First Patreon Exclusive Story: Why Do Humans Wear Clothes? (Patreon)

When we first encountered the humans we were awestruck and fascinated by what seemed to be superfluous layers of strangely well-kept fur or skin-folds that just didn’t match with the rest of their forms. It was of course, most certainly not armor or anything of the sort. We’d encountered the humans on peaceful terms, and they likewise reciprocated. The galaxy was… after all, a fellowship of equally minded enlightened peoples.

No, what we instead saw was something that had to be some sort of new natural covering we hadn’t seen before. It wasn’t fur that was for sure, for the folds and ripples were far too straight, far too perfect to be anything but. Even the most well-kept Frialian fur wasn’t anywhere near that perfect.

Next we assumed it was perhaps… a sort of a skin fold? A series, layers upon layers of folded coverings that were more akin to the Yanarans. Yet this wasn’t to be the case as well, as they were more or less able to remove certain parts of their body at will. That simply isn't logical.

The next possibility was that they were more plant-like than we thought. The Iul of Xalar V for instance weren’t a particularly friendly race, but from what we’ve seen of them they are extremely modular, their leaves and layers of bark and sap were able to mold and move depending on their mood and depending on the season.

Yet that didn’t explain how or why humans seem to be able to change these outer layers so quickly, on not a weekly basis but a daily, or perhaps a bi-daily basis. It just didn’t make sense…

It was only after the first contact mission had prompted this question that we finally received an answer.

“Oh, you mean our clothes?”

“The translators do not seem to be registering that word emissary. Several translations exist, but most seem to be pointing towards armor or work-equipment? Yet it also implies art and decoration? If you would so kindly elaborate on the word ‘clothes’, we would most certainly appreciate it.”

“Oh of course, venerable ambassador. I notice you yourself lack any. I will assume this might be a cultural or a species-wide trait, so I will try my best to explain. Clothes were born out of necessity for as long as we have been sapient. You are right in assuming ‘survival-wear’, as that was perhaps what it was used for at first. Just bare pieces of leather and cloth to protect ourselves against our planet’s unforgiving environment.”

“Yes, we have seen how strangely incompatible Earth ecology is to human biology.”

“Indeed. Well, to continue this, clothes took on a far different role as technology and industrial capacity progressed. It became culturally tied to matters such as class, status, and even ideology. It signified different roles in society, it grew to become as much a part of an individual’s identity as much as it was an expression of a whole people group, social niche, or even state institutions. It grew to become something so inexorably tied with early culture, that the notion of clothing as a mere survival garment was simply no longer the case. From that point onwards clothing became as I stated, a matter of culture and context, denoting who you are, where you’re from, what class you belong to, what group you belong to, and so on and so forth. It became a living part of our culture, and a visible part of our identity.”

“That is fascinating… So am I correct to assume further that these clothes also have artistic value? Not just a utilitarian means of denoting social class or a division of labor and duty?”

“That is correct. As history progressed clothes became far, far more than just that. To be quite frank, it wasn’t even ever that to begin with but I digress. Clothing evolved with time, elements of it harkening back to early eras in human history, as every aspect of what I wear today can be traced to some fashion trend, some esoteric concept long forgotten but immortalized in how I dress every morning.”

“Fascinating… I do wonder, if you’ll humor me ambassador, the garment to your front. The long piece of fabric tied around your neck. I cannot imagine a practical use for it, nor can I truly pin down any reason for its existence. I assume there is a rich history to that as well?”

“Why yes… would you like me to elaborate?”

“Yes please. We have all afternoon, and the next, and perhaps the next week or months to do so in length!”

It was with that fateful encounter that we understood something truly remarkable about the humans. These outer layers… they weren’t just a tool for protection or even a means of survival. It was a living piece of heritage that ties them back hundreds or even thousands of years into their history.

Every human, across every world and system, is a living, breathing, echo of eras long since past.