5 shocking facts about fashion
Magazine
5 shocking facts about fashion
1. The better the economy, the shorter the skirts?
While it would be an obvious assumption that the hemline of a skirt or dress would be determined by fashion trends or social status, believe it or not, the economy is another factor that influences how short your skirt is.
The hemline index
The surprising theory presented by George Tailor in 1926 is called the Hemline Index, which suggests that the hemlines of women’s clothing fluctuates with stock prices or gross domestic product. To put it simply, in a financial crisis, there’s less money to spend and people buy only what they need – such as practical office wear which is usually knee-length or longer. However in an economic boom, there’s more money to splurge on short skirts or fun dresses in celebration of happier times.
2. Why do Breton shirts have 21 stripes?
Did you know the classic blue and white striped shirt actually has a formal and strictly regimented origin?
The piece of clothing was originally a uniform worn by French Seamen in 1858 called the Breton. To qualify as a Breton top, the top bands of color on the shirt needed to be 2 cm white and 1 cm blue with exactly 21 stripes of each color, representing the 21 naval victories of military leader Napoleon.
How has this sailors uniform become synonymous with chic French style today?
We can thank fashion designer Coco Chanel for that. She saw the sailors in their striped tops while on the Northern seaside of France and became inspired by the design. Anything Coco Chanel wore made headlines and quickly the Breton striped tee became the symbol of French fashion – a style that is still unwaveringly popular today.
3. No blue jeans in North Korea!
The humble blue jeans may be a classic working-class American icon, but according to the North Korea government, they are also an unacceptable piece of clothing.
The country considers the iconic garment a symbol of American imperialism and has banned the item from being worn by citizens. In fact, North Koreans have been banned from wearing all Western garments.The accouncement was made in 2016 by North Korean news website Rimjin-gang. The areas most affescted by these rules are the provinces bordering China, North Hamgyong and Yanggang, where the flow and access to information, trends and outside knowledge are harder to control.
4. Do you really get a better deal in luxury brand outlets?
Outlet stores are a dram for bargain hunters. You can find last season’s most wanted handbag or that pair of shoes you couldn’t afford when they were at full price. It sounds like a great deal, right? While it can be, often it really is too good to be true.
Sometimes, not all products in every outlet store are excess products from the main production run, instead, many of them are produced by another manufacturer and assembly line. These products are often not even found in the original retail stores, and are very likely to be made at a lower cost and quality with adjustments such as subpar material and inferior stitching.
5. Who decided wedding dresses should be white?
In Western culture, a white wedding dress is seen as a traditional choice. But have you ever questioned when and how the “white wedding” became a common practice?
It was Queen Victoria in 1840 who kickstarted the trend by wearing a white dress to her wedding, claiming the color accentuated the lace detailing on the gown. On her orders, ensuring that she was the focus on the day, no other guest could wear white to the wedding. Her taste set the standard for wedding dresses, and from then onwards, the angelic shade has remained the primary color of choice for Western ceremonies.
What did brides wear at their weddings before 1840?
Before Queen Victoria’s wedding, gold and silver were common choices for royal brides. As for ordinary people in Europe, brides would wear their best dress on their wedding day, no matter what color.
White, on the other hand, was a very uncommon choice, as only wealthy families could afford to keep the easily-stained dress clean.
