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:
- 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.
- 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.
- Tyvek Coveralls let air and moisture vapor pass through, reducing the chances of heat stress and are six times more breathable than microporous materials.
- 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 17th century and by the 18th 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 18th 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,
During the 18th 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 20th 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/
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.htmlThe 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
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