In the earliest times a man clothed himself with what lay nearest to his hand. In the cold countries the first garments were skins of animals. They were followed by fabrics of felted goats hair and sheep's wool. In the warm countries the first garment consisted of plaited grass, which later was fallowed by a cloth made of cotton or linen which was worn hanging from the hip to the knees.
The earliest garments made from woven fabrics were just length of material draped and fastened upon the shoulder with a clasp.
The introduction of the seam was a great progress. By means of the seam the shape of the garment could be brought nearer to the outline of the body, thus removing folds of excess material which would restrict movements.
The earliest garments made to follow the contours of the body were sleeveless. The sleeve as a separate part of the dress appeared later, produced probably by a necessity of protecting the arms while leaving them free for movement. The kimono of the East is possibly a survival of the time when the idea of the sleeve was being formed.
As time went on the dress or costume of each country assumed different forms, lines and colourings. The habit of travel and the interchange of commodities between adjacent peoples gave them better supply of material and also brought some features of the former remained.
According to the purposes different types of clothes were intended for holiday clothes, working clothes, bridal garments, weeds, young girls dresses and those of married and old women, clothes for children.
Studying history of the costume through the ages we see how clothing developed with the progress of technique and notice different styles being introduced into clothing, for costume had to meet various requirements put forward by people of different epochs.
Words and word combinations:
| felt - войлок, felted - сваляный fasten - закреплять seam - шов weave (wove, woven) - ткать fabric - ткань cloth - ткань length of material - кусокматериала to drape - драпироваться outline - контур, силуэт fold - складка sleeve - рукав | sleeveless - безрукавный part of dress - детальплатья costume - костюм colouring - расцветка excess of material - излишекматериала cut - покрой features - черты, особенности holiday clothes - праздничнаявыходнаяодежда working clothes - рабочаяодежда bridal garments - свадебныйнаряд weeds - траурнаяодежда |
| Remember the following expressions: by means of - посредством to go on - продолжать, зд, протекать to put forward - выдвигать to meet requirements - удовлетворятьтребованиям to be intended for - предназначаться to be followed by - сопровождаться | Remember the words cloth - ткань, скатерть cloth - одевать clothes - одежда, платье, белье clothing - одежда, платье clothing manufacture - швейноепроизводство |
| Synonyms various - different the former - the first cloth - fabric style - fashion to remain - to stay | Pay attention to suffixes of a verb, a noun and adjective: simple a. - простой simplify v. - упрощать simplicity n. - простота vary v. - различаться various a. - различный variety n. - разнообразие |
| Remember: long a. - длинный length n. - длина, кусок strong a. - прочный strength n. - прочность, крепость |
Answer the following questions:
- What were the first garments in the cold countries?
- What was the first garment in the warm countries?
- Had the earliest garments made from woven fabrics any seams?
- Why was the introduction of a seam a great progress?
- Why did the sleeve appear at a later period as a separate part of a dress?
- What helped to bring change into the shape and cut of peoples clothing?
- Did people of different social standing wear the same kind of costume?
8. What tendency do we see in modern costume?
Make up questions to the following sentences:
- Costume has always represented the social standing of the wearer. (What... When... Whose...)
- People of different epochs put forward various requirements that costume had to meet.
(Who... What... What requirements...)
TranslateintoEnglish:
- Разнообразные формы одежды появились в связи с различными целями, для которых они предназначались.
- С прогрессом техники появился иной вид одежды, чем тот,
который существовал ранее.
3. Современная одежда должна быть удобной, практичной и иметь
художественные достоинства.