via Egypttoday

Fashion is about self-expression, so whatever you’re wearing, it’s good fashion as long as you feel good about yourself and comfortable in your skin. That said, the changes fashion went through in Egypt are hard not to notice. The ‘Golden’ eras of Egyptian style were exceptional and chic, making everyone look so elegant you’d mistake them for royalty. Or, maybe that was just the way people carried themselves back then. Whatever the case, it’s time we had a little chat about the olden days of Egyptian fashion!

The Great Fashion of the Classic ’50s

The ’50s were an extraordinary time for Egypt, with many important events taking place all at once (like Egypt getting its independence and forming a republic). So, it makes sense that it was a time when people were both sophisticated, impressive, and bold. In fact, we doubt that any citizen back then had even had a bad hair day!

1950s fashion included a lot of oddly colourful dresses for women, as well as graceful skirts and tops, and (obviously) game-changing hairstyles. Meanwhile, the men looked very polished, sticking to clean-cut and smart outfits. One thing’s for sure, though—everyone was always dressed to the nines, no matter the occasion or their social status.

The Colourful ’60s and the Start of Change

You can really tell that the tide started to turn in the ’60s, as women dressed more freely and casually with their skirts getting shorter while their dresses became form-fitting and shorter as well. It was exceptional in itself because those dresses showed off the women’s bodies, with every single body type being appreciated without any judgments. It’s extremely important to note that with this freedom of dress, Egyptian public opinion wasn’t against it, and the types and levels of harassment the women got were low

As all this happened, the men embraced the change too, as they started wearing more colourful pants and more barrier-breaking button-up shirts that were especially dazzling in this period.

The Era of Self-Expression: The ’70s 

This was the time when big, fuzzy hair and wide-legged pants rose to prominence for BOTH men and women, as everyone revolted against gender norms. In addition to the colourful patterns that gave the ’70s its vibe and own spotlight, Egypt’s ladies wore mismatching mini-dresses and still looked incredible.

Need a reference? You’ll find it in the 2010 hit that was Samir w Shahir w Bahir, about a trio that time-travels to the ’70s and get hit in the face with the period’s colourfulness and dressing freedoms. This is probably a good time to mention that ’70s fashion has been slowly creeping back into the mainstream, and we LOVE it!