Clothes And Fashion



The Egyptians Where Sort Of vain, they always made sure that they looked alright before they went out. There Clothes where almost all made out of linen, which as woven from fibres of flax, which was grown in their farms. The linen was extremly soft when in contact with human skin and that is why Egyptians favoured it so much.White linen clothes needed constant washing to keep them from staining or spoiling. Most people found it easier to wash their own clothing by the river or a canal. Wealthy people had servants to do this for them. They would rise the material, pound it on a stone, and then bleach it again in the sun. If pleats were wanted to be put back into the cloth, the damp fabric was pressed into grooves in a wooden board and left to dry. More than often it was coloured with exquisite dyes in such colours as blues, reds, greens, and yellows.


The styles of dress differed between the society classes. The pharaoh, being the highest of everyone because he was the earthly incarnation of the god Horus, always wore the most expensive linen in the land, along with sandals often made of gold (or white sandals) and much jewelry. He could choose from wearing a long pleated kilt of the New Kingdom pharaohs to a shorter knee-length kilt worn by the rulers of the Old Kingdom. Sometimes the kilts would be encrusted with gold or silver. The queens wore the finest sheer material in a style of a sheath or a gown. High officials and nobles often followed this process, but were more likely to wear papyrus sandals thonged with gold or silver. The priests had a very strict way of dressing. They always shaved their heads and bodies, and wore the cleanest, bleached linen so that they would be pure when serving the gods. The high priest of Amun often wore a leopard-skin robe to show his level of authority. The workers, slaves, musicians, and dancers dressed in a very simple style; the women often wore simple dresses, and the men wore a simple loincloth. Many poor people would often work naked; a serving girl would often wear nothing but a belt, depending on the manner of dress for slaves in the house of their master.

The process of dressing varied between the classes. For a peasant or slave, it did not take long depending on whether you were a servant in a nobleman's home or a farmer tending to your crops. One did not dress without bathing or washing before they did anything else. Peasants bathed in the Nile river whereas wealthier people often had their own bathhouse and servants to help them with the process. Several times a week, most people shaved off all their body hair including the hair on their head, though there were some who preferred their own hair rather than a wig. Scented oil and perfumes were then rubbed over the body to give it a pleasant smell (this was used instead of deodorant). Once that was complete, they put on their clothing. Placing a large sheat of freshly washed linen over they heads and letting it fall down to rest on the shoulders, they took up the edges and pulled them together at a point in the middle of the upper torso (beside the heart). Then the sections were fastened together in a secure knot.

Other than linen, there was one thing the ancient Egyptians loved most: jewelry. Even the poorest person wore jewelry, even if it was just made of simple stones or beads. The wealthy often wore expensive ear studs, necklaces, rings, collars, or anklets; these were often made of gold, silver, or a special stone called lapis lazuli that was blue in colour. During the reign of Tutankhamun, glass-making had been mastered and glass was also a popular assortment.


Sandals were the main footwear of ancient Egypt. Everyone walked around either in sandals or barefoot. The pharaoh (or any member of the royal family for that matter), nobles, and high officials always wore sandals. Infact, anyone high than a farmer or a servant had the option of wearing sandals. But slaves and farmers might not have been able to afford footwear and so they most likely had to walk around barefoot. Many sandals were made of braided papyrus, palm fiber, silver, or gold. The pharaoh, along with many nobles and courtiers, mostly wore gold or white sandals, though some high officials preferred silver. The sandals were thonged through the first and second toe on either foot. The commoners mostly wore sandals of papyrus or palm fiber.


Makeup was extremely common in ancient Egypt. Infact, the Egyptians were the inventors of makeup. They used malachite, kohl, and other ground minerals to decorate their eyes, and they used ochre or henna for their feet, hands, and lips. They painted their eyes to look more cat-like and almond shaped, but the eye paint also gave their eyes protection and was thought to ward of evil spirits. Wigs were also extremely popular. They were often made of wool or human hair, and were usually jet-black or of the deepest blue in colour. The wigs were anointed with black bull’s blood and hippo fat to keep them from becoming gray in colour. This process was a smart one, as it worked very well for them. Beads and jewelry were sewn onto the wigs as decorationsand ornaments. People, both men and women, often shaved their heads and applied the wigs, but a lot of people also wore their original hair.


The Egyptians were also incredibly clean. Cleanliness was one of their many important daily rituals. Priests, in particular, had to wash at least twice a day in order to be pure enough to enter the innermost part of the temple of the god they served. The pharaoh also had to be kept very clean, for he was the ruler of his people and had to be washed every day in order to set a good example. But it was also for the cause of cleanliness as well. The commoners had barely enough time to wash before they had to go to work, but they always had a chance to bathe in the Nile after they had finished in the evening. This system of hygiene was very significant and valuable to the Egyptians, as it was a main part of their daily life and existence.