Dresses and skirts with ostrich feathers and ostrich feathers in history

The ostrich is a large and strong bird that runs fast enough. Ostrich feathers initially attracted attention for their unique beauty. Therefore, they have always adorned the heads of those who wanted to be noticeable, and above all, they were pharaohs, monarchs, leaders, court nobility, actors and other persons inclined to such decor.

Bird ostrich and feathers

The ostrich is the largest bird in the world. It was the ostrich feather that attracted human attention to this unique bird. In the plumage of an ostrich, almost all feathers can be used. Ostrich feathers have long adorned the helmets of warriors and the outfits of court ladies. Ostrich feathers were used to decorate clothes and accessories, especially hats and fans.

The feather hunters literally destroyed the birds, because the bird with plucked feathers was dying. Today, ostrich feathers are used only in evening wear, as well as in many types of decorative items, things and crafts. They are even used to remove dust in optics and electronics, as they have anti-electrostatic properties. The most beautiful and popular are feathers from the wings of male African ostriches.

In ancient Egypt, only the pharaoh could afford white ostrich feathers. They also played the role of symbols of justice and justice. In the Roman Empire, the helmets of imperial warriors were decorated with ostrich feathers, indicating military rank. Ostrich feathers were a symbol of victory, the helmets of the victorious knights returning from the Crusades were also decorated with ostrich feathers.

The king's musketeers wore their wide-brimmed hats. As a decoration among the ladies of the court, ostrich feathers appeared in the 18th century, they were brought into fashion Marie antoinette... Nowadays, ostrich feathers are used in the manufacture of exclusive clothing, accessories and souvenirs.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the first ostrich breeding farms appeared in South Africa. The dazzling beauty of feathers and the impossibility of creating such a high-quality fake contributed to their high cost. Home breeding of ostriches began in the twentieth century. In 1913, there were already about 800 thousand domesticated birds.

At the end of the 19th - at the beginning of the 20th centuries. ostrich feathers were one of the most sought after commodities. During this time, ostrich feathers became a symbol of luxury style. From season to season, they did not go out of style. The seasons changed, and the ostrich feathers remained in winter and summer. Gradually, with the domestication of birds, the popularity of feathers overcame class differences as well. In the export and production of ostrich feathers, many made themselves a fortune.

Most of those who ran the feather business, from financiers to ordinary workers, and the production of fashion accessories adorned with feathers, were mostly Jews. The ability to conduct business negotiations, established contacts with each other, extensive experience in trade - all this contributed to Jewish businessmen to succeed in this business. True, not all Jews prospered and enriched themselves; there were also needy Jewish families who left Russia and immigrated to Western countries.

The production of accessories adorned with luxurious feathers involved a lot of hard work, which mainly consisted of women and children. In addition, sorting and processing feathers was a health hazard.

The rooms where people worked were poorly ventilated, the air was saturated with dust and feather particles, the areas near factories and workshops were full of waste, and feather particles floated in the air and settled on the respiratory organs of people. All this had a detrimental effect on health and increased the risk of tuberculosis.

To sew luxurious egrets or to decorate a hat, feathers were smoothed by hand, then sewn together. Many women took work to their homes, and children, contrary to the provisions of labor laws, worked until late at night. It so happened that at one end of the production of feathers stood people who were getting rich, and at the other - those who worked hard for a paltry salary.

But fashion is changeable, like life itself - today we see one thing, tomorrow - another, nothing lasts forever. Just like today, when fashion exposes and exposes, cuts and cuts everything into shreds, and I want to say - but there is nowhere else to go! So even then, the hats increased and increased in size, they became fantastic, and it was no longer possible to increase further.

There is only one thing left to do, to start shrinking. And it happened. And besides that, it began World War I, many did not need such luxury. And one more aspect that appeared in those years. There were people who saw how beauty and luxury adversely affect nature. They began to fight those who sacrificed animals, including ostriches. True, there was an attempt on the part of businessmen for the production of splendor to prove that not a single bird suffers at the same time. However, for businessmen, everything ended with the destruction of business, and for ostriches it was not at all better, and even worse - domesticated birds were shot, and some fled.

Now hats with feathers can only be found at parties or social events, sometimes ladies wear them when going to the races in Ascot. In the modern world, hats not only with ostrich feathers, but also without them, have lost their significance.

Feathers flutter gently, causing a feeling of freedom and lightness with their appearance. Look great on an evening dress. They can also replace the fringe. Today, such feathers can be used to decorate any exclusive clothing. It also became easier for ostriches to live. There are many farms for breeding these birds, and the feathers are not pulled out, but carefully cut with special tools. You can buy an ostrich feather today at any farm.