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As Mesopotamia flourished along the Tigris and Euphrates, another great civilization was rising along the Nile: ancient Egypt. Here too, fashion was far more than mere clothing — it was a language of status, spirituality, and power, expressed in uniquely elegant ways.
Ancient Egypt: A Brief History
For almost 3,000 years, from around 3100 B.C. until Alexander the Great’s conquest in 332 B.C., Ancient Egypt was one of the most powerful and advanced civilizations in the Mediterranean. Egypt’s rich culture is known for its pyramids, hieroglyphs, and incredible art and architecture. This ancient civilization left behind countless monuments and artifacts that tell the story of its people and traditions.
Egypt’s history is divided into different periods, from the Old Kingdom (known for pyramid building) to the Middle Kingdom (a time of prosperity) and the New Kingdom (Egypt’s golden age of empire). Throughout these times, Egypt’s rulers, known as pharaohs, were seen as gods on Earth, and their power shaped Egyptian society. The Nile River was the lifeblood of the civilization, providing fertile soil for farming, which supported Egypt’s economy and allowed its culture to flourish.
But beyond pyramids and temples, the people of Egypt expressed themselves through fashion. Their clothing wasn’t just practical—it reflected their status, beliefs, and style.
Egyptian Clothing
The most important piece of clothing for men in Ancient Egypt was the schenti — a simple, skirt-like white cloth wrapped around the waist. Every man wore a schenti, from farmers and laborers to pharaohs.
The difference? Higher-ranking men starched and pleated theirs, making it project at the front — a possible symbol of power and masculinity.
This echoes a recurring theme in fashion: the interplay between sexuality and false advertising.
Starched Schenti | Ramesses III followed by prince Khaemwaset in his tomb | Ancient Egyptian Painter
In the Old Kingdom, schentis were usually plain and functional. By the Middle and especially the New Kingdom periods, they became more elaborate, with more complex pleats and higher quality linen.
Women in Ancient Egypt often wore very little clothing in earlier periods, as nudity wasn’t taboo in their culture. When dressed, they wore beautiful, pleated dresses known as kalasiris, which were lightweight, sometimes sheer, and draped elegantly. In the Old and Middle Kingdoms, these dresses were simpler, typically held up by straps and falling straight down. By the New Kingdom, women’s dresses became more decorative, using finer linen with detailed pleating and sometimes worn with beaded net dresses layered on top to show wealth and style.
Wealthier women could afford these extra layers and decorative additions, showcasing both style and status.
Most clothing was made from linen, valued for being light and cool in Egypt’s hot climate. While most garments remained undyed and white — a color symbolizing purity and sacredness — wealthier Egyptians sometimes wore pieces with colored borders or delicate dyeing, emphasizing their higher status.
Most Egyptians went barefoot in daily life, even among the upper classes. Sandals made from papyrus or leather were usually reserved for special occasions, religious ceremonies, or for the wealthiest individuals. In art, sandals sometimes appear as a sign of status rather than everyday wear.
Fashion in Egypt didn’t change drastically over millennia, but subtle shifts — like increasingly elaborate pleating, more transparent linen, and occasional use of color or decorative borders — marked changes in taste and outside influence. Even with simple designs, Egyptian clothing was always a clear marker of status, personal style, and cultural identity.
During the Second Intermediate Period, Egypt was ruled by the Hyksos, a group from Western Asia. Their presence, along with later contact with Near Eastern cultures, introduced new decorative motifs and slightly influenced materials and styles — proof that even in the ancient world, fashion was never completely isolated.
Headdresses and Crowns: Symbols of Power
When you think of Ancient Egypt, you probably picture its famous headdresses and crowns. One of the most iconic is the nemes headdress — a striped, starched cloth worn by pharaohs to symbolize royalty and divine authority.
Another important crown was the blue crown, or khepresh, often called the “war crown.” In Egyptian art, this headpiece usually indicates a pharaoh’s military prowess or association with victorious campaigns.
IMG: Khepresh | حسني بن بارك
Egyptians also wore stunning jewelry. The usekh (or wesekh) collar was a large, beaded necklace that draped gracefully over the shoulders. Egyptians loved gold, and their jewelry included pendants, rings, bracelets, and necklaces shaped like animals such as bees, snakes, and falcons. While many pieces had spiritual or protective meanings, much of this jewelry was also worn simply for its beauty — just like today!
King Tut’s famous burial mask was made with over 22 pounds (about 10 kilograms) of solid gold and inlaid with lapis lazuli, carnelian, turquoise, and glass.
The striped nemes headdress on the mask is one of the most iconic symbols of Egyptian power — proof that even in the afterlife, style was everything!
Makeup and Beauty
Both men and women in Egypt loved to wear makeup. They mixed minerals with water or oil to create vivid colors that lasted all day. Egyptians especially loved eye makeup: they used black kohl (made from galena) and green pigments (from malachite) to line their eyes. These striking lines helped protect their eyes from the harsh sun and reduce glare — practical and stylish!
Ancient Egyptians also had makeup kits filled with small bottles, jars, and applicator sticks. These tools were used to apply different pigments to their faces. Wearing makeup wasn’t just about beauty — it was also believed to protect them from evil spirits and bring spiritual benefits.
Hair and Wigs
In Ancient Egypt, shaving was a common practice for both men and women. People shaved their heads and bodies because it was considered clean, hygienic, and helped prevent lice in the hot climate. But they didn’t stay bald all the time — they wore wigs!
Wigs were usually made from human hair, sometimes supplemented with plant fibers or animal hair, and could be decorated with beads, gold ornaments, or ribbons. Wealthy Egyptians even hired professional hairdressers to craft and style their elaborate wigs.
While elite women almost always wore wigs in public, many ordinary women preferred simpler hairstyles or went without wigs, especially during the hottest months.
Beards: Real and Fake
Some important men grew small, wispy beards on their chins, which they sometimes dyed red with henna. However, most of the impressive beards you see in Egyptian art — especially on pharaohs and high officials — were actually fake!
These ceremonial false beards were often crafted from gold or other metals and tied to the face using ribbons or leather straps. In Egyptian symbolism, beards represented wisdom and divine power. Their shape could indicate different statuses or roles: straight beards for living pharaohs, and curved beards for gods or deified rulers.
Some royal statues had detachable beards, allowing for ritual changes or to represent different states of being.
Nefertiti: The Style Icon
One of the most famous figures from Ancient Egypt is Queen Nefertiti, who lived during the New Kingdom (around 1350 B.C.).
Her name means “the beautiful one has come,” a fitting tribute to her incredible beauty and political influence she had as the wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten.
Nefertiti’s allure is heightened by mystery — she seemed to disappear from historical records without a trace. Her painted limestone bust, discovered in 1912 but publicly revealed in 1923, had an immediate impact and is still one of the most iconic images in the world.
She was known for her elaborate headdresses and bold black eyeliner, which continues to inspire beauty trends even today. Her style wasn’t just about looking beautiful; it was a powerful way to express authority and divine connection.
The reveal of her bust, alongside the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, sparked a worldwide fascination known as Egyptomania, which swept through fashion, art, and design during the Art Deco era.
Fashion That Stood the Test of Time
In Ancient Egypt, clothing and fashion were more than just practical — they were a way to express status, identity, and the beliefs of a unified kingdom. From simple schenti skirts to elaborate beaded dresses and shimmering gold jewelry, Egyptian fashion reflected a deep appreciation for beauty and style.
This influence still echoes today. From scarab-inspired jewelry to flowing, draped dresses and exotic embroidery, modern designers continue to borrow from Egyptian shapes and symbols. Deep, dramatic headbands, the love of Nile-inspired greens and blues, and even the mummy wrap dresses that made waves in the early 2000s all trace back to Egyptian aesthetics. In the 1920s, flappers embraced dark bobbed hair, red lips, and heavily outlined eyes — a clear nod to Egyptian beauty ideals seen in ancient tomb paintings and on iconic figures like Nefertiti.
Whether it was a pharaoh’s nemes crown, a noblewoman’s kalasiris dress, or a farmer’s plain schenti, fashion in Ancient Egypt always told a story. It showed the world who you were and how you wanted to be seen — something we still do today!
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