Why do humans wear clothes?

Humans wear clothing for comfort and to guard against exposure to weather and other environmental elements. Humans lost excess body hair long before the Ice Age — without it, humans were susceptible to cold.

The research into when clothing was first worn by humans relies on the evolution data from body and clothing lice. Studies found that humans wore clothing even earlier than archeological digs had previously found. The study also estimated the humans began wearing clothes 83,000 to 170,000 years ago, and suggested that humans survival rates improved after they began wearing clothing.

Humans also use clothing for cultural reasons. Clothing is an indicator of social status, gender and individual taste.