Dressing the Past.

The article discusses the history of Western clothing, considering how changing fashions help mark dates and chronologies. It notes that certain cultures such as those of India and the Bedouin tribes have held onto norms of cultural dress for centuries. The author marks changes in clothing styles to the beginnings of the modern period. Other topics explored include historical representations in art such as "School of Athens" by Raphael and "Family of Darius before Alexander" by Veronese, historical dress in the theater such as the performances known as Commedia dell' Arte, and historical dress in motion pictures such as "The Birth of a Nation" starring Lilian Gish and "Gone With the Wind" starring Vivien Leigh and Olivia de Havilland.