I've always found the history of fashion to be fascinating because of the light it throws on people's inner lives. A relevant quote from the diary of Samuel Pep

I've always found the history of fashion to be fascinating because of the light it throws on people's inner lives. A relevant quote from the diary of Samuel Pepys, where he proudly notes the date when he first attached buckles on his shoes (thereby announcing himself as a young gentleman on the rise): "Sunday 22 January 1660 To church in the afternoon to Mr. Herring, where a lazy poor sermon. And so home with Mrs. Turner and sitting with her a while we went to my father’s where we supt very merry, and so home. This day I began to put on buckles to my shoes, which I have bought yesterday of Mr. Wotton." http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1660/01/22/ http://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/1660/01/22/