Clothing in ancient Egypt

Ancient Egyptian clothing includes the garments, jewelry, footwear, and wigs worn by people in Egypt from the end of the Neolithic period (before 3100 BC) until the Ptolemaic Kingdom ended in 30 BC. How people dressed changed only a little over many years, but sometimes new styles came from other lands.

The clothing of men and women of several social levels of ancient Egypt are depicted in this tomb mural from the Eighteenth Dynasty (15th century BC).

One of the most famous parts of ancient Egyptian clothing was the white linen kilts that many men wore. Women often had sheath dresses, and both men and women wore bag-tunics and mantles. People also liked to wear usekh collars, special necklaces, and sandals on their feet. Wigs were very popular too, especially for women and for people in important jobs.

These clothes help us understand daily life and culture in ancient Egypt. By looking at what people wore, we can learn about their jobs, their social status, and how they stayed cool in a very hot climate.

Materials

In ancient Egypt, people mostly wore linen made from the flax plant. Linen helped keep people cool in the hot weather. Other materials like wool, hemp, grass, and reed were used less often. Many people, especially poor people, sometimes had no clothes, but most wore a shenti made of linen.

Sample of ancient Egyptian linen from Saqqara, dating to 390-343 BC (Late Period)

Special head coverings included the khat, worn by important men, and the nemes, which was only for kings.

Deities

Ancient Egypt had special gods and goddesses who were linked to making clothes and weaving. The main god was Hedjhotep, and the main goddess was Tayt. People believed they watched over those who made and wore clothes.

Pharaohs

Pectoral of Ramesses II.

Main article: Regalia of the Pharaoh

Pharaohs wore special clothes to show they were important leaders. They often wore a khat, nemes, and different crowns of the pharaohs. Sometimes, they wore animal skins like leopard or lion skins to show their role.

Men

From around 2130 BC during the Old Kingdom, men’s clothes were simple. They wore wrap-around skirts tied at the waist. Everyone wore similar styles, but richer people had better-made clothes.

Later, during the Middle Kingdom, men’s fashion changed a bit. Skirts started to have pleats, and rich men began wearing a special triangular apron over their basic clothing.

By the time of the New Kingdom, men’s clothes became even more fancy. Richer men wore blouses with pleated sleeves and skirts with special fabrics.

Women

Ancient Egyptian women wore a simple dress called a kalasiris. The dress covered the breasts in statues, but sometimes showed one breast in paintings. The length of the dress showed a woman's social class, with longer dresses for higher status. Women could add shawls, capes, or robes for extra style.

The dresses were made from linen and often had decorations like beading or feathers. Some dresses were baggy and made from a tube of material sewn up one side. Linen was a common material because it hugged the body without sagging.

Children

In ancient Egypt, children did not wear clothes until they were six years old. After that, they started wearing clothes because the weather was hot and dry. Kids often had a special hairstyle called the side-lock. This was a long piece of hair on the right side of their head. Even without many clothes, children wore jewelry like anklets, bracelets, collars, and hair accessories.

Wigs

Merit's wig from the tomb of Kha and Merit, 14th century BCE

Wigs were popular with rich men and women. They were made from real hair and sometimes mixed with fibers from date palms. The wigs were styled in tight curls or thin braids. On special days, people would put cones made of scented fat on top of their wigs. As the cones melted, they gave off a nice smell and helped keep the hair soft.

Jewelry

Pectoral of Senusret II, Metropolitan Museum of Art

People in ancient Egypt liked wearing jewelry a lot. Jewelry was often big and helped make their white clothes more colorful. Egyptians loved bright colors and shiny stones. They used gold from the eastern desert and places like Nubia. Silver was rarer and came from far away, so it was very special.

Ancient Egyptian cosmetic set from c. 1550–1458 BC, featuring, from left to right, a kohl tube, a razor, a pair of tweezers, a whetstone, and a mirror

They used colorful stones like carnelian, amethyst, and jasper from the eastern desert, and turquoise from the Sinai. Some jewelry was made from glass and a special material called faiences, which looked like stones but could be made in many colors.

Both men and women wore earrings, bracelets, rings, and necklaces. Some people made jewelry from colored pottery beads if they could not afford gold or stones. A special piece of jewelry called the gorgerine was made of metal discs worn on the chest.

Cosmetics

Main article: Beauty and cosmetics in ancient Egypt

People in ancient Egypt liked to use makeup and perfumes. They made special paints for their nails and hands using a plant called henna. They used a black substance called kohl around their eyes, made from a mineral called galena. They also made eye shadow from crushed malachite and red paint for their lips from ochre. These paints were mixed with animal fat to keep them fresh. Both men and women used these paints to look their best.

Footwear

Footwear was the same for both men and women. It included sandals made from leather or, for priests, from papyrus. Egyptians often went barefoot, so they wore sandals during special events or when they needed protection for their feet.

New Kingdom of Egypt

During this time, women's clothes became more fancy. Both men and women often shaved their heads to stay clean. They wore wigs to keep their heads protected and for special events.