“Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.” By Mark Twain Introduction
Have you ever wondered about the clothes you are wearing today? Where did it come from, how did it evolve, and how did it take the form that we wear today? Have you ever thought about the history of clothing?
Let’s take a look at A Brief History of Clothing that will fill you in on everything you need to know about it.
Two million years ago, humans used leaves, grass, tree bark, bones, skulls, and skin from dead animals to cover and protect their bodies.
Anthropologists believe that it is difficult to determine when humans first started wearing clothes. There is evidence, however, that humans began wearing clothes about a million years ago. Historically, Neanderthals lived in Eurasia between 400,000 and 40,000 years ago and were the first people to wear clothes. They were a subspecies of archaic humans. They used to sew animal skin, which gave rise to the idea of sewing clothes.
What is Clothing?
The term clothes refers to the variety of materials worn on the body. Humans tend to protect themselves from cold, rain, and other weather conditions or climate changes.
Why Do People Wear Clothes?
Over 75,000 years ago, people clothed their bodies. The discovery of ancient cave drawings, statues, and clothing-making materials demonstrates this. Clothes have served human needs since the beginning of time. A physical need is protection. A psychological need is adornment and identification. A social need is modesty and status.
A Clothing History : Prehistoric Period
From about 200,000 to about 30,000 B.C.E., Neanderthal humans made clothing for the first time. During this time, the earth’s temperature rose and fell dramatically, leading to an ice age in northern Europe and Asia where the Neanderthals lived. Neanderthals were well suited to the cold climate of their day thanks to their compact, muscular bodies. In the end, it was their large brains that proved most useful to them.
Stone proved to be an effective material for making crude tools for the Neanderthals. Neanderthals were skilled hunters, and they hunted hairy mammoths, bears, deer, musk oxen, and other mammals living in the same environment. Eventually, the Neanderthals learned how to keep themselves warm and dry by using their thick, furry hides. This discovery led to the invention of clothing.
Evolution Of Clothing
Anthropologists estimate that people began wearing clothes between 100,000 and 500,000 years ago, although it is not certain when it happened. Originally, clothes were made of animal skin, fur, grass, leaves, bones, and shells.
At least 30,000 years ago, leather and fur garments were sewn together using simple needles made from animal bone. Humankind developed one of its most fundamental technologies when settled Neolithic cultures learned that woven fibres outperformed animal hides.
Throughout history, clothing has changed. With the development of culture, fashion, and wealth, clothes changed as well. During the late Stone Age, the Middle East was the first region to extract fabrics and weave textiles. 6500 BC is the first date of the introduction of knitting as a technique for creating fabric, which is still used today to create textiles.
The Origins Of Clothing: Theories And Facts
We accept the old adage ‘clothes make a man’ without really thinking about it. A man’s clothes not only influence his facial features and body, but also affect his appearance. The clothing we wear is a symbol of our social interactions. In this way, we form non-verbal communication. Humanity’s need to invent various kinds of clothing was obviously influenced by the climate. There is a substantial amount of clothing that covers the entire body in the temperate zones. Heat, cold, and sandstorms are all protected by clothing.
There are two categories of clothing:
- The fixed
- The modish
In the fixed, there is a substantial amount of permanence, and they do not change with fashion, but they vary according to location.
There are four major theories regarding the origin of clothing, namely:
The Modesty Theory Modesty is a way of keeping within measures, and it comes from the Latin word modestus.
Based on this theory, clothing was originally worn to conceal the genital organs from shame, modesty, embarrassment, or other forms of sexual feelings, as portrayed in Mesopotamian legends of Eden and even seduction by the serpent. With the evolution of sexual self-consciousness, it is assumed that the practice of covering the body has grown more generally.
The Immodesty Theory
A theory of sexual attraction (Westmark 1921) argues that people first wore clothes to attract attention to their private parts. Dress is a powerful sexual tool. According to this theory, clothing in the beginning was intended to be salacious. It was designed to draw attention to the wearer’s sexual organs and functions, and in general to make them more attractive to others. Familiarity breeds indifference, and concealment, particularly partial or pretend concealment, is thought to increase interest.
The Adornment Theory
There are several reasons why someone may wear clothes, not all of which are sexually motivated. Based on this theory, primitive clothing was conspicuously ornamented. Clothing and other forms of appearance are decorative; they may be modified for the purpose of displaying, attracting, or expressing aesthetic pleasure.
Projection Theory
Clothing protects humans from the elements, animals, and even supernatural forces, according to this theory.
Conclusion
One of the most important characteristics of humans is their clothing. Clothes play an integral role in our lives. Clothing is made from a variety of fabrics or materials. Different clothing types also represent different cultures, traditions, and religions. Clothing protects our bodies from sun damage caused by UV rays. It is possible to develop skin cancer from UV rays. Clothing protects against infections and toxic substances. In the course of history, clothing and the materials it is made of have not remained exclusively utilitarian.
Read Garment Manufacturing – Step By Step Process http://jdinstitute.in/apparel-designing-guide/if you want to find out and understand more deeply about the clothing, its manufacturing and design.
