How did the ancient Egyptians wear?

Answer 1

Men of all social classes wore a wrap-round skirt called a schenti which was tied at the waist using a belt. The length of the schenti varied depending on the fashion of the time and how rich you were. In the Old Kingdom they were short while in the Middle Kingdom they were calf length. Throughout the ages the schenti worn by ordinary men remained short and plain. From about 1500BC (the beginning of the New Kingdom) it was fashionable for wealthy men to have the garment pleated.

Egyptian women wore full length tubular dresses with shoulder straps known as a kalasiris. This remained the basic type of garment worn by ordinary women for thousands of years. Like the men the clothing of wealthy women became more elaborate during the New Kingdom. It became fashionable for rich women have their dresses pleated or draped. Rich Egyptian men and women decorated their clothes, wore jewellery and wore elaborate wigs often made from real human hair.

Tһе mοѕt commonly used fabric for clothing was linen. It was light, fine and easily draped over the body. Linen is woven from vegetable fibres obtained from the flax plant, extensively grown in ancient Egypt. Textile production and fabric quality improved with better irrigation and the introduction of weavers from Syria weavers also refined weaving techniques.

Linen came in several grades from the coarse schenti or kalasiris worn by a peasant to the diaphanous material draped over the bodies of the rich. It was not the only material in use: papyrus was used for aprons and sandals; wool was woven into shawls and other outer garments. Leather was used to made sandals. The Romans introduced silk from China, brought to Byzantium via the Silk Road.

The quality of cloth denoted your position in the pecking order. The higher a person's social rank the better quality cloth he or she wore. The Pharaoh's kilt was made of the finest linen, possibly embroidered with gold, whereas the commoner's kilt was made of linen of a poorer kind.

Complete nakedness for an elite Egyptian was not acceptable, only children, slaves and peasants could go about without clothes. Such an Egyptian would not raise an eyebrow at the sight of thousands of naked slaves working on the construction of a monument or equally undressed peasants working in the fields. Children of all classes did not wear clothes until they were about six years old. After then they wore the same clothes as adults.

Most Ancient Egyptians went barefoot most of the time but wore sandals for special occasions or if their feet were likely to get hurt. The sandals worn by the poor were made of woven papyrus or palm while those worn by the rich were made of leather.