Why do we wear clothes?

The Backwards Man · 19-07-2013 2:24am #1

It's a bit stupid really when you think about it. I was just out for a little stroll there, and there is a gorgeous half moon in the sky, the stars are out, a sliver of mist is coming up the valley from the sea, and everything is eerily quiet. And I thought to myself, I'd sure love to be naked right now.

Why did we start wearing clothes in the first place? And why have no other animals followed suit?

hinault · 19-07-2013 2:26am

The Backwards Man wrote: »

It's a bit stupid really when you think about it. I was just out for a little stroll there, and there is a gorgeous half moon in the sky, the stars are out, a sliver of mist is coming up the valley from the sea, and everything is eerily quiet. And I thought to myself, I'd sure love to be naked right now.

Why did we start wearing clothes in the first place? And why have no other animals followed suit?

In order to stay warm?

Whatsisname · 19-07-2013 2:27am

A few weeks of sun and people question the importance of clothing, you're gone mad!

The Backwards Man · 19-07-2013 2:28am

hinault wrote: »

In order to stay warm?

But we had hair to keep us warm before that, it was wearing clothes that made us lose it, I think?

The Narrator · 19-07-2013 2:28am

Because nobody wants to see fat people naked.

humbert · 19-07-2013 2:31am

I for one would like to thank Eve that we do. Have you ever watched one of those documentaries on primitive tribes that don't? Nasty.

MickFleetwood · 19-07-2013 2:31am

To look good, I suppose. That and to keep warm.

MonkstownHoop · 19-07-2013 2:32am

humbert wrote: »

I for one would like to thank Eve that we do. Have you ever watched one of those documentaries on primitive tribes that don't? Nasty Sexy.

WilyCoyote · 19-07-2013 2:33am

The Narrator wrote: »

Because nobody wants to see fat people naked.

Unless they're very rich and up for grabs

The Backwards Man · 19-07-2013 2:34am

humbert wrote: »

I for one would like to thank Eve that we do. Have you ever watched one of those documentaries on primitive tribes that don't? Nasty.

That's a good point actually. They don't wear clothes, yet they are as bare-arsed as everybody else.

Peregrine · 19-07-2013 2:38am

The Backwards Man wrote: »

But we had hair to keep us warm before that, it was wearing clothes that made us lose it, I think?

No we started shedding hair before we wore clothes. We lost hair because it was too hot in Africa where humans first evolved.

Then later on during an ice age people used animal skin to protect themselves. Some say it was before that.

I don't know BM! It was tens and hundreds of thousand years ago.

It's better to see less of some people for our own sake.

hinault · 19-07-2013 2:39am

The Backwards Man wrote: »

But we had hair to keep us warm before that, it was wearing clothes that made us lose it, I think?

I'll stick to wearing clothes as all that hair we'd need to remain warm ain't gonna grow back anytime soon:)

Ihatecuddles-old · 19-07-2013 2:40am

I feel sexier in clothes. That can't be right

mud · 19-07-2013 2:40am

After running through a field full of rushes while wearing shorts two weeks ago. My knees and shins still bear the battle scars. That's why we wear clothes. To protect our epicdermis

Chucken · 19-07-2013 2:42am

mud wrote: »

After running through a field full of rushes while wearing shorts two weeks ago. My knees and shins still bear the battle scars. That's why we wear clothes. To protect our epicdermis

Id say your dermis is epic now.

wil · 19-07-2013 2:45am

The Backwards Man wrote: »

And why have no other animals followed suit?

Because we made the suits out of them.
Oddly they think that is the height of bad taste.

December2012 · 19-07-2013 2:47am

The Backwards Man wrote: »

It's a bit stupid really when you think about it. I was just out for a little stroll there, and there is a gorgeous half moon in the sky, the stars are out, a sliver of mist is coming up the valley from the sea, and everything is eerily quiet. And I thought to myself, I'd sure love to be naked right now.

Why did we start wearing clothes in the first place? And why have no other animals followed suit?

So we can sit on leather couches without making embarrassing noises.

Chucken · 19-07-2013 2:50am

wil wrote: »

Because we made the suits out of them.
Oddly they think that is the height of bad taste.

....and the whole opposable thumbs thing. Buttons would be a nightmare for them.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 19-07-2013 2:51am

Why do we wear clothes? Because society tells us to, end of.

WilyCoyote · 19-07-2013 3:08am

If God wanted us to run around naked he wouldn't have us born wearing clothes. End of

Jester252 · 19-07-2013 3:15am

Start the fight against clothes OP. Wear nothing from now on.

krochford · 19-07-2013 3:36am

Serious Reply:
As we started to live in larger, closer nit groupings, hair born parisites such as lice, flees and ticks became pandemic, so i was an evelutionry advantage to have less fur/hair, to be less prone to the ailment that these parisites caried. This was not such a disadvantage in terms of heat retention on the african sevanah but as we moved into cooler climes it required us to wrap in animal hide to keep warm, creating the birth of the fashion industry.
After Hours Reply:
Because you touch yourself at night!

allibastor · 19-07-2013 8:29am

We really need to wear cloths now because of Mcdonalds.Have you ever seen some of the fatties that come from there? would you want to see then neked.

nozzferrahhtoo · 19-07-2013 9:39am

krochford wrote: »

Serious Reply:
As we started to live in larger, closer nit groupings, hair born parisites such as lice, flees and ticks became pandemic, so i was an evelutionry advantage to have less fur/hair, to be less prone to the ailment that these parisites caried. This was not such a disadvantage in terms of heat retention on the african sevanah but as we moved into cooler climes it required us to wrap in animal hide to keep warm, creating the birth of the fashion industry.

All of that and more I imagine.

There was also likely social pressure rather than just the cold evolutionary facts you lay out nicely above.

For example after hunting kills the hunters would likely have started adorning themselves with trophies of the kills to distinguish themselves. Body parts, bones, skins and so forth. As such clothing would have been seen as a social status indicator too.

This would have pushed others to try and emulate... to get such things too... pushing the "higher" individuals to get new and better examples of it.... all working towards what we think of as clothing today where.... lets face it.... essentially the same process is still in full flow with the ever more ludicrous fashion industry.

gramar · 19-07-2013 9:53am

I've read that humans began to lose body hair when they started swimming.

I'm not sure that argument holds much water though.

biko · 19-07-2013 9:55am

Because of stone-age fashion police.

Sir Humphrey Appleby · 19-07-2013 9:59am

The Backwards Man wrote: »

It's a bit stupid really when you think about it. I was just out for a little stroll there, and there is a gorgeous half moon in the sky, the stars are out, a sliver of mist is coming up the valley from the sea, and everything is eerily quiet. And I thought to myself, I'd sure love to be naked right now.

Why did we start wearing clothes in the first place? And why have no other animals followed suit?

Because the sight of something like me naked could cause fear,anxiety,distress, and downright panic amongst people!:D

--Kaiser-- · 19-07-2013 10:00am

gramar wrote: »

I've read that humans began to lose body hair when they started swimming.

I'm not sure that argument holds much water though.

That's the aquatic ape theory, which is complete nonsense and has been comprehensibly debunked. Hair loss is more than likely a result of pedagogic neoteny, i.e. adults retaining childlike features into adulthood

19-07-2013 10:06am

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Why did we start wearing clothes in the first place? And why have no other animals followed suit?

Because we moved.

Humans survived in Africa's high temperatures without clothes until about 180,000 years ago when the human spirit of adventure led us to seek other places to gather and hunt. It was probably prompted by climate change and drought, leaving the pickings slim in our usual feeding grounds.

The move outside the constant temperatures led to a need to provide portable warmth for ourselves and animal skins were deployed to do the job. If it wasn't for clothing, we simply couldn't have migrated north to cooler climes, and humans would be just another species indigenous to Africa.

Of course as soon as clothing was 'invented' it started to evolve. Different tribes used different skins, then different processes to work the skins, then different materials to make clothing, and today we have different patterns and designs that designate different areas of the world and nationalities in the form of national costumes. We were keen to stand out from the crowd from the get go, apparently. We always liked to express our allegiances and individuality through design, art and clothing, it seems.

So not only is it advisable to wear clothes in Ireland for the usual weather reasons, but clothes are the biggest reason that Ireland is populated to begin with.

dr.bollocko · 19-07-2013 10:07am

To hide my tiny ickle peeny.

It's like a sleeping cheesy wotsit.

Dravokivich · 19-07-2013 10:07am

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Why did we start wearing clothes in the first place? And why have no other animals followed suit?

Because we started wearing clothes by wearing them.

Why do we wear clothes?

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