8 Fascinating Details Regarding Men’s Fashion That Most People Are Not Known About
You might be sartorially inspired and often throw a winning outfit together. But when it comes to having in-depth knowledge on trends,, many men would fail to answer a few basic fashion-related questions.
Here we take a quick look at some interesting facts about men’s fashion that you probably didn’t know:
1. Polo Players Invented Button Down Collars
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Back in the day, polo players would have an arduous task to beat their opponent’s mallet, but doing so with a flapping collar would have been impossible. Hence, arrived button-down collars, in which the buttons were sewed onto the shirt to keep it in place during the game.
It was the Brook Brothers who came up with this idea and the rest, as they say, is history.
2. French Cuffs Weren’t Invented By The French
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French cuffs were never a part of the French culture, rather they were invented by the British.
The shirts would come with buttons along the sleeves that helped men fasten their cuffs at the length that they liked. This further made its way to Europe and became well-known as French cuffs.
3. Brogues Were Used To Drain Water
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While we considered the perforations to be a design element, the hole pattern on brogues was originally used to trudge through wet surfaces, as the holes in the shoes would let the water out.
They were mainly used as outdoor shoes as opposed to wearing them for work hours that we do in today’s time.
4. Pocket Squares
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Pocket squares are an accessory that turn heads instantly. Now, imagine it being used for blowing one’s nose.
That’s right. Back in the 14th century, it was used to dry hands or blowing your nose. Later on, tissues were invented to disrupt this practice and handkerchiefs were designed for various purposes.
That’s how pocket squares were made in finer cuts, and became a fashion accessory rather being used for cleaning purposes.
5. The Last Button Of A Suit Jacket
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You leave the last button of your jacket open but did you know why you do so?
Apparently, this dates back to the time period of Louis XIV. When he was getting ready for a grand ball, he couldn’t fit into the jacket he was supposed to wear as he was a little too hefty for it, and hence, he was unable to fasten the last button of the jacket.
He left it open and the other men in the room followed suit and that’s how this became a trend.
6. The Shirt Cuff Had A Purpose
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Back in time, once a suit was bought, it was difficult to replace it. That’s why the shirt cuffs would be left longer so that the cuff of the suit was prevented from fraying.
It was easier to fix the shirt rather than buy a whole new suit as it was an expensive affair.
7. The Mackintosh Coat Was Invented By A Chemist
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We also call it an outdoor rain jacket. The Mackintosh coat was first made in London.
The creator, from the Scottish Chemist called Charles Macintosh, designed a coat with two fabrics with an outer layer made of liquid rubber and this is how the waterproof jacket came into existence.
8. High Heels Were Worn By Men
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Long before women fell in love with the idea of high heels, the noblemen of the 16th century were the ones to slide into heels.
The heels were known for being a sign of status and wealth and it was worn by the French king Louis XIV.
