In addition to factors such as climate and natural resources, historical changes in religion and culture also exert an influence on clothing. For example, most people of ancient Egypt wore few clothes because of the hot climate. After the introduction of the Islamic religion, with its emphasis on physical modesty, in the 7th century AD, Egyptians began to wear more concealing clothing, which included veils for women.
Political history also affects clothing styles. After conquering a region, conquerors usually introduce their own type of clothing. From about 1500 on, European colonial expansion brought European clothing to other continents.
The following sections summarize the history of clothing in different parts of the world.

The Ancient Western World
Egypt
Mesopotamia
Persia
Crete
Greece
Rome
Africa
Asia
Europe