Watching a recent episode of Project Runway, I found myself paying more attention to Heidi Klum’s ensemble than what was being put onto the runway.  Her judge’s chair seemed to resemble a throne as she sat proudly in a gold shimmering top, neckline adorned with blue and silver jewels.  Where had I seen this look before?  Ancient Egypt, perhaps?  With her glowing skin and perfectly styled bob, Heidi did in fact, resemble an ancient queen.

After thoroughly admiring the star’s look, I began to wonder what other modern twists on ancient beauty graced today’s fashion world.  Badgley Mischka’s most recent collection features a seductively fluid gown in light aqua.  The one shoulder detail is wonderfully reminiscent of a Roman toga, especially with coordinating gold jewelry.

A few collections ago, Alexander McQueen presented a collection taken straight from the Dark Ages.  Several pieces resembled fashion forward armor, complete with feather adorned helmets.  One exquisite gown befitting of a medieval princess revealed delicate chiffon peeking through a beautifully sculpted robe-like garment.

After browsing a plethera of collections, I found more ancient Egypt and a few Grecian inspired pieces.  Beautiful draping and shining embellishment is certainly no modern idea.  In fact, the roots of nearly any spectacular garment can probably be found at the Smithsonian.