COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Rok met panoramische beschildering van Indonesisch landschap TMnr 6217-7. A skirt is the lower part of a dress or a separate outer garment that covers a person from the waist denim midi skirt. However, most skirts are fitted to the body at the waist or hips and fuller below, with the fullness introduced by means of darts, gores, pleats, or panels.
In modern times, skirts are typically worn by women. Skirts have been worn since prehistoric times as the simplest way to cover the lower body. Serbia and neighboring Balkan nations from the start of the copper age show women in skirt-like garments. A straw-woven skirt dating to 3. 900 BC was discovered in Armenia at the Areni-1 cave complex. Ancient Egyptian garments were mainly made of linen.
For the upper classes, they were beautifully woven and intricately pleated. During the Bronze Age, in the Southern parts of Western and Central Europe, wraparound dress-like garments were preferred. However, in Northern Europe, people also wore skirts and blouses. In the Middle Ages, men and women preferred dress-like garments. The lower part of men’s dresses were much shorter in length compared to those for women. They were wide cut and often pleated or gored so that horse riding was more comfortable. Even a knight’s armor had a short metal skirt below the breastplate.