Fashions

The clothes of Egypt were simple, light, and cool clothes. Since the climate was mostly hot, children wore nothing. Egyptians also wore no underwear because it was so hot. Men wore a long piece of cloth wrapped around their waist sort of like a kilt. In the Middle Kingdom the style of kilts changed to became straight and longer for all of the men.

The clothes were made of undyed linen cloth and needed little stitching. Old Kingdom women wore a simple tube dress, made from a rectangle of linen sewn down only one side, with straps attached to the top of the edge of the dress. This simple dress style did not change, though during the Middle Kingdom colorful, patterned collars started to be worn by both the rich and the poor.

White was the color of purity, and white linen cloth was mostly used for clothes during the Old and Middle Kingdoms. They sometimes used brown and blue dyes to color the linen, but they were unable to use colors that were brighter such as red and green.

Usually the wealthy people spent all their money on looking good, cool, and stylish. Although their clothes were similar to the clothes that regular people wore, they were made out of a better fabric. Some people even kept their best clothes for special occasions.

Women wore party makeup. They wore black eyeliner and green eye shadow. Scientists have found mirrors, curlers, tweezers, ointments, and combs in tombs. Men and women also used perfumed oils. They were kept in beautiful caskets. Oils helped soften their skin and stopped it from burning and cracking in the sun and sandy winds.

The Egyptians’ eyelids were colored with green pigment, made from a soft crushed stone called malachite. Their eyes were also outlined with black kohl, made from lead and mixed with water to make their eyes look larger, and to protect them from the sun’s glare. The Ancient Egyptians’ cheeks and lips were stained red with ochre henna, made from the powdered leaves of a plant. Ochre henna was also used to color hair, as it still is today.

The Egyptians wore ready-dressed wigs because they shaved their heads or their hair was short. The wigs were curled and beaded. They wore the wigs on special occasions. The base of the wig was made from a net with individual strands of hair looped into the netting. Children’s heads were shaved except for one long piece of hair. It was known as the "lock of youth".

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