# Who Invented Clothes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 9, 2001, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-clothes/53746 "2001-02-09T04:52:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Charnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Charnick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charnick)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-clothes/53746/1 "2001-02-09T04:52:19Z")
At some point in time someone decided that we humans can’t walk around naked. So who invented the concept of having to put on clothes to cover up? And just who decided that it’s O.K. to see a bare male chest all over the place, but a woman’s bare chest is something more sacred to be covered up? I’ve always been curious, but maybe I’m just horny. 🙂 Jason Charnick Los Angeles, CA ---
**Author:** ![King\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7bcc69/32.png) [@King\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-clothes/53746/2 "2001-02-09T05:12:00Z")
A fascinating subject that can’t be answered in a single post, at least I can’t. Try this link for starters: [http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/9/0,5716,108949+1+106185,00.html?query=dress](http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/9/0,5716,108949+1+106185,00.html?query=dress) ---
**Author:** ![King\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7bcc69/32.png) [@King\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-clothes/53746/3 "2001-02-09T05:19:52Z")
[http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/9/0,5716,108949+1+106185,00.html?query=dress](http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/9/0,5716,108949+1+106185,00.html?query=dress) Fixed the link. Sorry. From my 1959 Encyclopaedia Britannica: Modesty is not innate in man, and its conventional nature is easily seen from a consideration of the different ideas held by different cultures on this subject. ---
**Author:** ![sethdallob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@sethdallob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sethdallob)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-clothes/53746/4 "2001-02-09T05:55:52Z")
[complete hijack]Hi Charnick, welcome! Since you don’t have an email entered, this was the only was to reach you. Check out this link – we’re having a little LA get-together soon! Hope you can come! [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=58361](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=58361) [/complete hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-clothes/53746/5 "2001-02-09T07:25:07Z")
“Winter teaches a naked woman how to knit.” [sup]OLD DANISH SAYING[/sup] ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-clothes/53746/6 "2001-02-09T07:34:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Charnick \* > \*\*At some point in time someone decided that we humans can’t walk around naked. So who invented the concept of having to put on clothes to cover up? And just who decided that it’s O.K. to see a bare male chest all over the place, but a woman’s bare chest is something more sacred to be covered up? I’ve always been curious, but maybe I’m just horny. 🙂 > > Jason Charnick > Los Angeles, CA \*\* Somone probably invented clothes to protect them from the environment. Sharp needles on plants, landscapes might have been tough on the feet, the blistering sun, or the freezing cold. Scratch that…the first clothes were probably ornamental or possibly sacred. Marc ---
**Author:** ![King\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7bcc69/32.png) [@King\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-clothes/53746/7 "2001-02-09T08:28:56Z")
**MGibson** has it right. From the link (The nature and purposes of dress section): Perhaps the most obvious function of dress is to provide warmth and protection. Many scholars believe, however, that the first crude garments and ornaments worn by humans were designed not for utilitarian but for religious or ritual purposes. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2001, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-invented-clothes/53746/8 "2001-02-09T14:07:32Z")
I can’t believe nobody has posted this yet: > [@](#): > > _Genesis 3:7_ > And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.