Body Fashions

Fashion isn't all about apparel. The way you care for and present your body, as well as the decorative touches that you add to it, are just as much a part of your fashion sense as the clothes you choose to wear. With strong ties to culture and evolving significantly over time, body fashions are an important part of fashion history.

Body Appearance Choices

Improve your knowledge of fashion history by taking the time to learn about various types of body fashions that impact overall style and appearance.

• Piercing: Body piercing is one of the most popular forms of individual expression, from piercings for earrings to other body parts like the nose and belly button.
• Hair: Hairstyles are a defining characteristic of many periods and cultures, including the hairdressers and barbers who create them to the accessories that add finishing touches.
• Facial hair: Beards and mustaches have played an important role in physical standards for men throughout history, signifying both fashion preferences and cultural identity.
• Makeup: Wearing makeup can be a way to enhance your appearance in a temporary way, changing to suit various occasions in everyday life or for theatrical purposes.
• Physical fitness: Caring for one's body is an important aspect of fashion, as evidenced by the emphasis placed on body building and sculpting efforts throughout history and in the modern era.
• Body art: Modifying the body with tattoos, branding or scarification can be a form of self-expression or identification with a particular group or system of beliefs.

Personal Choice

For some, choosing nudism would be unheard of, while to others this option is a natural choice that represents freedom of expression. Even the hairstyle you choose can signify meaning. For example, an Afro hairstyle can be a fashion preference or it can be a political statement representing the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s.

Body fashions are a personal choice, though factors such as current fashion trends, societal norms and culture play a significant role in the decisions people make. From the way you wear your hair to the way you adorn your body, the choices you make impact the face you present to the world.

Historical Perspective

When you want to learn more about this element of fashion history, let LoveToKnow Fashion History be your go-to resource. Whether you're wondering about the origin of a particular type of body adornment or if you're seeking information about the cultural significance of a particular look, you're sure to find helpful information.