h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I got an email about bronze age re-enactment a little while ago in which the sender suggested that Bronze age clothing was similar to that worn in the Iron Age. I disagreed with him and here are the reasons why:

Going by the slightly later Danish mound finds and by layout of (presumably) stitched on decorations early bronze age costume seems to me to be somewhat different. I'd suggest that for the Girls either a crop top tunic (cut side slits in a roughly square piece of cloth, fold the top down and the sides in so that you stitch a T shape then cut a slit or a T shape for your head) and skirt (full length or mini) or a peplum type dress either full length or knee length. For the chaps, I'd suggest a wraparound rectangle of cloth with a strip or a braid at one corner which can be brought over the shoulder and pinned or buttoned at the chest. Alternatives include a sort of knee length kilt ot perhaps a thigh length tunic made in the same way as the crop top.
Capes are also found, about bum/mid thigh length. A semicircle of cloth with rounded corners seems to hang correctly. Men seem to have worn felted wool hats some of which were quite tall. Cloth could be Wool or Linen but probably in limited muted colours. Remember that the wool would probably have been Brown due to coming from Soay type sheep.
Flint tools and weapons were probably still very widespread when Stonehenge was being built. Axes would be flat rather than socketed or palstave. Polished stone tools and weapons would also still be around as well.
Belts seem to have been simple braid or leather, either just tied together or knotted through a bone ring.