Some are really stylish!
A form of cloth headgear, a balaclava covers the entire head except for the eyes, mouth, and nose. Balaclavas can be worn as a snug fashion accessory, or as specialized apparel. For instance, this photograph shows Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton adjusting a fireproof balaclava before a race.
The balaclava is named for the town of Balaclava near Sevastopol, itself near Crimea. But why is this destination significant?
Denim as it is recognized today was first manufactured in the southern French city of Nimes, where it was known as serge de Nimes after the twilled wool used to produce the raw material. In time the description was shortened to "de Nimes." The fabric gained global appeal in 1873 when an American tailor from Nevada manufactured the first pair of rivet-reinforced denim pants, or jeans. But here's another question: where does the name "jeans" come from?
The answer is found in Italy. In the mid-1800s, Genovese tailors were producing pants from a twilled cloth called "fustian." French speakers called the Italian-made pants "Gênes fustian," Gênes being French for Genoa. In time the term became anglicized into the shorthand "jeans" —the word that eventually made it across the Atlantic.
The attire of choice for any self-respecting movie star at a celebrity get-together, and anybody else who wants to turn heads at a formal function, the tuxedo has a long and distinguished history.
The name tuxedo very likely dates back to the late 1800s and Tuxedo Park, an exclusive residential club located in New York. Entrance to high-society soirees meant conforming to a strict white-tie and tailcoat dress code. One day, however, somebody decided to break the rules.
Speculation suggests millionaire and local dandy James Brown Potter introduced the semi-formal dinner jacket sans swallow tail in 1886 after admiring the attire of King Edward VII during a visit to England. Other sources point to a gentleman by the name of Griswold Lorillard who imported the ink-black evening wear into the US. The apparel was quickly dubbed "tuxedo" and today it's quite common to see the look adopted by women, for example Cara Delevingne, seen here attending the 2018 wedding of Princess Eugenie of York and Jack Brooksbank at St George's Chapel in Windsor, England.
The famed Hermès Birkin Bag is one of the most sought-after celebrity fashion accessories in the world. It was created in the 1980s when Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas sketched a handbag design for Jane Birkin on the back of an airplane vomit bag. Really!
Jane Birkin was an English actress, singer, and model. Besides her prolific career in cinema, Birkin is celebrated for her high-profile musical and romantic partnership with French musician Serge Gainsbourg.
A Birkin bag can cost upwards of US$12,000, with some bespoke designs fetching an eye-watering $200,000. But that's pocket money to someone like Lady Gaga.
The argyle pattern has its origins in 17th-century Scotland, with the tartan print popularized by fearsome clansmen who wore it into battle. These days the familiar diamond and lozenge design is a much-flaunted style, and a favorite with the likes of former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham.
The argyle pattern draws inspiration from the 17th-century Scottish statesman Archibald Campbell, Earl and Marquis of Argyll. The chief of Clan Campbell, he was effectively the ruler of Scotland during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms between 1639 and 1651.
In the 1940s, clothing company Pringle of Scotland popularized the Argyle Campbell colors and developed the iconic diamond and lozenge design. Argyle apparel quickly became popular with royalty. It was also favored by golfers, both for jerseys and the socks needed for the plus-fours trouser fashion of the day.
The tucked-in necktie known as the ascot reached its height of popularity in the mid-20th century, when it was sported by celebrities like Errol Flynn who wished to exude a dashing and gentleman-like character. Traditionally made of patterned silk, the ascot evolved in the 19th century from the cravat. But where does the name ascot come from?
The prestigious Royal Ascot horse race meeting in England gave the ascot its identity. Ascot itself is the name of the town that hosts the annual sporting festival.
Longer than shorts but not as long as trousers, capris are mid-calf pants that were popularized by the likes of Audrey Hepburn in the late 1950s.
Capri pants were introduced by fashion designer Sonja de Lennart in 1948. She named them for the Italian island of Capri, where fashion-conscious women were already way ahead of the curve by wearing snug-fit short slacks, even for shopping expeditions.
Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, and Brigitte Bardot blazed a fashion trail in Capri pants, and today style-conscious celebs like Jennifer Lopez are often seen in a pair of designer three-quarter-length pants.
A knitted item of clothing generally made of wool or cotton, the jersey is worn as a pullover. An iconic cold weather garment, the jersey often finds its way into autumn-winter fashion shows. Even back in the 1960s high-profile celebs, Mick Jagger included, happily modeled the latest designs.
The item is named after the knit fabric manufactured on Jersey in the Channel Islands, located off the Normandy coast. They've been making super warm knitted apparel here since medieval times, and the material is world famous. Pictured is Jersey's Gorey Castle, one of the destination's top tourist attractions.
Stretchy and lightweight, jersey is warm and figure-hugging, and an excellent fabric for draped garments, such as dresses, and women's tops. Just ask Miley Cyrus.
French trapeze artist Jules Léotard invented the one-piece gym wear in the late-1800s. Allowing for superior freedom of movement, the garment was streamlined to suit the safety and agility concerns of trapeze performance.
Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis both donned muscle-hugging leotards for the film 'Trapeze' (1956). Gina Lollobrigida was spoiled for choice!
The skin-tight unisex garment known as the leotard is often worn by acrobats, gymnasts, dancers, figure skaters, athletes, and wrestlers, among others. Pictured is ballerina Amanda Derhy wearing a Mariia Dancewear blue leotard for a photo shoot at the Louvre in Paris. And, indeed, it's a French citizen we can thank for creating the leotard.
The cardigan is named after James Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan, who led the aforementioned Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimea War apparently dressed in a collarless, waist-length, wool jacket, later named the cardigan.
Open at the front and loose fitting, the cardigan is typical everyman attire, casual and unassuming. Which is probably why a guy like Kurt Cobain was often seen wearing one. But did you know that the cardigan was once used as a garment in battle?
The bikini remains as popular today as it's ever been, though some designs are little more than g-strings.
"Bombshell" was a common expression used to described an especially attractive woman. Heim christened his two-piece "atome" after the atomic bomb tests of the period. But when the United States detonated an atomic bomb at Bikini Atoll in Micronesia, Réard seized the initiative and called his design "le bikini."
Wearing a bikini in the early 20th century was strictly taboo, even though 4th-century Roman mosaics have been unearthed featuring women attired in separate tops and bottoms. The modern two-piece swimsuit debuted in 1946 not once but twice, with fashion designer Jacques Heim claiming that he was the first to launch it, only to be challenged by mechanical engineer Louis Réard, who reckoned the credit was all his. By the early 1950s, the revolutionary two-piece was gracing the forms of film stars such as Brigitte Bardot. But why is it called a bikini?
In the 1920s, Coco Chanel designed her own iconic version of the cardigan as an answer to the jersey, which ruffled up women's hair every time it was pulled over to wear.
Sources: (Online Etymology Dictionary) (Ancient World Magazine) (Met Museum) (Elle) (BBC) (Baghunter) (Hermes) (History) (Wall Street Journal) (Britain Magazine) (Raked) (RTE)
The Battle of Balaclava was fought on October 25, 1854. In an effort to stay warm, British and Turkish troops wore knitted headgear similar in design to the modern balaclava, and the name stuck. The battle is associated with one of the most famous and ill-fated events in British military history—the disastrous Charge of the Light Brigade.
Ever wondered why the bikini is so named? What about the ascot and cardigan? Or the tuxedo? Honestly, you'll be surprised at just how many items of clothing owe their names to people and places.
Click through and find out the origins of some of the most popular apparel ever manufactured.
Iconic fashion apparel named for people and places
What are you wearing, who made it, and where does it come from?
FASHION Apparel
Ever wondered why the bikini is so named? What about the ascot and cardigan? Or the tuxedo? Honestly, you'll be surprised at just how many items of clothing owe their names to people and places.
Click through and find out the origins of some of the most popular apparel ever manufactured.