In the realm of fashion, we often label clothing as “for men” or “for women” in a gender-specific manner, but history tells a more complex story. Several items we now consider women’s clothing were deeply influenced by men’s fashion needs in earlier eras.
Take high heels, for example. These shoes were initially worn by Persian cavalry in the Middle Ages to secure their feet in stirrups while riding a horse. European high society took notice centuries later, and the trend of men wearing high heels in order to look taller and more impressive reached its peak under French King Louis XIV. He even made high heels exclusive to the nobility, turning them into a symbol of status and power.
Then there are stockings, once a must-have for European gentlemen. After the knitting machine was invented in 1589, silk stockings became readily accessible to upper-class men keen to conceal leg hair, which was a social norm at the time. Louis XIV likewise embraced these products with enthusiasm, initiating a fashion wave that soon crossed gender boundaries.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia commons 照片：Wikimedia commons 提供
Wigs, too, have a masculine past. Although the use of wigs can be traced back to much earlier times, it was King Louis XIII of France who made wearing wigs popular. When the king faced premature hair loss in his 20s, he began wearing elaborate wigs to conceal it. This personal solution quickly became another status symbol among European noblemen.
This historical journey through fashion illustrates how gender associations with clothing items can shift. Next time you consider fashion’s gender rules, bear in mind that they’re more like suggestions, subject to change and reinterpretation over time.
在時尚領域，我們常常以針對特定性別的方式將服裝冠上「男裝」或「女裝」的標籤，但歷史卻講述了一個更為複雜的故事。幾種我們現在認為是女性服裝的服裝品項在更早的時代是深受男性時尚需求影響的。
以高跟鞋為例。這種鞋最初是中世紀波斯騎兵騎馬時在穿的，用來將腳固定在馬鞍上。幾個世紀後，歐洲上流社會注意到了這一點，在法國國王路易十四統治時期，男士為了看上去更加高大和令人印象更加深刻而穿著高跟鞋的趨勢達到了巔峰。他甚至使高跟鞋成為貴族專屬，將其變成地位和權力的象徵。
還有絲襪，絲襪曾經是歐洲紳士的必備品。在西元1589年發明編織機之後，絲質長襪對於熱衷於掩蓋腿毛的上流社會男士而言就變得容易取得了，而掩蓋腿毛在當時是一種社會規範。路易十四同樣熱情地欣然接納這些產品，掀起了一股很快就跨越性別界限的時尚浪潮。
假髮也有一段與男性相關的歷史。雖然假髮的使用可以追溯到更早的時期，但是讓戴假髮這件事真正流行起來的是法國國王路易十三。當國王在20多歲就面臨著頭髮過早脫落的問題時，他開始戴起了精美的假髮來掩飾。這個針對國王個人的解決方案很快就成為了歐洲貴族成員間的又一種地位象徵。
這趟穿越時尚歷史的旅程說明了服裝品項與性別的關聯可以如何轉變。下次你考慮時尚的性別規則時，請記住它們更像是建議，可能會隨著時間推移而出現變化和重新詮釋。
MORE INFORMATION
gendered adj. 性別化的；具有性別差異的
Persian adj. 波斯（人）的
cavalry n. 騎兵
stirrup n. 馬鐙
high society 上流社會；上等階級
the nobility 貴族
norm n. 規範；常態
initiate vt. 使開始；發起
nobleman n. 貴族（成員）
(be) subject to 容易遭受……
KEY VOCABULARY
1. realm n. 領域；王國
With hard work, achieving your dreams is within the realm of possibility.
透過努力，實現你的夢想就會在可能的範疇之內。
2. secure v. 使牢靠；使安全；設法獲得
Make sure to secure doors and windows before the typhoon hits your place.
在颱風襲擊你的所在地之前，確保使門窗固定好。
3. stocking n. 長筒襪
Hang the Christmas stocking by the fireplace for Santa Claus to fill with gifts.
將聖誕襪掛在壁爐旁，讓聖誕老公公裝滿禮物。
4. likewise adv. 同樣地
Since Jenna is so popular, when she follows a trend, many of her classmates do likewise.
因為珍娜很受歡迎，當她跟上一種潮流時，她的許多同學都會同樣效仿。
5. embrace v. 欣然接受；擁抱
It’s important to embrace new challenges as they offer opportunities for growth and learning.
樂於接受新的挑戰是很重要的，因為挑戰提供了成長和學習的機會。
6. wig n. 假髮
The actor wore a wig to play a character from the 18th century.
這名演員戴上假髮扮演西元18世紀的角色。
7. masculine adj. 男性的；陽剛的
The design features of the sports car gave it a fashionable and masculine appearance.
這款跑車在設計上的特點賦予其時尚而陽剛的外觀。
8. premature adj. 過早的；不成熟的
The premature announcement of the winner caused confusion among the audience.
對獲勝者的過早宣布在觀眾之間引起了混亂。
9. shift v. 轉移；改變
The market demand shifted toward more eco-friendly products.
市場需求轉向更環保的產品。
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