Cardigan, panama, wool, tuxedo and tights – all this has entered our lives so tightly that we do not even think about why they are called that. And in vain! Recently our fashion department decided to organize a fashion training program for editors and asked a few school questions from the Etymology department. Spoiler: everyone lost.
Apparently, no one would have guessed that everyone’s favorite sweatshirt was created thanks to Leo Tolstoy, and we would never have seen a separate swimsuit without Bikini Island. Surprised? That’s the whole arrangement.
That’s how the idea for our today’s material arose. We’ve rounded up eight things you’ve probably worn but don’t know about the history of their appearance.
Jumper
As we said before, the sweatshirt got its name thanks to the famous writer Leo Tolstoy. But how did it happen? He’s sitting in a hype hoodie in a gazebo and it’s unlikely he’s describing an oak tree. It was never like that. Despite his noble origin, Tolstoy often worked with peasants in the field and chose wide shirts for such a profession, and later everyone began to call them sweatshirts. The naming took root and was named the same way when bulky hoodies began to enter the domestic market.
ski mask
One of the trend hats of recent years is wool. Designers come up with new models every season, and street style heroes take them around with great pleasure. But did you know that this item might not have existed had it not been for the battle of Balaklava (a city in Crimea)? It seems that the British soldiers were so cold that they found a slit for the eyes and nose in the woolen socks.
Jumper
Yes, yes, not everything is so simple with a sweater either. This thing got its name from the English verb sweat – that is, to sweat. You will be surprised, but at the end of the 19th century, nutritionists in Europe recommended wearing a sweater as a special garment that stimulates sweating during exercise and helps to burn subcutaneous fat.
tuxedo
If you carefully read the name of this men’s wardrobe, you can easily guess its origin. At the end of the 19th century, balls and receptions were especially popular in secular society. However, smoking is only allowed in designated rooms. And so that the ladies would not feel the tobacco smell, the men changed their coats to the tuxedo jacket (cigarette jacket). Its peculiarity was the satin catch, from which it was very easy to shake off the fallen ashes.
Cardigan
The history of buttoned knitwear is also connected with the Crimean War. The head of the British cavalry brigade was General James Thomas Bradnell, then known as the Earl of Cardigan. It was he who ordered a new uniform for soldiers, the main element of which was a knitted jacket without a collar and buttons. The British loved this thing so much that they soon began to sew it in their city factory. Thank you Mr. Cardigan, we also liked your invention very much.
Bikini
At the beginning of the material, we mentioned that the two-piece swimsuit is named after the Coral island Bikini. The first such model was presented by Parisian designer Loir Reard in 1946. True, the product was not immediately accepted, but only after 10 years.
capri
Capri pants were especially popular in the 1950s. The first model was created by designer Sonia de Lennart and takes its name from the Italian island of Capri, where women usually wear trousers just below the knee. By the way, capris are considered the first trousers made specifically for women, and not for men.
Leggings
We conclude our fashionable training program with a story about the appearance of tights. It turns out that this word got into the Russian language by mistake. In the USSR, this indispensable piece of women’s wardrobe was brought from the Czechoslovak Republic and had the words “Punchokhove Kalgots” on each item. And that’s where the “difficulty of translation” appeared. Everyone agreed that “kalgots” are tights, but in fact this word is translated from Czech as “pants”. However, it got stuck and no one started to change anything.
Source: People Talk
Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
