Accessories - The Essential Components of Fashion

Fashion Accessories

How Accessories Have Evolved Over Centuries


Fashion is not just about the clothes we wear. It is also about accessories and how we use them to add flavor to our outfit. In fact, accessories are as important as the clothes themselves when it comes to looking good. No matter what era you belong to, there will always be a need for accessories.

From turbans and hair clips in Medieval times to headbands and hair extensions in modern times, fashion accessories have evolved with time but remain as popular as ever. Read on to know more about the different types of fashion accessories that have been used by women throughout history.

Prehistory: Earrings and necklaces

Earrings and necklaces have been used as jewelry for thousands of years. In fact, the oldest earrings discovered were from Egypt and are dated back as far as 4000 BC. Studs and rings have been discovered from ancient Assyria, dated around 2000 BC. Egyptian women wore earrings as symbols of fertility and to induce lactation; as far back as 3000 BC; they were made of gold and other precious metals. Women in China wore earrings as far back as the Shang dynasty (1600-1100 BC). Ancient Chinese women wore earrings as far back as 4000 BC. They were made of bone, jade, and pearls. Ancient Middle Eastern and Asian women wore earrings as a sign of nobility and wealth.

Necklaces have been used as a form of jewelry since ancient times and Egyptian women wore them as far back as 2000 BC. The first necklaces were made of gold and beads. Ancient Chinese women wore necklaces as a mark of social status. Around the same time, women in the Middle East wore necklaces as a sign of fertility.

The Victorian Era: Hair accessories, corsets, and footwear

The Victorian era is marked with its extravagant use of accessories. Victorian women loved to accessorize their outfits with corsets, rings, hair accessories, earrings, handbags, and footwear. Corsets were a popular Victorian accessory. They were basically tight-fitting garments that women wore around the waist to give their outfit a classy look.

Victorian women also used hair accessories like ribbons, hairpins, and combs to tie up their hair. Earrings were very popular among Victorian women. In fact, they were one of the most common forms of jewelry used during that time. Some other types of jewelry that were popular among Victorian women were rings and brooches. Some Victorian women even used belts to give their outfit a classy look.

The Roaring Twenties: Accessories for flappers

The Roaring Twenties was a decade of experimentation and rule-breaking in fashion. Women who supported the feminist movement started wearing shorter skirts and dresses that revealed their legs. This was a huge change from what Victorian women used to wear.

The Roaring Twenties saw the rise of flappers, young women who defied all traditional norms and flaunted their youth and vitality through their clothes and lifestyle. Flappers were wild and fashionable – the only hair accessory that they wore was a head scarf. These scarves were very big, often covering their bobbed hair completely

Short skirts meant that women had to find a way to cover their legs. This is when accessories like garters, nylons, and stockings became popular. Women also started wearing undergarments that were specially designed for shorter garments.

Handbags became popular during the Roaring Twenties. This was also the decade when sunglasses were invented and started becoming popular among fashionable women.

Accessories for these young women included handbags, which were small and easy to carry, and long scarves that they could drape around their shoulders. The decade also saw the rise of jewelry such as brooches and earrings. Some women even wore a bracelet on their ankle.

The 1940s: Decade of glamour and glitz

During the 1940s, women had to live under strict clothing restrictions due to the war. The clothing rules were relaxed in the later part of the decade, and women were allowed to wear bright and flashy outfits.

Glittery accessories like shimmery makeup, shimmery fabrics, and jewelry were a common sight in the late1940s, after the War. Women wore turbans with ornate designs, headbands, and hair clips. They also wore ornate pins with their hair ornaments, and decorative chiffon scarves to accessorize their dresses. They wore silk stockings and garter belts. They also wore closed shoes with high heels.

The 1960s: Flower power and pop art

The 1960s were an era where flowers and psychedelic patterns were all the rage. Young women wore their hair in a bouffant style with a flower clip, and hair accessories were also common. A headband was worn by women to keep their hair out of their face when they were exercising or gardening. All kinds of accessories were in vogue during this decade, including necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Some women even wore rings on their toes!

Sandals with a high heel were the footwear of choice, and they were often worn with socks. Small handbags were all the rage in this decade, and women often decorated them with patches and pictures.

The 1980s: Punk rock and big hair

The 1980s was the era of punk rock and big hair. Women wore bandanas, headbands, and hair clips with their outfits. They also wore hair extensions, hairbands, and hair clips. They wore ribbons, decorative scarves, and headbands with their outfits. Women wore bandanas, hair clips, and hair extensions with their outfits. They also wore decorative scarves and headbands with their outfits.

2000-present: Contemporary fashion era

Modern women often wear decorative hairpins, hair clips, and headbands with their outfits. They wear chiffon scarves with their hair. They also wear decorative jewelry like necklaces and earrings.

The 21st century has seen a huge rise in the use of accessories. As fashion has become more global, the use of accessories has been democratized. Accessories are no longer just for the rich and famous – they are for everybody!

There has been a huge rise in the use of ethnic clothing and accessories in the 21st century. This is largely due to the growth of the internet, which has given people from around the world the ability to easily communicate with each other.