History of Everyday Clothing

The fascinating origin stories of classic clothing, from the suit to the wedding dress and the Nike running shoe.

The fascinating origin stories of classic clothing, from the suit to the wedding dress ... more

Curated byAnna Oakes, Hark Editor

8 CLIPS39 MINS

Clip 1 of 8

The "Great Renunciation" and the Birth of the Suit

At the end of the 18th century, men’s fashion ditched lace and wigs in favor of a more sleek formal look. One man, Beau Brummell, led the charge.

The "Great Renunciation" and the Birth of the Suit

99% Invisible

6 MINS

Clip 2 of 8

The Waffle Iron That Changed Footwear

In 1974, Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman famously made its first running shoe out of a waffle iron. Footwear and the world of running were forever changed.

Today In History with The Retrospectors

5 MINS

Clip 3 of 8

The Forgotten Inventor of Blue Jeans

Contrary to popular belief, Levi Strauss didn't originate the iconic blue jeans. That was Jacob Davis, an enterprising tailor from Reno, Nevada.

Stuff You Missed in History Class

5 MINS

Clip 4 of 8

Queen Victoria and the White Wedding Dress

Wedding dresses, especially white ones, caught on after Queen Victoria wore one in her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840.

Queen Victoria and the White Wedding Dress

Articles of Interest

4 MINS

Clip 5 of 8

The Reluctant Origins of the Swimsuit

The first swimwear available to women in the 19th century was hardly the stuff of comfort and style.

Dressed: The History of Fashion

5 MINS

Clip 6 of 8

Lipstick: "Beauty Is Duty"

Over the centuries, lipstick has taken on different meanings, from sin and sex work to glamour and gender conformity.

Silhouettes: A Fashion History Podcast

4 MINS

Clip 7 of 8

How "Mannish Women" Adopted Heels

Heels haven’t always been associated with ultra-femininity. Elizabeth Semmelhack, director of the Bata Shoe Museum, follows the history of how women used heels to transcend the limits of gender roles.

Dressed: The History of Fashion

4 MINS

Clip 8 of 8

The Risqué, Ancient Greek Origins of the T-Shirt

As it migrated to a standalone layer of clothing in the early 1900s, the t-shirt brought its boundary-pushing reputation with it: first as a manly shirt for bachelors, and after the 1950s as a marker of anti-establishment individuality.

The Risqué, Ancient Greek Origins of the T-Shirt

Unravel A Fashion Podcast

5 MINS

Curated byAnna Oakes

8 CLIPS39 MINS

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History of Everyday Clothing

The "Great Renunciation" and the Birth of the Suit

99% Invisible

The Waffle Iron That Changed Footwear

Today In History with The Retrospectors

The Forgotten Inventor of Blue Jeans

Stuff You Missed in History Class

Queen Victoria and the White Wedding Dress

Articles of Interest

The Reluctant Origins of the Swimsuit

Dressed: The History of Fashion

Lipstick: "Beauty Is Duty"

Silhouettes: A Fashion History Podcast

How "Mannish Women" Adopted Heels

Dressed: The History of Fashion

The Risqué, Ancient Greek Origins of the T-Shirt

Unravel A Fashion Podcast

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