Dress Me Up Trivia Quiz

Answer: Beehive

The beehive is a very big hairdo! In Amy Winehouse's case, it really did look like a beehive on her head. It was developed in 1960 by Margaret Vinci Heldt, who was asked to invent a hairstyle reflecting the coming decade (how could they predict the future?).

Other famous people or characters who had a beehive at one point have been Patsy in "Absolutely Fabulous", Marge in "The Simpsons", and Dolly Parton.

Answer: Alpecin

Alpecin was first made by Dr. Wolff Research - apparently the first type came out in 1930 (odd how it took such a long time after to really become popular...). Alpecin was said to derive from the Latin for 'hair loss', which is alopecia. Dr. August Wolff founded his company in 1905, and the caffeine supposedly suppressed the effect of testosterone on hair, preventing hair loss.

However, the effect was supposedly very temporary and thus the product would have needed regular usage - good marketing!

Answer: Fez

This was an old hat! But still fashionable, apparently. It was worn by Arabs in the city of Fes, Morocco, in the 17th century. In addition, the fez has been worn by the Ottoman Sultan Mahmud II, who liked it so much he made his military wear a version of it! The Cypriots, in 2012, also still wore fez as part of their traditional uniform, and Matt Smith's version of Doctor Who, or the Eleventh Doctor, liked to wear a fez when he could, but he did have rather eccentric fashion tastes.

Answer: Henna

Henna, the plant, has been used to die wool, skin, hair and fingernails. It is a small tree native to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, southern Asia and some of Australia. It requires a warm temperature or else it dies, and it has been used since the Bronze Age to dye skin, and in Ancient Egypt by Nefertiti as a hair dye.

The henna must be ground down or else it will not stain the skin, because the lawsone molecules, the active agent here, won't be released until the leaves are crushed. The lawsone will bind with proteins in the skin, creating a stain. The stain will turn to a reddish brown after three days or so, and the stain lasts longer, the longer the henna is kept on the skin.

Answer: Tie-dye t-shirt

The tie-dye method really lived up to its name - string or elastic was tied around a t-shirt (or other clothes/fabric, of course!) and dyes were applied. Because of the string, they blocked the dye staining the t-shirt at that point, which gave the tie-dyed t-shirt its distinctive, stand-out appearance. Tie-dye was often used as a part of hippie style, but its origins may date all the way back to 500-800 AD in Peru by Colombians. Yet another example of how fashion does not have to be modern to be fashionable!

Answer: Harrington jacket

Ironically, in the UK at least, the mod culture declined as the hippie culture grew. So, you probably wouldn't actually see my tie-dye t-shirt with the Harrington that often, but it's always good to try new things. The Harrington was designed by the Miller brothers in 1937, and was originally known just as the Baracuta for a while. It had a zipper with elasticated waistband and button collar, and Fraser tartan inner lining, making it comfortable, practical and cool.

The mods, or modernists, were said to be fans of Jazz music, as opposed to traditional Jazz music fans (or trads). The mod subculture was popular in the 1950s to mid 1960s, where it is said that there was a decline caused by the commercialisation of the subculture. Initially, the mods were said to drive their own style mixing themes from French and Italian art films, and R&B and African/American music. Because it was constantly re-inventing itself, it is hard to define exactly what epitomised a 'mod', only that young people of the time were trying to push the boundaries of what they considered to be boring or dull styles.

Answer: Levi Strauss

Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis are the first to have patented the jeans in 1873, although Levi Strauss is probably more well known than Davis. Strauss actually brought out two types of jeans, but the 'brown cotton duck' type were uncomfortable and didn't last long, so were dropped.

The word 'jeans' comes from the term 'bleu de Gênes' or 'blue of Genoa', and denim comes from the town of Nimes, in France, and the name derives from 'de Nimes' or 'of Nimes'. Interestingly, what would have been considered working clothes back then were considered as rather fashionable in the 2000s. One man's junk is another man's treasure, eh?

Answer: Winklepickers

Winklepickers are short style boots with long pointed toes. They were inspired by the Crakow style of shoes that were fashionable in Poland during the 15th century. The name (Winklepicker) stems from the English periwinkle snail which is a popular snack whose flesh is usually extracted from its coiled shell with the aid of a long pointed tip.

The Beatles wore a style of shoe called the Chelsea Boot that had a Cuban style heel and a long pointed toe. Though, technically, it wasn't a winklepicker it did highlight the style, which soon became very popular amongst the Modernists. The shoes have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity during the 2000's becoming a fashion accessory for notable performers such as the Kings of Leon, Kaiser Chiefs and The Horrors.

This question was by pollucci19.

Answer: Dihydroxyacetone

Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) was said to be the main ingredient in several fake tan brands, including St Tropez in 2011. It is derived from plant sources such as sugar beet and cane, and, despite its browning effects, looks like a white powder normally. It was discovered in the 1920s, but German scientist Eva Wittgenstein was the one who really experimented into the use of DHA as a skin pigment alterer, since she found it did not penetrate past the dead layer of skin, the stratum corneum.

The colouration is said to be caused by a reaction between DHA and the amino acids in the skin - the reaction is non-toxic and produces a compound similar to melanin, which is what usually darkens the natural skin.

Answer: Calvin Klein

Calvin Klein founded the 'Calvin Klein' brand (no prizes for original naming) in 1968. Although he is best known for his underwear, he's also sported perfumes, of which 'Obsession' was one. Apparently, 'Obsession' has provocative undertones and has amber, bergamot and 'woody scents' which will, apparently, increase my chances of getting a date. Apparently.