6 From towering wigs to plunging necklines cinched corsets to padded shoulders fashion has always been a colorful reflection of culture The word fashion can refer to any popular trend but it most often refers to the clothing footwear makeup hairstyles jewelry and other accessories that are in style at a particular time and place Early fashion was simple and functional designed for protection from the elements Crude sandals shielded people’s feet from the rough ground Furs and animal skins were used for warmth more than for beauty But archaeological evidence shows that even prehistoric The Colorful History of Fashion Chapter 1
7 Napoléon Bonaparte’s clothing at his coronation in 1804 advertised the power of the new French Empire
The oldest shoes ever found date back to 8,500 BCE Archaeologists discovered the 10,500-year-old sandals woven from tree bark in a cave in Oregon 2 people liked to decorate themselves with shells bones and other natural materials As people learned to sew and weave fashion became more sophisticated Different cuts and colors of clothing could indicate a person’s gender religion occupation and social rank Fashion became as it is today an important part of culture as well as a complex and often beautiful art form Major Moments in Fashion History Some of the world’s notable historical events show that fashion can make a powerful political statement When Napoléon Bonaparte was crowned emperor of France in 1804 he wore clothes designed to awe and impress Napoléon wore long satin robes under a red velvet cape that was embroidered with golden bees and lined in ermine fur The cape weighed more than 80 pounds 36 kg and required four men to carry it 1 Napoléon’s wife Empress Josephine also wore a luxurious red velvet cape over an exquisite white silk gown as well 8
as a diamond and pearl crown The elaborate and magnificent styles sent a message to the world the French Republic was now the grand and mighty French Empire Over the next decade France would become the dominant power in Western Europe In the summer of 1968 racial tension in the United States was high Martin Luther King Jr had just been assassinated and riots were breaking out in US cities At the Olympic Games that summer African-American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos used fashion as a form of social protest As they stood on the awards podium to accept their medals each wore one black glove When the American anthem began to play they raised their gloved fists in a salute representing Three Billion People Watching One Dress Royal fashions have always fascinated the public This was obvious in 1981 when Lady Diana Spencer married Prince Charles heir to the throne of the United Kingdom Diana’s romantic full-skirted ivory satin gown with puffed sleeves and a 25-foot 8 m train made her a fashion sensation In 2011 the wedding of Kate Middleton to Prince William Charles and Diana’s son drew an estimated 3 billion viewers 3 Middleton’s choice of a wedding dress was kept secret until just before the ceremony When she stepped out of the royal car to enter Westminster Abbey the waiting crowd gasped and cheered Middleton’s dress designed by Sarah Burton of the British fashion house of Alexander McQueen featured long lace sleeves Brides around the world began imitating her look 9
