence on the people of the world thousands of years ago? Albeit more in cultural and territorial clusters than a collective global movement.</p> <p>Here are a few fashion tips from ancient designers to appeal to your inner fashionista. You are welcome to be inspired and recreate the looks you find in this incredible list by putting your own special, personal touch to it.</p> <h2>10. Jewellery</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/word-image-1894.jpeg"/>Thejewelryloupe.com <p>The appeal of precious stones and metals never fades. Gold and silver were commonly used even back then because they were easily manipulated and shaped. They are also found in riverbeds and streams, so there’s no cost or effort of digging up the earth. They’re beautiful, shiny and impractical – perfect for jewellery. Some of the oldest gold artefacts belong to that of the Varna civilization, located near the Black Sea in East Bulgaria. One of the first goldsmiths of the ancient world, the people of Varna would find gold in the nearby plentiful lakes. The accessible waterways also made trade and the spread of their business possible. They were so rich that they would also bury their dead with gold. Graves from as early as 4560 BC have been found with plenty of gold burial gifts and almost no human remains. In fact, one of the first graves discovered contained more gold than what had been discovered in the entire world at that time. Now that’s called getting your bling on!</p> <p>If shiny metals aren’t your thing, you can look to older Neanderthal jewellery from Krapina, Croatia. Some 135,000 years ago, Neanderthals would wear necklaces made of eagle talons. This shows us the idea of ornaments goes back way before the age of the modern man. Beadwork is also a great idea, with beads made of sea snail shells found in Israel, Morocco and South Africa, some dating back as far as 110,000 years. The Twilight Cave in Kenya hosts a 40,000-year-old bead ornament made of ostrich egg shells. Another remarkable find was that of a stone bracelet found in the Altai region of Siberia dating back 40,000 years and was made by a Denisovan, a race that existed before the Neanderthals.</p> <p>Some 5000 years ago, early Ancient Egyptians began making jewellery out of silver, which was abundant in the area, and stained glass. Mesopotamian jewellery, on the other hand, consisted of thin sheets of metal and coloured gems and went all the way back to 2900 BC. There were other varieties too with rounded lapis lazuli beads.</p> <h2>9. Beanies</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/word-image-1895.jpeg"/>Upload.wikimedia.org <p>Found mostly in Europe, Venus figurines are the prehistoric feminine mini-statues from the Palaeolithic Period, which lasted from 30,000 to 10,000 BC. The figurines are shown to be curvaceous and obese, causing some confusion as to their meaning. From being symbols of fertility to the standards of feminine beauty of that age to the representation of the goddess of love, scientists have argued as to their purpose. Several Venuses have been found, separated by large periods of time, and all of them are similar in their striking physical features. Soffer, Adovasio and Hyland (2000) said that the figurines were found to be wearing knitted hats (‘beanies’), bandanas, string skirts and belts. While this was not usual Palaeolithic attire, the knitted hats were likely to be worn because Europe was going through a severe ice age during their time. The oldest figurine, Venus of Hohle Fels, was found in Germany and is 35,000 years old.</p> <h2>8. Socks and Sandals</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/word-image-1896.jpeg"/>Public.media.smithsonianmag.com <p>Socks and sandals together have always been considered a fashion disaster… or are they? The oldest pair of socks in the world has been discovered in Egypt, made between 250 and 420 AD, and they were designed to be worn with sandals. They are made with bright red wool through <em>nalbindning</em>, a time-consuming process using only a single thread of wool. The fork at the end of the socks is so that the straps of the sandal could slip easily through. Another discovery in Britain has proven that the Roman soldiers, famous for being brave and ruthless warriors, would also wear woollen socks underneath their sandals when they would go to war. Perhaps it’s time to bring this ancient tradition back into practice.</p> <h2>7. Tattoos</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/word-image-1897.jpeg"/>Blogs.discovermagazine.com <p>Tattoos have been around for a while. Nowadays it is considered a bold statement, for those who wish to be seen as confident, aggressive and daring. However, unlike the current age where they are the choice of few, tattoos were commonly used and for purposes other than simple aesthetics. The oldest example we have is that of Otzi the Iceman, a man who died 5200 years ago and whose frozen body was found from the Italian-Austrian border. His body is covered with various dots and small crosses. Originally, historians thought this was a sign of Otzi’s social class. This hypothesis was discarded later when it was observed that the tattoos, though plenty, were located at random parts of his body which could not always be on display. They were also over areas which had experienced certain strain-related degeneration, such as his lower spine, knees and ankles. Thus, they concluded that that they were therapeutic tattoos – to help alleviate his joint pains.</p> <p>Another surprising discovery is that tattoos were the exclusive tradition of Ancient Egypt women. Females are depicted in tomb scenes and figurines are having tattoos across their abdomen and thighs. Tattoo tools were also found dating back to 1450 BC. Early excavators would dismiss female mummies discovered with tattooed skins as concubines or mere dancing girls. This was back when tattoos were generally considered to show inferior class or dignity. However, most of these mummies were buried in royal burial sites and one of them was proven to be a high-ranking and prestigious priestess. Their bodies were also tattooed with figurines of the household Bes, protector of pregnant women. It is also theorized that the tattoos, due to their locations, served as talismans to aid the women when giving birth and to protect them and their children.</p> <p>Other examples of tattoos have been observed in ancient Libya, Siberia, Rome, Greece, Greenland, China, Japan, Polynesia and New Zealand. The procedure and purpose varies from place to place and some cultures still practice it to this day.</p> <h2>6. Perfume</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/word-image-1899.jpeg"/>perfumes.com.br <p>“<em>A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future”</em>, according to Coco Chanel. Smelling good is equally as important as looking and feeling good and men and women of the ancient times knew this. A common practice in Ancient Egypt, where perfumes were associated with cleanliness, and Ancient Greece, where smelling sweet was thought to please the gods. Various scented oils were used in their making, from frankincense, opopanax and myrrh for the Egyptians to cedar and cypress in Mesopotamia and Babylonia. Most of them were local plant-based. The ancient Egyptians would mix the aromas in oil and place cones of perfumed wax on top of their heads. As it burned down over time, it would subtlety release its scent. This is similar to the practices of the Ancient Chinese, who would use incense rather than spray perfumes.</p> <p>Perfume was also considered very valuable and was only worn by royalty and high-ranking government officials. Those too poor to afford it would simple have a perfume bottle painted on their tombs as an offering to the gods. Ancient Greek doctors would practice aromatherapy, the practice of using different scents to treat different symptoms. Remains of a 4000-year-old perfume factory has been found in Cyprus, with residues of perfumes found in its pottery remains. Scientists have used these to recreate these ancient scents. Time to add these to your collection, maybe?</p> <h2>5. Hairstyles</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/word-image-1901.jpeg"/>ket.org <p>In the Flavian era of Ancient Rome, 69 to 96 AD, the hairstyles for women were very large and imposing. As all women wore fairly similar and simple dresses, there was no distinguishing feature separating the nobles from the commoners other than the hairstyles. Wealthy women would pile their hair high up on their heads with layers upon layers of curls. This created the effect of them appearing tall from the front, writes satirical Roman poet Juvenal, and short from the behind.</p> <p>Hair was styled with the help of polished silver mirrors, hair tongs, combs, hairnets, wire supports and hair pins. Hairstyles were accessorized with perfume, ribbons, flowers, jewels, gold and pearls. As blonde hair was considered the epitome of beauty, most women would dye their hair using a walnut dye. Slaves’ heads would be shaven and their hair used to create wigs for the wealthy Roman women who did not have enough of it. Their slaves would also be trained in the art of creating the intricate and complicated hairstyles required by the average Roman royal and were called ornatrices.</p> <h2>4. Roman Bikinis</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/word-image-1903.jpeg"/>ancientpages.com <p>It’s true, the bikini has been around far longer than the 1940s, when it was first ‘invented’ and considered the height of swimwear fashion and woman empowerment. A mosaic from 1400 BC was uncovered which depicted a group of bikini-clad Ancient Roman women athletes. They are shown to be playing various sports, from throwing a discus to lifting weights to playing handball. The upper part of the bikini was a linen cloth called strophium and the lower part was usually worn by athletes only. The discovery of the mosaic was important in revealing just how much we have yet to discover about the ancient civilizations and how advanced they were.</p> <h2>3. Cosmetics</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/word-image-1905.jpeg"/>Shutterstock.com <p>The oldest example of heavy cosmetic usage comes from the Ancient Egyptians. Personal hygiene and cleanliness was heavily emphasized in their culture, with some spells from the Book of the Dead stating that one couldn’t enter the afterlife if they weren’t physically pure. Cosmetics were often offered in boxes as burial gifts. Egyptian cosmetologists would use the finest ingredients they could find to make the best quality makeup as any mistake could cause them harm not just in the present life but also make them lose favour of the gods. Various creams were produced that softened the skin, shielded it from the sun’s rays and improve appearance.</p> <p>Men and women of all social classes applied makeup daily. Commoners could make it at home and royals were given the best quality makeup. The average Egyptian bathed daily and sometimes multiple times a day. After bathing, cream and makeup made of ochre and sandalwood was applied to the face. The eyes were emphasized by outlining them with black kohl, which was produced from a mineral from the Sinai mountains. This also protected the eyes from dust and sunlight. Makeup was applied with the help of sticks and brushes. Honey, lotus flowers and papyrus oil would help heal scars and ward off flies and insects.</p> <h2>2. Togas</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/word-image-1907.jpeg"/>Shutterstock.com <p>If you’re a fan of Ancient Roman plays or movies, you’re probably acquainted with the traditional menswear called a toga. Consisting of a single long length of wool, it would often be seen worn on the Senate floor or any other formal gathering. While it did make a man appear stately and distinguished, it was very impractical for daily use. Its heavy wool was not suitable for the stifling hot summer months and it was difficult to clean if grease stains got on it. It also restricted the movement of the adorner’s left arm, making it impossible to do labour. Thus, the Ancient Roman men would only wear it on special occasions. The toga, however, was useful in concealing notebooks, pens and – in Caesar’s assassins’ cases – daggers.</p> <h2>1. Skull Binding</h2> <img src="https://cdnone.netlify.com/db/2017/10/word-image-1909.jpeg"/>wikimedia.org <p>A radical form of fashion was skull binding, also known as artificial cranial deformation. This practice has been continuing for over 10,000 years in various civilizations. The Huns, Ancient Europeans, Mayans, Incans and Native Americans all performed some sort of skull binding. Up till the 20th Century it was also practiced by some African tribes in the Republic of Congo, some parts of Europe and Tomman Island. The general process is applying pressure on the head of a new-born child through hands or a cloth or some other device for some length of time regularly until the child’s skull assumes the ideal shape and maintains it permanently. This was done to prove the social distinction or class of the individual. While the practice may appear savage to some, artificial cranial deformation is generally painless and has no effect on mental performance in the long run. Perhaps it’s time to ditch that top hat and go for more unconventional hats instead?</p> <i></i>