In the twentieth century, advertisements for a new type of garment for preteen girls sought to define the femininity they sold.

In the 18th century a new trend in women's underwear sparked public scandal: the hoop petticoat. How the world became obsessed with what was under women’s skirts.

A money belt with a zipper became an instant success among WWI U.S. sailors, whose uniforms did not have pockets. Almost all initial zipper sales were for the money belts.

Kelp, yeast, and sequestered methane gas are on the forefront of the move to create environmentally friendly clothing.

The kimono that the world associates with Japan was actually created in the late-nineteenth century as a cultural identifier.

Are you wearing seaweed? People have been for hundreds of years, in sizing, patterns and fibers, although they might not have known it.

In colonial New England, moral quandaries were everywhere. A surprisingly big one in the 17th and 18th century was whether it was okay to wear a wig.

To shave or not to shave? At the start of the twentieth century, a trend away from facial hair reflected dramatic social and economic shifts.

According to the Association of Retail Professionals, about 16 to 18 percent of Americans shop at thrift stores in any given year.

The history of the wedding dress is shorter than the history of weddings, and even shorter still than the history of marriage.

Today, economists tend to see anything that boosts consumption and production as a good thing. But that was decidedly not the case in earlier centuries.

India led the fashion world in the 16th and 17th centuries through cotton fabric, design motifs, and its customer-centric market system.

In August Pantone honored late singer/songwriter Prince with a new shade of purple called Purple Rain. Why is the color purple considered to be so special?