Fashion

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In pictures: 16th-century fashionistas

19th-century men in traditional dress, Marken Island, Netherlands.

General ancient history

Q&A When were trousers first worn?

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Sexy shoes: 5 things our footwear has said about us through history

A vintage postcard featuring a fashionable young woman published in London during the First World War, c1914. (Photo by Popperfoto/Getty Images)

First World War

15 things you didn’t know about fashion in the First World War

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Revealed: the secrets of the Tudor cross-dressers

The then Princess Alexandra pictured here in 1884 wearing the high-necked, feminised version of the male suit that became associated with her. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Who’s the best-dressed Briton in history?

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Ancient Egyptians ‘made outer space jewellery’

‘Portrait of a Lady’ by Netherlandish painter Rogier van der Weyden, c1460. From the collection of the National Gallery, London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Art Media/Print Collector/Getty Images)

Medieval underwear: bras, pants and lingerie in the Middle Ages

An aquatint shows barbers at work, with varying degrees of success. (Wellcome Collection)

At the edge of reason: shaving and razors in 18th-century Britain