Ancient Egypt Fashion

Ancient Egypt fashion consisted of a variety of colors and was generally adorned with precious gems and jewels. While ancient Egyptian fashions were primarily constructed for the purpose of comfort, this apparently did not mean that ancient Egyptians felt they should sacrifice beauty for comfort.

Most ancient Egypt fashion, regardless of the gender or society level for which it was intended, was constructed for the purposes of keeping cool in the hot, dry desert.

Fabric was generally constructed of linen, made of the flax plant, which allowed the wearer to remain comfortable in the hot climate. Most ancient Egyptian fashion costumes usually included a kilt. The kilt could server a variety of purposes, including indicating the respected age of its wearer or social position.

The ancient Egyptian fashion for woman typically included a straight caftan or shift. This changed very little throughout the history of Egypt. The sleeves might either be short or long sleeved, although it was quite common for the caftan to simply be constructed with strap sleeves to best benefit the heat. In addition, the length of the skirt worn by women might vary depending on the point in history as well as the woman's social status.

Ancient Egypt fashion did not include the use or wear of much footwear. In the hot climate, it is probable that there was not much need for warm shoes. Those who could afford them wore leather sandals; others went barefoot. Sandals were commonly adorned with jewels and beads.

Jewelry was extremely popular throughout the history of the Egyptian nation. Excavations of tombs have shown that queens of Egypt were almost always buried with a multitude of jewelry to be used in the afterlife. The amount of jewelry worn by an individual often indicated their social position and level of wealth. Jeweled collars, such as the one depicted on the Nefertiti costume of the statue uncovered and now on display in Berlin, were very popular and usually made of very brightly colored gems. The clothing of Nefertiti was not displayed on the statue, save the headdress; however it is quite easy to imagine that her dress was just as elaborate and bejeweled. Rings, anklets and bracelets were also part of the normal ancient Egypt fashion. Earrings, even in ancient Egypt, were common among wealthy women.

Even the poor, who could not afford much, attempted to adorn themselves with as much jewelry as was possible. While not nearly as expensive, the jewelry of the commoner was usually very brightly colored and was constructed of materials such as pottery.

The full costume of Cleopatra dressed as Venus has almost become an icon. It is obvious from this much renowned tale that Egyptian women; at least Cleopatra, was well aware of how to use ancient Egypt fashion to its full advantage. Costumes Egyptian Cleopatra wore never fail to elicit a response and as a result, historical Cleopatra costumes have become quite popular.

The pharonic headdress quite commonly seen in depictions of Egyptian kings was just one of the many headdresses common to ancient Egyptian fashions. The various gods of Egyptian mythology all also had their own headdresses and women also commonly styled their hair in elaborate fashions and donned headdresses; although not of such an elaborate style.

While fashions of ancient Egypt may well be thousands of years old, age has not stopped modern day fashion inspired by ancient Egyptian clothing. Jeweled sandals, fabric featuring hieroglyphics and scarab jewelry are just a few of the modern day fashions that have taken a twist on ancient Egyptian costumes.