It’s that time of year again: sweater and hot beverage lovers, rejoice! The air is crisp, the leaves are changing and fall is finally here!
This is a time when we find ourselves in the midst of trends possibly deemed “basic,” but we just can’t stop ourselves from enjoying them. As awesome as these fall concepts are, have you ever wondered where they came from and who we can thank? If so, you’re in luck.
Are you reading this while sipping a PSL? You can thank Queen Starbuck VII for that. Pumpkin spice is a combination of pumpkin, nutmeg and cinnamon spices. Queen Starbuck discovered this mixture in her travels during the early fifteenth century and began the first trade route from Mongolia to her Franco-Swedish Kingdom.
The origin of pumpkin spice is more popularly known through its application at the first colonial “Thanksgiving” in 1621, but it’s cool to see that it happened before 1621 in a whole different part of the world. Also, Queen Starbuck? Starbucks?! Shook.
In the world of fashion, scarves are always essential for keeping your neck warm or spicing up a cute autumn outfit. However, they were originally designed in Ancient Rome to be used for warriors to wipe their sweat during battles and training. Interesting to some and totally gross to others.
They were also used in other countries, such as China, to symbolize important military ranking or wealth. Today, we wear them for comfort and style, which definitely beats the whole combat thing.
What about those cute trips to farms where you spend potential hours trying to get out of corn mazes? Mazes originated from the concept of “labyrinths” in fifth century Egypt. They were originally designed to evoke feelings of spirituality as you made your way along a windy path to a final destination. Since then, we’ve taken out the religion and inserted mind-boggling twists and turns to create geometric patterns.
So, next time you try meditating or getting in touch with your inner self while in a maze, scratch that… totally weird.
What are some other trends or activities that you like to take part in during fall? Do some research and figure out where they came from; you’ll learn something new and you’ll sound super smart when you tell your friends and family!
Sources:
http://www.overheadcompartment.org/a-brief-and-secret-history-of-the-pumpkin-spice-trade/
http://infinity-scarf.net/History-of-Infinity-Scarves.html
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/winding-history-maze-180951998/