By Hunter Oatman-Stanford — It’s 1520 in Augsburg, Germany, a bustling cosmopolitan city at the height of the Northern Renaissance. On his 23rd birthday, Matthäus Schwarz, a successful accountant with a flair for dressing well, launches a special project he calls his or “little book of clothes.” Schwarz had been fascinated by historic clothing trends since he was a child, and like many at the time, he was inspired to experiment with new media, blurring the boundaries of art, fashion, and self-representation. “In my...

What Not to Wear: The Deadliest Hats, Scarves, and Skirts in History

By Lisa Hix — The following is a public service announcement from author Jennifer Wright: If you wrap a piece of fabric around your neck—whether it's a fabulous scarf, a dashing cravat, or a dapper necktie—you just might be tying your own noose. Why would she say such a thing? Well, consider the death of choreographer and dancer Isadora Duncan, who was known for her flowing, Grecian garments. Duncan met her maker on September 14, 1927, when she went for a drive and her long, flamboyant scarf got caught...

True Kilts: Debunking the Myths About Highlanders and Clan Tartans

By Lisa Hix — Today, a man's pride in his Scottish heritage is often asserted by wearing a kilt made of his clan tartan—a fabric woven with the specific plaid pattern that is claimed by his family. You might assume with kilts being such an important piece of Scottish tradition that the clan tartans are several millennia old, or at least go back to the Medieval Period. But you would be wrong. In fact, this misconception is so common that "Outlander" costume designer Terry Dresbach gets grief for failing...

Could the Clothes on Your Back Halt Global Warming?

By Lisa Hix — What comes to mind when you think of vintage clothing? It’s probably those untouchably cool hipsters who seem transported from another time, or the fashionista who’s always got one piece that makes her outfit pop. You might think of quality, as old clothes are often better made than modern ones. Cultural nostalgia is everywhere these days, but if the item came from a family member, the nostalgia gets personal, bringing back a flood of memories. “When people give clothing away to Goodwill...

If These Shirts Could Talk: The Tantalizing Tales Behind Used Clothes

By Hunter Oatman-Stanford — The mysterious packages kept arriving, some from eBay, others from the Home Shopping Network, each addressed to her. All these clothes she didn't want, which weren't her size or style. She couldn't explain them to herself, much less her husband. Finally, late one night he heard her stirring and awoke to see his wife browsing shopping websites and ordering clothes in her sleep. "They were selling this dress with blood splattered on it." Emily Spivack, a writer and fashion historian,...

Jockeying for Position: How Boxers and Briefs Got Into Men's Pants

By Hunter Oatman-Stanford — Just as underclothes are shielded from public view, the evolution of men's most intimate apparel is shrouded in secrecy. But the story of men's underwear is about more than which came first, boxers or briefs. Undergarments as we know them today were first sold to promote cleanliness and improve the comfort of wearing clothing. That they might one day be deemed fashionable was not even an after-thought. “Shirts were regarded as a form of underwear until the early 1920s." In particular, in...

In Pursuit of the Great American Jean

By Hunter Oatman-Stanford — Admit it: If you're not wearing jeans right now, you wish you were. Loved by everyone from ranch hands to runway models, blue jeans are a unique clothing hybrid, living simultaneously in the worlds of high fashion and hard labor. But it's no accident that companies like Levi's are looking backwards for inspiration, emphasizing the product's American workwear heritage (even if they are now largely produced overseas). More than most fabrics, denim owes its seductive appeal to its storied...

Meet the Man Who Made Cowboys Love Rhinestones

By Hunter Oatman-Stanford — Though it might seem like country-western stars sprang from the womb wearing golden boots and rhinestone suits, it wasn't always so. In fact, we owe such flashy styles to a Ukrainian-born Jew named Nudie Cohn, who was the first to mix Nashville and Hollywood, making it hip to be ostentatious. While Cohn's name might not be familiar, you’ve certainly seen his famous Nudie suits, ranging from Gram Parsons' marijuana-leaf masterpiece to Elvis Presley's outfit of glitzy gold lamé. Taking his...

Hawaiian Style: The Roots of the Aloha Shirt

By Maribeth Keane and Brad Quinn — When I came to Washington State University, I brought my passion for ethnic textiles and clothing with me. Our historic costume collection here at WSU now has increased in size as a result. We now have nearly 100 aloha shirts in our collection here at Washington State University. The University of Hawaii, where I taught from 1991 to 2002, has about 5,000 items of aloha attire, probably half of which are aloha shirts. This collection is in the Apparel Product Design and Merchandising program...