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The styles of ancient Egyptian costumes varied according to social class, gender, and occasion. Men typically wore kilts known as 'schenti,' while women donned tight-fitting dresses called 'kalasiris. ' Both garments were often complemented with cloaks and shawls for added elegance.
Egyptian fashion was practical and simple, and for most of the population, the same type of clothes as a woman was worn by a man. Upper-class women of the ancient Egyptian kingdom (2686-2181 BC) wore longer dresses that covered their breasts , but women from the lower classes wore the same simple skirt as their fathers, husbands and sons
Images from the Early Dynastic period of Egypt (c.3150 - 2613 BC) show lower-class men and women wearing the same type of dress: a knee-length skirt, probably white or light in color. It would have been made of cotton, linen or besus (linen) and fastened around the waist with a cloth belt, papyrus cord or leather. Upper-class Egyptians of the same time period wore the same outfit only with more decoration. Only by their jewelry could Men of the rich class be distinguished from farmers and artisans. Women's dress was more distinctive among the classes as upper-class women wore a long, form-fitting dress with or without sleeves. These dresses were held in place with straps on the shoulders, sometimes they were complemented by a transparent robe worn over them. The fashion of women who bare breasts was not a concern. Women's dresses of the upper class sometimes started under the breasts and reached the ankle. Women's skirts of the lower class, as noted, were from the waist to the knees without a top. Before the development of flax, people wore clothes made of animal skins or woven papyrus reeds. Children of both sexes were not dressed from birth until adulthood, and some professions, continued this practice. The workers and laundresses who worked daily on the banks of the Nile washing other people's clothes performed their tasks naked because they were in the water a lot.
The first transitional period of Egypt (2181-2055 BC) followed the collapse of the ancient Egyptian kingdom and launched many radical changes in Egyptian culture but the fashion remained relatively the same. Only in the Middle Egyptian kingdom (2055-1650 BC) did fashion change as women began to wear long cotton ponchos and various hairstyles.
In the era of the Old Kingdom and the first transitional period, women were depicted with a length of hair below their ears, while in the Middle Kingdom, their hair was worn over their shoulders. The dress of the Middle state of the upper class also differed in that the clothes were often made of cotton. These dresses, which still fit the figure, were often sleeved with a plunging neckline, decorated with a necklace at the throat. These dresses will be made from one piece of fabric that the woman will wrap and then arrange for a style with a belt around the waist from which she can wear the top.
From the same period, however, there is evidence of upper-class women's dresses that rose from the ankle to the waist and were fastened with thin straps that passed over the breasts and fastened to the shoulders at the back. It is not known exactly how the ancient Egyptians folded their clothes, but the images in art clearly show folds in men's and women's clothing. The most popular garment among the men of the upper class was the triangular apron; a starched and decorated kilt fell just above the knees and fastened with a hood. It could be worn over an apron which was a triangular strip of fabric that ran between the legs and tied from the hips
After the Middle Kingdom era, Egypt entered the second transitional period (1650-1550 BC) where foreigners known as Hyksos ruled from Lower Egypt, and the Nubians retained the southern borders of the upper with only Thebes in the middle representing the Egyptian base.
They do not seem to have contributed to the fashion. This is largely due to the admiration of the Hyksos for Egyptian culture and The Imitation of Egyptian beliefs, behavior and dress in their cities in the northern Delta.
In 1550 BC, King Ahmose I brought the Hyksos out of Egypt and began the period of the Egyptian New Kingdom ( 1550-1077 BC), which witnessed the greatest developments in fashion in Egyptian history. The fashion styles of the New Kingdom are those that are most often depicted in films and TV shows dealing with Egypt regardless of the time period in which they are set.
The new kingdom was the era of the Empire of Egypt when the country rose to the international stage and came closer to close contact with other states than it had been in the past. Even before the era of the Empire, fashion statements became more detailed. She portrayed the wife of Ahmose I, Ahmose Nefertari in a dress with winged sleeves and a wide collar located above her ankles.
Beaded gowns and dresses decorated with jewels began to appear in the late Middle Kingdom but became more common in the New Kingdom among the upper classes. Elaborate wigs decorated with beads and jewelry also appear with greater frequency at this time. A hat made of pure linen was a fashion innovation in the era of the New Kingdom. The hood, or head shawl, was a rectangle of twisted, folded or cut linen, usually tied to a decorative collar. It was worn over dresses that fell either from the waist or just below the breasts and became the most popular style for the upper classes.
Men's fashion has also progressed very rapidly in the modern kingdom. The cuffs of this period fall below the knee, they are more intricately embroidered, they are often complemented by a loose transparent blouse. Depicted in a mongoose headdress, it is often seen in this type of clothing wearing either sandals or slippers. They wore transparent skirts and blouses with elaborately pleated sleeves. Large panels of woven material hanging from the waist and intricate folds were visible under the transparent skirts. This style was popular with royalty and the upper classes who could afford to buy materials.
The lower classes continued to wear the simple kilt for both sexes, but now more working-class women appear with hooded shirts. Previously, Egyptian servants were depicted in tomb paintings and other works of art as naked or semi-naked, but in the modern kingdom, a number of servants appear not only fully dressed but in rather elaborate dresses.
Underwear was also developed during this period, evolving from a coarse triangular apron wrapped between the legs and around the waist to a finer piece of fabric either sewn to a certain size of the waist or tied at the hips. The fashion for upper-class men in the new kingdom was such underwear under an apron fabric over which a long transparent shirt falling to the knees, a wide-necked cut (for nobles), bracelets, sandals were worn. King Tutankhamun was buried with more than 100 of these types of underwear as well as shirts, jackets and cloaks, providing some of the best examples of modern kingdom fashion found to date.
The costumes of women of that period were more elaborate than in any previous era. Men and women in Egypt often shave their heads to prevent lice and to reduce the time it takes to maintain a full head of hair. Wigs of both sexes were used to protect the scalp and for ceremonial purposes. Wigs in the era of the New Kingdom are the most decorative, especially for women, and hairstyles with pleated, fringed, multi-layered shoulder-length or down appear in them. Translucent gowns made of light linen were preferred by women of the upper class, often decorated with a scarf or robe, tied with a belt at the waist, decorated with a headdress, necklace and earrings.
Different professions have also adopted fairly consistent styles of costumes. For example, ministers wore a long skirt (often embroidered) that fastened under the arms and fell to the ankles with sandals or slippers. Clerks wore a simple kilt from the waist to the knee, sometimes seen in a transparent blouse. The priests wore white linen robes and, according to Herodotus, they could not wear any other color as pure white and holy. Soldiers, guards and police forces wore the simple kilt with sandals and sometimes wrist guards. Farmers, brewers, Tavern keepers, builders, workers and merchants are uniformly depicted from this period in the same simple kilt, male and female, although sometimes the merchant appears in a robe or Cloak. Coats, jackets and cloaks have been as popular throughout the history of Egypt as the temperature at night.
A Brief Analysis of Policy, Cultural, and Historical MilieusThe costumes of ancient Egypt carry an immense weight in comprehending the social, cultural, and religious relations of one of the most complex civilizations in the world. Clothing played an essential role in the lives of the ancient Egyptians; it was not worn solely to cover the body. Rather, it signified social class, sex, occupation, and religion, all of which were in harmony with the surroundings and the sophisticated civilization that the people of the Nile River developed.
Linen is the Fabric of Choice in the ancient Egyptian clothes.
In ancient Egypt, one of the most popular and numerous textiles was the flax linen, which was predominantly cultivated along the banks of the Nile. The high temperatures in Egypt made it unavoidable to wear light and porous materials; hence, linen became the most appropriate material to use. All the same, the process of making linen from the flax plant was rather labor-intensive because it involved soaking the plant, pounding it down to retrieve fewer strands of it, and finally, yarn coming from those strands.
Zibellina esdromis fine-quality linen was especially popular with the nobles’ elite. The most advanced, termed "palace linen," was quite light but stable, glossy, and a bit transparent, indicating that it was designed for the affluent class. Nobility and priests, including the pharaohs, wore the most delicate and immaculate white linen attires, which were also for royalty due to their unblemished look and spiritual aspect, while the lower class dressed in the most tattered and coarse fabrics.
The clothing worn by the elite reflected their position, riches, and belief in their godliness. As earthly gods, the Queen and Pharaoh donned fashionable elements of clothing infused with various images. One of the most popular items of clothing worn by the pharaoh was the'shendyt’, a tailored pleated skirt that was extended with both gold and gem decorations. It was held in place by a decorative sash and, at times, was worn with a beautifully crafted robe or jacket for events.
Pharaohs also had a piece of headgear that was almost a statue of a king, called the ‘names’, which is a striped fabric wrapped around the head and tied at the back. All three, together with the false beard, the headdress of a king, and crowns with either the white or red crown of Egypt or the double crowns of Egypt—a sign of authority and power, only that it was royal power.
They wore clothes similar to those of the pharaoh but not as ostentatious. Richer men and women wore complex necklaces that included gold and colored stones. Their dresses were elaborately designed to exhibit their social class, with women frequently dressing in body-hugging sheaths made out of quality linen.
As the elites displayed their opulent clothing, the vast majority of the Egyptian population, consisting of farmers, laborers, artisans, and servants, put on simpler clothes. Working-class men were mostly found dressed in a simple loincloth or a knee-length coarser linen kilt. The tunic dresses worn by women were no exception and were specially designed to facilitate a woman's domestic and daily activities.
In spite of having simple clothing, it was clear that they took time and effort in the way they looked. The cleanliness and general appearance of the Egyptians of all social classes were important, and this can be attributed to the fact that they applied perfumes, oils, and cosmetics on a daily basis as part of their dressing code.
Religious and ceremonial costumes
Religious beliefs and practices permeated every aspect of daily life in ancient Egypt; hence, the costumes worn during religious and ceremonious activities depicted the outlook of the society. To express their sanctity and the god’s role they were playing, priests wore linen white robes. Most high priests were draped in leopard-skin cloaks, which were worn around the robe’s bust region during the ceremony to indicate closeness to the gods.
Dresses of deities were often characterized by very elaborate and expensive garments, with some, like goddess Hathor, even dressed in detailed sheath dresses. The meaning behind the use of practical animal skins and feathers, as well as ornamental pieces, was to call for the presence of divine beings and their goodwill.
Moreover, no attire in ancient Egypt would be complete without the inclusion of ornamental pieces. For the ancient Egyptians, jewelry had a purpose beyond mere decoration; it was considered to be a protective talisman worn against dark forces. Everyone, regardless of rank, embellished and decorated themselves with intricate pieces of jewelry, such as neckpieces, ear decorations, wrist and ankle covering ornaments, and even finger bands.
Rings, earrings, necklaces, and other kinds of jewelry were usually very expensive things because they were made from gold and other precious stones for the rich class, whereas the lower class spent less on ornamental copper, bronze, or colored glazed beads.
In the history of mankind, when different civilizations have flourished and left behind valuable artifacts, amulets have also been widely utilized among the ancient Egyptians. They were not merely decorative charms worn on a necklace or a bracelet, which was the fashion of the day; they also represented gods, animals, and other holy things believed to give protection in life and death.
Another obstacle that the ancient Egyptian costume faced was makeup. Not only women but also men used kohl—a black lead ore powder—first to decorate their eyes but mainly to protect them from the glaring sun. This was supplemented with bright eye shadows in the form of malachite green and lapis lazuli blue, while red ochre served as a blusher and lipstick.
The upper classes also took to wearing wigs. Men and women wore wigs made from human hair or plant materials, but in most cases, men styled them formally to reflect their social status. The lower classes did not wear wigs most of the time; rather, they kept their hair short or completely bald because of the heat.
7. Children’s Costumes: Minimal but SymbolicThe clothing of the youth in ancient Egypt was scanty, especially when considering the early stage of their age. Toddlers and infants were often fully unclothed, especially when it was hot in the summer. However, sometimes they were decorated with some jewelry, like amulets, for that matter. Boys, as they grew older, would wear the simple skirts of their fathers, while girls would wear sheath dresses as their mothers.
8. The Influence of Egyptian Costumes on Modern FashionThe design and appearance of dresses worn by ancient Egyptians greatly influenced today’s fashion trends, especially in the 20th century. The year 1922 saw the excavation of Tutankhamun’s tomb, which brought about an overwhelming obsession with everything Egyptian culture that followed, hence the term "Egyptomania," which inspired Art Deco fashion, architecture, and jewelry designs. Even now, parts of Egyptian dressing such as heavy eyeshadow, elaborate jewelry designs, and draped pleats are still used by modern designers.
Conclusion
Costumes in ancient Egypt were more than just garments; they were embedded in society with great spirituality, art, and meaning. The costumes worn by the king during his reign and the commoners’ daily wear are representative of the complex social stratification, religious practices, and customs of that incredible civilization. Costume history gives an insight into the centuries-old culture, where it is not just a sense of fashion for them but a way of helping build the historical infrastructure of the present society.
