Fashion

Officers, gentlemen, and dedicated followers of fashion... Author and lecturer Dr Amy Miller explains how the history of Royal Navy clothing isn't as 'uniform' as it first appears.

Make learning fun with this dressing-up activity. You will be able to construct Elizabeth’s image by choosing outfits from Her Majesty’s extensive wardrobe.

Maritime history has always influenced fashion - and no object more so than the Breton Top. But where did the history of the famous stripes begin?  

The enduring influence of nautical styles in fashion have been long celebrated in British culture. Find out more about its origins and the role of Queen Victoria.

What does fashion have to do with all those pestilential plights, and what indeed to do with Samuel Pepys? Well, quite a lot really – the diarist was a wry observer of what went on in the 1660s, and what was worn (and by whom) did not escape his gaze.

Designers from Vivienne Westwood to Galliano and Chanel have all created collections inspired by naval wear and maritime culture. 

From brass buttons to bell-bottoms, garments traditionally worn at sea have long been adopted and adapted to create new fashions and statements.

In the late-18th and early-19th centuries collecting tattooed Maori heads became so popular in Europe that many Maoris were murdered to supply the trade.

Tattoos have adorned the highest born royals and the lowliest sailor in Europe for at least 5,000 years.

When Captain Cook returned from his first voyage he brought with him the term ‘tattoo’ if not the practice itself