Categories of Dress

OVERVIEW
With dress falling into the predominant categories listed below, I found it interesting to see how much overlap there is from category to category. Ceremonial dress could easily fall into the decorative dress or sexually enhancing category depending on the outfit. These categories help to classify a garment but they really provide a framework for how to view the success of a garment as it has more than one focal point of examination.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING

Let’s examine the word “ENVIRONMENTAL ” when it refers to protective clothing. That could have a plethora of many applications. It is not specific to weather protective gear, though that is a suitable application. Environmental can act as the umbrella for a variety of job environments from mining to mold remediation and contamination areas. Protective clothing is crucial to provide the wearer with protection from chemicals and contaminates and also provide flexibility to perform labor related tasks. Tyvek® protective jumpsuits and coveralls, while not fashion forward garments, provide protection from all sorts of harmful materials (paint, chemicals, construction products, oil, grease, fiberglass, mold, etc) and are an industry standard for many applications. This is why:

1. Microscopic particles as small as 0.5 microns can’t pass through Tyvek® even if the fabric has been abraded. It is is hard to tear or puncture, yet it functions as a breathable membrane that allows body heat and sweat to escape while preventing chemicals, paints and particles from getting in.
2. Tyvek is not easily scratched or worn away, the cloth is made with one material in one layer, unlike laminated fabrics that leave you exposed if the outer coating is scratched off.
3. Tyvek Coveralls let air and moisture vapor pass through, reducing the chances of heat stress and are six times more breathable than microporous materials.
4. Tyvek protective clothing comes in a variety of styles: coveralls, lab coats, smocks, aprons, shoe covers and sleeves. These are just a few of their uses:

• Painting, spray painting
  
• General maintenance
• Lead or asbestos abatement
• Mold remediation & Cross-contamination prevention
• Dry chemical applications
• Pesticide/herbicide spraying
• Radioactive dust
• Construction & Woodworking
• Fiberglass
• Agriculture & Mining
• Food processing
• Environmental clean-up
• Abrasive blasting
• Modesty garments
• Forensics

GENDER DIFFERENCES.

“The representation of males and females in New Kingdom Egyptian tombs is a clear case where the artist conveys a message other than visual reality. In the typical New Kingdom tomb painting, relief, or statue, males are dressed in kilts with perhaps a shirt, while women wear tight-fitting sheath dresses, probably made from a single piece of cloth wrapped around the body. Yet archaeological examples of ancient Egyptian clothing demonstrate that the most common garment was a bag tunic. This outfit was basically a linen bag with sleeves that fit very loosely. Both men and women wore it. In art, however, men wear an outfit that suggests freedom of movement while a woman’s garment suggests restricted movement. Even without archaeological evidence, the typical female garment depicted in art could never match reality. The dresses are so impossibly tight that a woman could not move, sit, or walk. The real intention behind this representation is to reveal the woman’s body. These dresses clearly reveal the overall female form and the pubic triangle. Since the difference between everyday Egyptian reality and the presentation of people in art differ so radically, there must have been a reason for the difference.”

Role of Men.

“Men are generally active rather than passive in tomb representations. In Old Kingdom and Middle Kingdom tombs, the deceased reaches for offerings at the offering table, inspects agricultural. They have depicted men hunting birds or fishing. They wear loose clothing and are quintessentially the active principal in life. These roles correspond to an Egyptian view of men actively winning a place for themselves in the afterlife.”

Role of Women

“The role of the woman in Egypt was that of life-giver and supporter. Hence, the emphasis in art was on their role as mothers. Because of this, women were often depicted wearing little or no clothing. The artist’s intention was not to portray eroticism but rather to symbolize reproduction—all people come into the world without clothing, and hence the idea of nudity is connected to that of birth..”

DECORATIVE DRESS.

Decorative dress would perhaps cover many garments of clothing. With the casual ebb of change in dress, true formal dress is almost a thing of the past…. I say almost. One bastion of formal dress remains and that is Vienna’s Opera Ball.

Vienna’s Opera Ball takes place on the Thursday before each Ash Wednesday. So it falls in to the same time frame as Carnival in Venice, Rio or New Orleans. It is usually held the Auditorium of the Vienna State Opera. Most Viennese balls are black-tie events (which means tuxedos for men, and modern, ankle-length gowns for women.) Knee-length cocktail dresses are a real no-no at this kind of party, as are old-fashioned crinolines and hoop skirts. Young debutantes being introduced into Viennese society wear white gowns. The Opera Ball is the only one that requires white tie and tails for men. Long white gloves can be seen and well as tiaras. These pictures are current and not from a vintage movie.

This is very, very old school. There are specific dances and waltzes. It was first held in 1936 and has been an annual event since. The Opera Ball is the Official Ball of the Republic but other balls (yes, there are many) are given with a nod to professions (including, but by no means limited to, the Doctors’ Ball, the Lawyers’ Ball, the florists’ Flower Ball, the Pharmacists’ Ball, the Confectioners’ Ball and the Coffee Brewers’ Ball, the largest of all). Vienna takes their balls very seriously.

CEREMONIALISM

Court dress was worn by those attending the more formal assemblies and gatherings held by the king and queen. Attendees would have been people undertaking the ceremonial roles (such as members of an order of Knights or heralds). The events were very important for one’s social calendar and vital for many politicians and socialites. The Mantua was fashionable in the late 17^th century and by the 18^th century was the accepted dress for ladies of the court for formal occasions. It was exclusively used as part of court fashion until 1820. During the 18^th century, the hoops and petticoats developed to an extraordinary size and was part of court fashion long after the trend had passed. It was the epitome of power dressing as it was so costly to make and wear. In 1820, King George announced that ladies no longer had to wear the hoods but train and ostrich feather headdress, lace lappets or veil was still required. The last occasion ladies had to use court dress was 1939. WWII changed the character and the style was no longer worn. The example shown is from the Kensington Palace collection and is that of Mary, marchioness of Rockingham who was married to the Marquis of Rockingham who was sworn in as Prime Minister in 1765,

SEXUAL ENHANCEMENT.

Leather fetishism evolved in the nineteenth century as a bi-product of the footwear cult. Through the involvement of unusual sex practices which increased during the 20^th century, fetishism offered a source of freedom from the restrictions of societal bans and prohibitions. A line between power and submission is explored with strictly coded roles of playing. Black and red (the colors associated with hell) are the colors of most fetishist outfits. This was first chronicled in 1869, in Leopold von Sacher-Mosoch’s Venus in Furs. I don’t know why but I was rather amazed that fetishism had roots that far back in time.

“Leather clothing and fetishisms gather people around a fantasy and not around a social class which hampers the exchange.”
Genevieve Lafosse – Mode et Fetichisme (Fashion and Fetishism)

“You assume a more animal-like personality, calling on your instincts… helps you to live out your deep-seated desires”
Proprietor of Rex Leatherwear, Paris

GROUP MEMBERSHIP

Academic dress is an example of dress worn by those that are admitted to a university dress or by those who hold status that entitles them to wear it. Usually only seen at graduation ceremonies but these garments used to be worn daily at many universities. They are unique to each institution. They are worn by members of certain learned societies and institutions as part of official dress. Our US academic dress is derived from that worn by the British Commonwealth Universities (Oxford and Cambridge) which developed from the academic and clerical dress of the medieval universities of Europe. There is so much information on this subject that it boggles the mind. What we view at most undergrad and high school graduation ceremonies is really only the tip of the iceberg. There are many levels, many other aspects to the gown, cap or hood. There are levels of distinction and various fields have standardized colors in the US that are governed by (YES there is a board for this) The United States Intercollegiate Bureau of Academic Costume and the American Council on Education. I am glad to know that by Academic color is Brow (fine art and Architecture) as it goes with my hair color… unlike that of the liberal Art color of white which does nothing for me. I am not exactly virginal and can't pull off white anymore.

http://www.disposable-garments.com/

Interpreting Egyptian Art - Reflection, Gender differences, Role of men, Role of women, Daily life, Fishing and fowling

King Mankaure (also know as Mycerimus) and his queen (probably Kha_merer-nebty II) Ancient Egyptian art, Boston Museum of Fine Arts

http://iluvsa.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-black-egyptians-crossed-ethiopian.html

http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Vienna_Opera_Ball

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/travel/23journeys.html

The Court Mantua, Press Office, Waterloo Block, HM Tower of London, London EC3N 4AB
www. hrp.org.uk
Anne-Laure Quillereit. The Leather Book. Assouline Publishing, NY 2004
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academic_dress

Textiles on the runway

Looking at clothing can be deceiving. In a higher end brand garment, it is not uncommon to see a t-shirt for $75 or more. A men’s shirt can be $300 or $1000. Much of that is the retailer’s mark up. A good portion is the designer’s name being on the label. More and more, the consumer is seeing garments made of materials that are unfamiliar or made with some new finishing process that takes that garment to the next level.

Sports wear is an area this is really on the forefront of this fabric technology. One only has to think Olympics/Michael Phelps and images of the Speedo LZR Racer come to mind.

The swimwear was so technologically advanced “40 world records now have been made by swimmers that make use of the Speedo LZR Racer as its debut in February.” It was so advanced, the Olympics team’s advisory board has banned it as it seems to offer the strategic advantage equivalent to steroids.

The Speedo firm states that the water-revolting material and laser bonding cut the drag time and develops oxygen in take upwards to 5%. While the average swimmer may not know what this does (or means), they do feel and see the results/differences. This is an example of fabric revolutionizing the world we live in.

The current trend in sports fabric technology is to provide comfort, manage moisture, and be lightweight and flexible. Antimicrobial technology is becoming the standard as perspiration is a bi-product of sports activity. UV protection in shear fabrics is a new trend as fabrics become lighter and more transparent. Environmental sensitivity is looked upon has helping the consumer with satisfaction factor of their purchase. Add to this, natural fibers/fiber-blends (including bamboo, soy-based fibers, etc) and the purchase seems almost make the purchase enviro-friendly. Here are some new technology trends that are leading in the sports fabric development:

• Fabrics that thermoregulate or control the atmosphere next to the skin. This includes controlling the temperature for comfort. These include Akwatek™/Akwadyne™ and Outlast™;
• Compression fabrics (fabrics with 360° stretch These fabrics help with the Recovery Speed and the “Fast flushing of blood lactates.” These also:

• improve circulation for oxygen and reduce fatigue caused by reduced muscle vibration/friction
• reduce muscle damage
• heightened agility and speed.

Holofiber™ is an example of this fabric

Workgear.

On the non-sports side of fabric development, work wear is an area of intense development and scientific research. Extending the life of fabrics is of vital concern when it comes to work wear. Leather is an excellent example. Leather has been around for years and was the first fabric. It is incredibly comfortable because it breathes, but leather (like all skin) will wear and show abrasion. Scientists are continually looking for ways to enhance it’s fiber characteristics by coupling it with that of another. Most often this occurs in a finishing process. Here are two finishes that I found while searching.

ARMOR-TAN™

Any leather structure is made of microscopic fibrils which are randomly intertwined together to form fibre bundles. ARMOR-TAN™ is a new generation of leather using chemistry which focuses on these fibril bundles within the leather structure. The fibril bundles are encased by microscopic ceramic "armour plates" which are more resistant to abrasion, thus increasing the durability of the leather by preventing wear on contact surfaces and materials. ARMOR-TAN™ treated leathers are 25% more resistant to abrasion than untreated leathers. It also:

• enhances grip in gloves and soles with textured pattern produces superior grip characteristics for the wearer in all conditions of play.
• resists moisture generated by rain, humidity or working conditions.
• prevents the absorption of moisture, including sweat, into the glove and thereby protecting the fiber structure from the detrimental effect of perspiration.

KERATAN™

The hard surface treatment in KERATAN™ is presented in the form of an etched diamond pattern bonded to the leather’s fiber structure. The unique pattern structure provides several properties, which makes KERATAN™ an ideal leather application for gloves.

• Improved Abrasion Resistance
• Allows the leather to retain flexibility
• Allows for breath-ability
• Water Resistant

• 
  

Simple story:

So wear are we going with fabrics? What will be important in the future?

From my vantage point, it will depend on the wearer. We will hopefully always have silk and wool… I hope. While the US still imposes a ban on the domestic production of hemp, cotton will be king in the US even though it requires lots of pesticides and water for irragation. But in the lab, the scientist is leading the way with the development of fabrics that will revolutionize what we wear. Last year, I went to a presentation by Adept in NY. These designers, working with a lab of scientists, came up with fabrics that changed color with body heat, sun light exposure and UV rays. They produced a line of eyeglasses that went from light to dark with a gentle tap on the eyeglass frame. These clothes, as pretty as they were, were also the kind of thing that people will pay big money for. They seem to be more on that crest of the wave of the future in designer clothing. A garment doesn’t have to just look good, it has to function for whatever purpose it was designed. Think of it like a date that you meet in a bar. It is just not enough to look pretty, there has to be brains behind the beauty.

Mejo John, Mejo is a Copywriter of Ed Hardy swimwear. http://www.articlesbase.com/fashion-articles/speedo-mens-swimsuit-gains-popularity-at-olympic-554578.html

Compression Clothing, Total Fitness Nottingham, www.tfn.uk.com

Fabriclink’s The Technical Center - The Industry Resource for Specialty Textiles and Product Information, www.TheTechnicalCenter.com

The Body Beautiful

Most think ideal male beauty took a huge leap forward with the ancient Greeks. Statues and art from hat time period display robustly muscular figures. Most seem Mesomorphic and very lean, especially when contrasted to the typical contemporary American. Our word "gymnasium" comes from the Greek term gymnos meaning naked. It actually translates into “place to be naked…for physical exercise.” Funny how we have lost the literal meaning of the word… but I digress.

Physical activity was not just stressed, it was really a way of life. Look at the task of taking a bath. One had to walk into town to either:

1. (A) go to the local public bath house,
2. (B) carry the water home or
3. (C) go outside and bath in the Mediterranean.

All of these options require a certain amount of phyical energy just to wash one’s bum. It really gives one something to think about when one has a cold and just wants to get into a warm tub.

Dinner is another story. To get a chicken dinner required raising the chicken, chasing it to kill it, gathering the firewood to cook it, not to mention plucking the beast. Red meat was, and still is today, more of a luxury.

Geographically, Greece sit in an area that made it a territorial center of many ancient wars. The Greeks were known for their military savvy. History shows us also that most of the men were required to be in the military. Longevity and expectancy was to age 40.

Most travelers know by experience that Greece’s temperatures during the days are hot. In ancient times, it was not uncommon for people to where a chiton - a kind of short cloak (see left) and nothing else. The hot weather, constriction free clothing and casual social attitudes regarding nudity translated into art and culture. This reflection is what we see in museums today.

Take a look at Agesander’s sculpture of Laocoön and His Sons 200 BC. This amazing work sits at the Vatican and an early Roman copy resides at the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. The references in this sculpture depicts the male form but also references a story. The statue represents Laocoön and his sons being eaten by serpents. Both the adult male and the younger children are not just toned but extremely muscular. One can see musculature that is as clear as any anatomy textbook. The V the of latissimus dorsi is clearly evident as well as the external obliques and rectus abdominis muscles. It is an amazing work of art carved from seven pieces of marble depicting amazing bodies. I speculate these bodies were more normal than out of the ordinary for the time. While there is a heightened stylization and extreme muscularity, my belief is these were more realist than stylized given the circumstances at the time. They would be a great contast to those of people who would model for work today. In short, there was no such thing as a desk job. One didn’t just nuke a meal. One didn’t just to to the gym to tighten the six pack. These were activities that come with the 20th century. Much like our gradual addition of height and stature. One used to never see someone over 6 foot tall. Now that height is very common given the luxury of so many nutrients in our food.

Unfortunately, the advent of the roman toga, and alas Christianity, that pinnacle of physicality would eventually be covered up. And with early Christianity, the viewing of the male form was all but obliterated… just hands and face.

One final thought: The diet. The most noticeable characteristic of the Mediterranean Diet is high consumption of fruits and vegetables, bread and other cereals, olive oil and fish. Red meat is an infrequent source of protein in the Mediterranean Diet. Compared to the typical American diet, this may seem almost exotic. Meals fashioned after the Mediterranean Diet have a distinctively rich flavor because of the common use of olive oil as the source of fat in preparation compared to the margarine and highly processed, hydrogenated vegetable oils used in the preparation of American meals. As fat has a higher calorie density than protein and carbohydrates, portion sizes also appear more modest when compared to the size of a meal Americans often expect to receive from a restaurant. The result is a nutrient rich diet, high in fiber, with a low glycemic index, which includes lean protein sources and high quality sources of fat.

Laocoön: Musei Vaticani, State of the Vatican City. Artists Agesander, Athenedoros and Polydorus Credit line Found in the Baths of Trajan, 1506

Discus Thrower, Roman marble copy of Greek bronze by Myron, c. 450 bc; in the National Roman Museum, Rome.

Headless statue of Hermes with traveller's cloak and caduceus. Marble, Roman copy from the 1st century CE after a bronze original of the 5th century BC. |Unspecified |Former Ludovisi Collection |Inv. 8583

Dave Saunders, Change Your Diet, and Eat the Mediterranean Way. Food Editorials.com

Only the very best underwear

Longevity was up. Men were able to live to about age 44 and women to age 36 by 650 to 300 B.C. Civilizations were more organized. Survival was a concern but there was also thoughts about god and the life beyond death. While there wasn’t television or newspapers as we know them, there was propaganda. Propaganda art depicted rulers as gods. These gods were depicted with an idealized perfection so there wasn't much of a likeness to the real person. In these examples, the Egyptian forms were more Mesomorphic (trim and fit). As cultures and tools developed, sculpture became more realistic. The depiction of muscularity evolved over time, but more importantly was the depiction of movement. The god forms had to be seen as living and not dead. Depicting the god forms with life, movement and action was important… the couch potato was not.

The Egyptians were not alone on this quest to show what the ideal look was. The early Greeks were on this same path. And while the religions were quite different, the depictions evolved on the same trajectory. While early sculptors dealt with pulling the form out of the bonds of the marble chunk, they also worked to depict the male form as idealistically natural or real. The early poses were often balanced and static, bound by a slab to support the form. By 500 BC, the form was released from this marble or stone bond. A depiction of the clavicle, the bicep, the shaping of the calf muscle, but also importantly the back of the sculpture began to take shape. The viewer could walk around the body. An upper and lower waist was visible. Everything became anatomically correct. Look at the images posted, it is very easy to see the progression over time without having to look in chronological order. It is pretty apparent.

Now take it a step futher, the Cretans in 1550 BC were starting to fashion rings or girdles for men. These ring/girdles were worn from childhood into adulthood and constricted the waist to extremely small proportions. They are similar to the neck rings of the Kayan or Padaung tribe that woman have worn for centuries. One could call these the precursor of the jock strap, but more directly, civilizations began the realization of body consciousness. The question of “How can one adorn oneself or look more godlike, more attractive, more fierce or more regal?” was asked. It was no longer enough to look real, the quest to look stylized or idealized starts here. In these societies, men did wear make up. They used oils for softening their skin. Adornment was importance. Color of garment was important. Smooth skin was important. Prestige and prominence became a factor that was expressed in body form.

Ward Nicholson, Longevity & health in ancient Paleolithic vs. Neolithic peoples
Copyright © 1999
Egyptian, Throne Back Depicting Tutankhamen and Queen, New Kingdom,
18th Dyn., c. 1360 BCE, Cairo Museum, Egypt.
Anavyssos Kouros, ca. 530 BC.
Aristodikos Kouros, Ptoon 20 group - C. 520-485 BC.
http://www.beauty-and-the-bath.com/ancient-egyptian-makeup.html

3 little words... and it's not "I love you"

Mesomorph, Endomorph and Ectomorph.

These three words were coined by American psychologist William Sheldon (1898-1977). Sheldon observed different body types and categorized males bodies into three Somatotypes. Each has certain characteristics. The characteristics of each are as follows:

• Ectomorph — Delicate build, flat chest, fragile, lean, lightly muscled with small shoulders, thin. Joints are smaller and limbs are long in proportion. The necks are long and narrow, as well as the toes, fingers and hands.
  
• Mesomorph — Hard body with a rectangular shape, thick skin, straight posture and mature muscle mass. The Mesomorph shoulders are broad with a relatively narrow waist. From the back, one can see the pronounced V formed by the latissimus dorsi. Arms and legs are well developed. This somatotype would be considered athletic.
  
• Endomorph — round and soft. This physique has mass concentrated in the abdominal area most often by fat not muscle. Arms, legs, hands and feet are relatively small or short in proportion to the body frame. Upper arms and thighs are more developed than the lower aspects. The waist appears high.

I post these somatotypes because it facilitates a discussion about the ideal male body, its basis in beauty and helps to perpetuate a better discussion. Societies have deemed one of these somatotypes of greater or lesser importance/value over time based on societal conditions.

Looking at very early civilizations and the fertility gods/goddesses, the Willendorf Goddess from 30,000 BC falls into the Endomorphic camp. It is pronounced in its round, almost bulbous characteristics. I would dare say, it looks very similar to people wandering around today in the US. The body type at the time the statue was commissioned was however rare, if it occurred in nature at all. Death was more common than life. The average lifespan was 30 for women and 35 in men. Most women died in childbirth. What could be of most intrinsic value? Life. A life of plenty. Enough food to nurture an individual to maturity was rare. Disease was common but starvation was even more so common. A rounder woman was considered more desirable because she was considered more able to succeed in childbirth.

Please note: Male beauty was a non-issue. The earliest male form that that has crossed my plate that is comparible to the Wellendorf Goddess is from predynastic era of Egypt. Check out the Egyptian God Min from 5000 BC to 4000BC. He was one of Egypt’s earliest gods.

Photo courtesy of Tyra and James Arraj.
Tracking the Elusive Human, Vol. I: A Practical Guide to C.G. Jung's Psychological Types,W.H. Sheldon's Body and Temperament Types, and Their Integration - ©1988

Pagan Research Foundation, Stormfront.org, ©2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

Ward Nicholson, Longevity & health in ancient Paleolithic vs. Neolithic peoples
Copyright © 1999

Ideal beauty… it’s a tough nut to crack when one thinks about the male body and male fashion. The subject conjures up homoerotic fears in most men as can be attested in the latest “letter from the Editor” of the September 2009 Details Magazine. Male Beauty is a subject that necessitates the couching by either locker room slang or a anatomical dryness to put most men at ease in the conversation. But in fairness as well, it is a subject that is idealistically different from the start AND from the views of beauty towards woman. It does a disservice to the conversation to equate the two. Most men would shudder to think of themselves as “pretty”. The mere suggestion that a man can be or is “beautiful” is libel to totally piss him off.

To the point, my plastic surgeon (yes, I’ve had work done and I’m damn proud of it) tells this story when he meets new patients. He is Dr. David Teplica. He is a board-certified plastic surgeon and he is one of this nation’s best. He is one of the very few and rare that specializes almost exclusively in male cosmetic surgery. Dr Teplica states when he describes male beauty, the participant/patient in the conversation usually use a totally different vernacular to discuss male beauty. Women want to look youthful, refreshed, curvaceous, supple, smooth and/or bodacious. Men want to look powerful, virile, chiseled, lean, muscular, tight, imposing and/or perhaps, debonair. To achieve that result, Dr Teplica has had to perfect different plastic surgery techniques because these two groups require a different finished outcome. Also remember, society dictates it is more acceptable for women to wear make up than men to hide imperfections.

With that notion in mind (that male beauty and female beauty is different), let's dive into what history equates as “male physical beauty” through the lens of desirability. Put aside the notions of gay/straight/male/female as these references only perpetuate a cluttering of the mind. Let’s discover what looks or did look HOT.

• What qualities raised the desirability temperature when a guy walked into a room?
• What made people stand up and take notice and perhaps lend a ear to the aspirational
  side of the viewer’s mind?

The target market/viewer of that desirability (whether opposite sex or same sex) doesn’t really matter for this discussion. The discussion is about raising the temperature of the room in general. What made people break out into that sweet sweat of desire? What made men/women's brains bleed with obsession and passion? The room can be filled with men, women or both. Whom our ‘ideal beauty” leaves with at the end of an evening really happens behind closed doors and is left open conjecture on our part.