If you’re a dedicated fashionista, you probably think that you know the A–Z of fashion. The fashion industry, however, has a longstanding history and has changed, evolved and reinvented itself countless times over past eras and centuries. There are some long-forgotten gems, some fascinating tidbits and astounding facts that you probably have never heard of! Here are 30 fun, interesting and quite surprising fashion fact: 1. The simple, yet elegant and highly versatile little black dress is attributed to Coco Chanel. 2. Neckties were first used in Croatia, hence the name “cravat” derived from the à la croate. 3. Buttons were not attached to jacket sleeves for decorative purposes at one point in history. Napoleon Bonaparte had buttons sewn on jackets to prevent soldiers from wiping their noses on their sleeves. 4. Fashion magazine Vogue published its first issue on December 17, 1892. 5. The skirt is the second oldest item of women’s clothing in history, outdated only by the loincloth. 6. Women’s fashion changed with the invention of cars, where skirts in the 1900s were made shorter to allow women to step into automobiles with more ease. 7. Lacoste’s crocodile logo was the first brand name and logo to appear on a garment. 8. The word ‘jeans’ comes from the cotton pants worn by the “Genes”, the local term for Genoan sailors. 9. T-shirts are one of the most popular clothing items, with more than 2 billion of them sold each year. 10. The first fashion magazine was published in Germany in 1586. 11. The most common clothing materials are linen, cotton, polyester, and rayon. 12. Major international fashion weeks always take place in the following order: New York, London, Milan, and finally, Paris. 13. The launch of Coco Chanel’s infamous and timeless fragrance Chanel No. 5 marked the beginning of the modern era of perfume. 14. Pregnancy was highly fashionable in the 15th century. Women who were not expecting stuffed pillows under their dresses to create the baby bump look. 15. New York socialite Mary Phelps invented the first bra in 1914. She created it out of handkerchiefs. 16. Coco Chanel launched the first designer suit in 1923. 17. Fish scales are one of the key ingredients in manufacturing lipstick. 18. Before becoming highly publicized and popular events that attract the rich and famous, Fashion Weeks were only trade events meant to bring together manufacturers and buyers. 19. Jewelry was first worn by men. Popular amongst kings and royals, they were a symbol of status and victory in battle. 20. One bale of cotton is enough to make 215 pairs of jeans. 21. Social rank and profession in medieval times were represented by clothing color. Nobility wore red, peasants wore brown and gray, and merchants, bankers, and gentry wore green. 22. Standard women’s clothing is designed to fit women between 162cm and 172cm tall. 23. A collector of shoes is called a Sneakerhead. 24. Sandals are the earliest known shoes, dating back to roughly 7,000 B.C. 25. Do you know the difference between retro and vintage? Vintage clothing refers to clothing made between 20 and 100 years ago. Retro refers to clothing that is recently made but was designed to resemble the style of another period. 26. Low-waist baggy pants originated in the prisons of Los Angeles as inmates were not allowed to wear belts. 27. Children didn’t have their own distinct clothing 200 years ago, instead, they wore small-size adult clothes. 28. Hollywood producer D.W. Griffith invented false eyelashes in 1916 when he wanted to enhance one of his actress’s eyes for a film; those eyelashes were made out of human hair. 29. Designers used little dolls instead of human models in 15th century to showcase their creations to clients. 30. Before World War II, it was not acceptable for women to wear shorts in public.
