How About Ancient Egyptian Dress ?

The time of the Egyptian Pharaohs was perhaps one of the more intriguing periods of history. The sheer scale, size and precision of their buildings including the Pyramids and the Sphinx provide living evidence of their abilities and remain wonders of the world as we know it today. What makes this period of history so enthralling to all of us and not just the historians is the mystery surrounding their lives and their belief in an after-life which could only be reached by undertaking lavish preparations for the journey between the two worlds of live and death. The Eighteenth Dynasty, which spans the time period from 1550 until 1292 BC, is probably the most famous of all the dynasties of ancient Egypt. This is the age of the rule of Tutankhamen, as well as of Amenhotep IV and his wife Nefertiti. This is also the Dynasty of Hatshepsut, considered one of the most successful pharaohs and the longest reigning woman of an indigenous Egyptian dynasty.

In the Eighteenth Dynasty new dress styles appeared. Depictions of Nefertiti show her in a long, flowing, pleated linen drapery or wearing a long, tight dress under a pleated tunic with wide sleeves that came down to the elbow. A belt fastened below her breasts forms an Empire line, while a beaded collar hung at her neckline. No one interested in history can resist being captured by the spell of the Egyptian Pharaohs from the still to be discovered secrets of their culture their unbelievable wealth and sheer opulence of their clothing. And all of these points make an ancient Egyptian themed party the one to chose. As with all fancy dress costume themes there are outfits to suit all price ranges. Additionally, for those more able with a sewing kit, your local haberdashers should be able to find some sewing patterns for the theme along with the basic material and all of the luxurious trims. Remember for a Pharaoh or his queen, opulence is everything - they had it and they flaunted it!

For the rest of us, we're off to either our local costume store or we're going to settle down with our computer and search the internet. All good costume stores and internet retailer sites should have an entire section devoted to Egyptian themed costumes covering all age groups from children to adult and at various price points. Costumes offered should include Pharaohs and Nile Queens plus attendant hand maidens and other majestic styled robes. And as this was a time of the Gods, there should be a few fancy dress costumes for them as well. As with all fancy dress selecting the right costume accessories is the key to creating that stunning look we are all after. Ornate necklaces, earrings, bracelets to adorn the wrist plus golden serpents to entwine the arm should all be considered plus no Pharaoh could rule without his sceptre. The Syrian weavers imported sophisticated weaving techniques that led to better textile production. The tunic, a short sleeved nightshirt, could be worn over the schenti, while the robe was complicated in form and was made from of fabric twice as long as the wearer's height. It had a wide neckline, wide sleeves and the skirt was gathered at the waist. The robe is probably the most unusual Egyptian garment.