Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Ancient Egyptian Fashion To Make At Home

Ancient Egyptian Fashion to Make at Home


The ancient Egyptians followed very specific styles of dress. Most of their clothing was made of linen, a fabric woven from the softened fibers of the flax plant. Only a few items were made of wool since wearing wool all the time would have been very uncomfortable under the Egyptian sun. Citizens lower on the caste system wore simple, white clothing while nobles, some priests and royalty wore clothing with simple patterns, pleats, fringe and beading.


Women's Fashion


Choose simple white fabric for a woman's Egyptian costume, especially if she is a background performer in a play or wants to be a generic Egyptian and not someone specific. Look for sales on fabric remnants, making sure at least two, if not three, yards are left on the bolt. Purchase thick, white thread and stick pins, also.


Instruct the wearer to hold her arms above her head and wrap the white fabric around her body just below her breasts. Make sure the fabric reaches her ankles and pin the fabric down the side of her body so it forms a tube. Pin the bottom of the dress slightly looser so she can walk. Pin a 5/8 inch hem at the top and bottom of the dress.


Sew the side of the dress closed, installing a zipper that extends from the rib cage to the underarm. Have the wearer put the dress on and use the excess to make wide dress straps that cover her breasts. The straps should be rectangular and can either tie behind her neck or attach at both the front and the back of the dress. Tie a yellow, light orange or white sash around her waist.


For a noble's dress, switch out the white fabric for fabric that has a simple, repeating pattern in rust orange, gold, leaf green or Indian blue. Fish scale and lotus patterns look the most authentic. You may add gold ribbon to the hemlines of the dress. The sash should match the dress.


Men's Fashion


Purchase an oversized white t-shirt along with the white fabric remnant for a man's costume. Cut the sleeves off and cut out the neckline so it resembles a boat-necked shirt. Hem the armholes and neckline to prevent curling and fraying. Instruct him to put on the t-shirt and wrap the white fabric twice around his waist, cutting of the excess. This kilt should reach to his knees. Pin the kilt in place with safety pins and cover them with a sash. He can also wear the kilt without a shirt.


For a noble's costume, wrap the kilt so it reaches his ankles and use red, blue or gold fabric as a sash diagonally across his chest and as arm and wrist bands. For a warrior's costume, keep the kilt short, keep the shirt and add a rectangle of fish-scale-patterned blue cloth to the front and back of the sash, like a loin cloth. Cut rectangles of the same fabric large enough to cover his chest and lace them together with grommets and black cord at the shoulders and rib cage.