VICTORIAN FASHION

Victorian fashion includes the different fashion and treands in British culture that emerged and developed in the United Kingdom and the British Empire all through the Victorian period, around 1830s to 1900s. The period saw numerous adjustments in design, incorporating changes in apparel, architecture, writing, and the decorative and visual arts.

Women

In the 1840s and 1850s, women's outfits had wide puffed sleeves. Dresses were basic and pale, and incorporated flower trimmings. Underskirts, bodices, and chemises were worn under outfits. By the 1850s the number of petticoats was reduced to be superseded by the crinoline, and the size of skirts extended. Day dresses had a strong bodice and night outfits had a low neckline and were worn off the shoulder with shawls.

In the 1860s, the skirts flatter at the front and projected out from behind. Day dresses had wide pagoda sleeves and high necklines with trim or tatted collars. Night dresses had low necklines and short sleeves, and were worn with short gloves, fingerless lace or sewed gloves.

In the 1870s, un-corseted tea outfits emerged for informal entertaining at home. Bustles were used to replace the crinoline to hold the skirts up behind the woman, even for "seaside dresses". 

In the 1880s, riding habits had a matching jacket and skirt (without a bustle), a high-collared shirt or chemisette, and a top hat with a veil. Hunting costumes had draped ankle-length skirts worn with boots or gaiters. Clothing worn when out walking had a long jacket and skirt, worn with the bustle, and a small hat or bonnet. Travelers wore long coats like dusters.

In the 1890s, Women's wear in the last decade of the Victorian time was described by high collars, held in place by neckline stays, and stiff steel boning in long line bodices. At this point, there were neither crinolines nor bustles.

Men

During the 1840s, men wore tight-fitting, calf length frock coats and a waistcoat or vest. The vests were single- or double-breasted, with shawl or notched collars, and might be finished in double points at the lowered waist. For more formal occasions, a cutaway morning coat was worn with light trousers during the daytime, and a dark tail coat and trousers was worn in the evening.

During the 1850s, men started wearing shirts with high upstanding or turnover collars and four-in-hand neckties tied in a bow, or tied in a knot with the pointed ends sticking out like "wings".

In the 1860s, men started wearing wider neckties that were tied in a bow or looped into a loose knot and fastened with a stickpin. Frock coats were shortened to knee-length and were worn for business, while the mid-thigh length sack coat slowly displaced the frock coat for less-formal occasions.

During the 1870s, three-piece suits grew in popularity along with patterned fabrics for shirts. Neckties were the four-in-hand and, later, the Ascot ties.

uring the 1880s, formal evening dress remained a dark tail coat and trousers with a dark waistcoat, a white bow tie, and a shirt with a winged collar. In mid-decade, the dinner jacket or tuxedo, was used in more relaxed formal occasions. 

Starting from the 1890s, the blazer was introduced, and was worn for sports, sailing, and other casual activities.

BAROQUE AND ROCOCO FASHION

Baroque

Baroque is a period in the history of Western art coinciding with the seventeenth century. It's likewise a style that utilized overstated, exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music. The style began around 1600 in Rome, Italy and spread to the most part of Europe. It lasted for around 150 years.

With the ruling of King Louis XIV, this period in style history was about sheer indulgence and luxury. This is where architecture, fashion, music and art flourished in Europe to its pinnacle.

The Baroque period gave the lower class people a freedom of choice which in the other periods was not with them. This is one of the most important period in terms of development of fashion guilds which became authorized by the ruler himself. It permitted both the men and women to be members. The designers were in demand by the higher and middle classes also.

Women

Signature element of this period was use of colors, gold filigree. Relating to the grandeur of the period the outfits had gold embroidery, laces, pearls and ribbons. The clothing was free from extra details. The dresses became easier as single outfits were created. Natural silhouettes were adopted and clothing got more layered. This was to enhance fuller figure. Necklines were plunging and women wore large sleeves that collected at the wrist or elbow with turned-back lace cuffs. Patterned fabrics were being replaced by solid colour silks and brocade. Hairstyles with the passing time became higher and higher.

            

Men

The men wore high waists, laced collars and cuffs. It was definitely relieving in comparison to the overtly ornate Renaissance fashion. Men would wear ill-fitted breeches known as pantaloons which fell till the knees. They often wore wigs and colored their hairs. Through the span of time close-fitted breeches became stylish that were either tied, buttoned or buckled at the knee with a hose worn underneath it.Men began wearing clothing called 'en suit' or the suit that we know of today. It comprised of a coat, waistcoat and breeches. Haircuts additionally started towering high with the progression of time.

Both men and women wore high heels.

Rococo

Rococo or Late Baroque is an 18th-century artistic movement and style, affecting many aspects of the arts including painting, sculpture, architecture, interior design, decoration, literature, music, and theatre. It developed in the early 18th century in Paris, France as a reaction against the grandeur, symmetry, and strict regulations of the Baroque.

Everything during this time was heavy.

In this time people were not differentiated by wealth but by education and aesthetics.

Women

Floral prints, stripes and pastel colors became popular that time. Amid this period, another another silhouette for women was creating. Panniers, or wide loops worn under the skirt that expanded sideways, turned into a staple. Extremely wide panniers were worn to formal events, while littler ones were worn in ordinary settings. Waists were restricted by corsets contrasting to wide panniers. Skirts opened in front showing the underneath petticoat. The robe à l’anglais featured a snug bodice with a full skirt worn without panniers, usually cut a bit longer in the back to form a small train, and often some type of lace kerchief was worn around the neckline. These gowns were often worn with short, wide-lapeled jackets modeled after men’s redingotes.  Marie Antoinette introduced thechemise à la reine (pictured right), a loose white gown with a colorful silk sash around the waist.  

        

Men

Men generally wore different variations of the habit à la française: a coat, waistcoat, and breeches.  The waistcoat was the most decorative piece, usually lavishly embroidered or displaying patterned fabrics.  Lacejabots were still worn tied around the neck.  Breeches usually stopped at the knee, with white stockings worn underneath and heeled shoes, which usually had large square buckles.  Coats were worn closer to the body and were not as skirt-like as during the Baroque era.

        

ELIZABETHAN FASHION

Of all aspects of Elizabethan culture, the most distinctive may well be its clothing. It was a highly fashion-conscious age, and prized a look that was elaborate, artificial, stylized, and striking. Men and women alike were concerned to be wearing the latest and most fashionable outfits, and although the clothes we associate with the Elizabethans were worn primarily by the upper classes, their fashions influenced ordinary people as well. Paintings that hung in the great country houses revealed the Elizabethan love of display in the minute details of splendid costume - both men and women portrayed in rich, heavy velvets and brocades thickly jeweled, of stiff and exaggerated shapes, set off by fine lace ruffs (pleated neck pieces) and cuffs.

Essentially, Elizabethan Clothing was a part of the social order. It is also indicative of a specific individual's status not just reflecting how affluent or poor they are, additionally of their social reputation. For instance, in those days it was senseless for a laborer to copy rich people through "luxurious" apparel which were just worn by high societies.

The high society of Elizabethan England wore rich and lavish dresses that were made of expensive velvet, exotic silk and satin. Just the individuals from the Royal Family were permitted to possess robes which were trimmed with ermine. Less noble folk wore dressing trimmed with either fox or otter.

A remarkable differentiation to the lavish dress of the well-off was the garments worn by peasants. They wore clothes made of basic materials, for example, English cotton, wool and leather. Woolen apparel was popular among the working as well as domestic classes since it was cheap and the wool exchange saw an increment during that period.

Women
Elizabethan women wanted their clothing to look much like that of the men, with broad shoulders, wide hips, and slim waists.
Women's dresses were not made all in one piece as they usually are today.

The BODICE came down to the waist;

The PARTLET or jewelry bodice had "wings" at the shoulders and came to a point at the waist.

The SLEEVES were separate from the bodice, but fastened to the bodice with laces. The sleeve was tight at the wrist, but otherwise full. Sometimes it was stuffed to keep its shape. RUFFSat the wrist (not shown) matched the RUFF at the neck area.

The KIRTLE, a skirt, was often of different material from the bodice. The framework underneath the kirtle was called a FARTHINGALE, made of wire or whalebone, allowing the kirtle to "balloon" out from the lower body.
Some fashions included a BUMROLL (not pictured)a stuffed tube shaped item that added volume to the hip area, thus giving the wearer the appearance of a smaller waist.

HAIR was worn in many different styles, but always brushed back from the forehead. Women of the Elizabethan Age went through great extremes to achieve the look that was "in". They dyed their hair blonde, and sometimes wore quantities of peasants' hair, or strands of white or yellow silk.
The poorest class of women revealed no distinctive style, but a country maidservant might wear the bodice of her petticoat "laced before" and a blue or black kirtle.
Putting on an Elizabethan outfit was a major undertaking. With the many layers of clothing that were required for the complete look, it was thought that a women wearing the outfit would be very warm and most certainly uncomfortable! Wow! She must be stifling in that thing!

Men
Men's clothing was as colorful as that of the ladies, but men wanted to look manly so they wore clothing in the shape of armor with broad shoulders, broad hips, and narrow waists. It could be compared to a suit of armor.

The DOUBLET was the most striking (and expensive) part of a man's clothing. It resembled the breastplate of armor, covering the back and chest, ridges down the front and wings at the shoulders. It was stuffed with horsehair (talk about itchy), wool or rags so it would keep its shape.

The SLEEVES, like women's apparel, were separate garments, tight at the wrist. They were tied to the doublet with laces.

HOSE covered the body from the waist down; sometimes the upper area of the hose, like the doublet, was stuffed to give a more muscular look.

BREECHES, were fastened to the doublet and covered the body from the waist around the seat and over part of all of the upper leg.

The RUFF was a stiffly starched ruffle at the neck, usually white.

HATS were of many different shapes, usually had a band and were worn indoors.

CLOAKS were elegant capes worn over the doublet (sometimes called GOWNS if they were floor length)

HAIR and BEARDS: The hair was usually combed forward at the front to form a short fringe over the forehead. A trimmed beard and mustache came into style in the mid 16th century.

         

ROMAN FASHION

Roman dress differed from one class to another.

Tunics

The tunic was worn by common people, herdsmen and slaves tunics was made from a coarse dark material. The tunic worn by patricians was made from white wool or linen. Magistrates wore the tunic augusticlavia, and senators wore a tunic with broad strips, tunica laticlavia. Military tunics were shorter than those worn by civilians.

The male tunic was generally till the knees, whereas women’s tunics were longer some reaching to the ground. Female tunics often had long sleeves.

There were formal differences in the tunics which denoted social rankings.

Toga

The toga was to be worn by only free roman citizens. it was a piece of cloth which was wrapped around the body. It was generally worn over a tunic. The differentiation between rich and poor was made through the quality of the material; the upper-classes wore thin, naturally colored, wool togas while the lower-classes wore coarse material or thin felt. The toga was worn often during state occasions. Consuls and senators wore a toga edged with purple. Some Roman senators wore white togas that were ten meters long. Some emperors' togas were made entirely from either purple or black cloth. Black togas, though, were usually only worn in times of mourning.

Women

The basic women garment was stola which was a long tunic touching the ground with small sleeves or no sleeves. It could be shorter in length as well and if it was shorter then it was worn over the interior tunic to show layers.  

Children

Girls wore a simple tunic with a belt at the waist. When they went outside, they wore a second tunic that reached their feet.

Boys wore a tunic down to their knees. It was white, with a crimson border. Once a boy became a man, he wore an all-white tunic.

Children wore a special locket around their neck, given to them at birth, called a bulla. It contained an amulet as a protection against evil and was worn on a chain, cord, or strap. Boys would wear it until reaching manhood and girls would wear it until they married.

Footwear

Footwear also defined a person's position in society. Women wore closed shoes that were either white, green or yellow. Men wore sandals. Patricians wore red sandals with an ornament at the back. Senators wore brown footwear with black straps which wound round the leg to mid-calf, where the straps were tied. Consuls wore white shoes, and soldiers, heavy boots.

EGYPTIAN FASHION

Egyptian clothing’s most common fabric was linen. Egypt even exported linen to other countries.  Only the wealthy wore animal fibers that were the object of taboos. They were used on occasion for overcoats, but were forbidden in temples and sanctuaries.

The Caste System in old Egypt not just characterized the ensembles of the different social gatherings additionally served as rough historical guide in the development of apparel in Egypt. Slaves were for the most part bare as were children in summer months, while the commoner class wore loin cloths produced using animal skin and cloth. A linen kilt or tunic called a "calasaris" was likewise regularly worn piece of the outfit for everybody from the social class upwards.

Men

Men used to wear wrap around skirt which was belted at the waist. The length of the skirt varied depending on the fashion of the time - in the time of the Old Kingdom they were short while in the Middle Kingdom they were calf length. During the New Kingdom period it was fashionable to wear a pleated garment. Rich people used to wear as much jewelry as they could afford to decorate their outfis.

            

Women

Egyptian women regularly wore basic sheath dresses called kalasiris. Women's apparel in old Egypt was more conservative than men's clothing. The dresses were held up by one or two straps and were worn down to the lower leg, while the upper edge could be worn above or below the breasts. The length of the dress signified the social class of the wearer. Over the dress, ladies had a choice of wearing shawls, capes, or robes. The shawl was a piece of fabric around 4 feet wide by 13 or 14 feet long. This was mostly worn pleated as well. Female garments just changed marginally through the millennia. Draped clothing (with varieties of drapery) gave the impression of totally different attire. It was made of haïk, a fine muslin.

         

Children

Children wore no clothing until 6 years old. Once they turned six years old they were allowed to wear clothing to protect them from the dry heat. Even though children usually wore no clothing, they wore jewelry such as anklets, bracelets, collars, and hair 

accessories. When they grew up, they wore the same styles as their parents.

Jewelry

Jewelry was very popular in Ancient Egypt, no matter the social class. It was heavy and voluminous. Both men and women adorned themselves with earrings, bracelets, rings, necklaces and neck collars that were brightly colored. Rich people used to wear gold, silver and precious gemstones and those who could not afford it made their jewelry from colored pottery beads. One creation that was specific to ancient Egypt was the gorgerine, an assembly of metal discs worn on the chest, either over bare skin or over a shirt, and attached in the back.

Cosmetics

Egyptians wore perfumes extensively. They had the most sought after and costliest perfumes.

Both men and women used to wear makeup. They used black kohl eyeliner to line their eyes and darken lashes and eyebrows. They colored their eyelids with blue or green eye shadow made from powdered minerals. Henna dye was used to color lips and nails.

GREEK FASHION

The garments Greeks wore used to be simple. Men and women almost had similar type of clothing. Fabric used for the clothing were sometimes spun at home or imported.

Kids usually did not wear anything while men and women wore a rectangular or square piece of cloth pinned at the shoulder and belted at the waist.

One common factor of early clothes is that they were produced using uncomplicated basic shapes which relied on girdles, belts and brooches, clasp or pins to create shape and form to the human body. The most acclaimed Greek pattern is the Greek key pattern.

Grecian garments were little more than artfully organized bits of fabric, pinned and tucked into position.

Their elegance is derived from the careful arrangement of folds and complex arrangements of girdles, strapping or belts. simple borders  fall into interesting patterns when organized as a long chiton robe.

Embroidered patterns, such as checks and flower structures were utilized to decorate the fabric edges to create border effects.

Both genders wore tunics which varied in length and varied according to the jobs.  A chiton was a type of tunic worn by men and women both which was made of linen. It could be draped over both shoulders. When it was draped over one shoulder usually the left, it was known as exomie.

Peplos was a square piece of cloth usually made of wool was worn by women over the tunic or chiton.

Himation was largely made of wool and was worn by men. The himation proved to be useful  for soldiers far from home, likewise serving as a warm cover on a winter night. Different sorts of  cloacks worn by the Greeks incorporated the epiblema, a shawl worn by Greek ladies, and the chlamys, a short cloak worn by young Greek men.

Undergarments

Ladies regularly wore a strophion, the bra of the time, under their outfits. The strophion was a wide band of linen or wool wrapped across the breats and tied between the shoulder blades.

Men and women sometimes wore triangular loincloths, called perizoma, as underwear.

Footwear

Greeks were not very fond of footwear. They wore footwear  on business meetings or special occasions.

Jewelry and Hairstyles

Ornamentation in the form of jewelry, elaborate hairstyles and make-up was common for women. Small gold ornaments would be sewn onto their clothing and would glitter as they moved.

Throughout the hundreds of years hair dressing was essential to make different complex hairdos. Ladies utilized gold, silver hair pins, cone headdress and tiaras. Young girls used flowers and ribbons. Only boys and ladies had long hair and men cut their hair once they became youths.

Plaiting, crimping and waving of female hair in addition beautification with pins, tiaras and bands was also seen.

Prominent styles included tying the hair up with a fabric scarf, including ribbons or garlands or wearing a "Stephanie" metal hat.

20th Century Fashion 

Punk

Punk subculture is largely centered around loud , aggressive genre of rock music called punk rock. There is wide range of punk fashion in terms of hairstyles, clothing, footwear, accessories, body modification, makeup. Makeup is usually on the darker side. Clothes include baggy, rugged, ripped jeans, loose t-shirts again in dark colours, leather jackets, chains, bands etc. Vivienne Westwood has given her touch to the punk fashion in modern times.

Vivienne Westwood's take on punk 

Gothic

It began in England during the early 1980’s in the gothic scene. It has been associated with music, aesthetics and fashion. It started the black clothing. Typical gothic fashion include pale complexion with black hair, black lips and black clothes. The outfits used to be tight corsets, gloves, jackets, stilettos, silver jewellery. Designers like Rick Owens, Harooka Naota, Marko Mitanovski are few examples who work with the gothic style.

Marco Mitanovski's modern take on gothic designs

Harooka Naota's modern take

Zoot Suit

It was originally associated with afro-american musicians and there subcultures. Zoot suits is a men’s suit with high-waisted, wide-legged, tight-cuffed, pegged trousers, and a long coat with wide lapels and wide padded shoulders. It became popular in 1940’s. Zoot suiters often wear a fedora or pork pie hat color-coordinated with the suit, occasionally with a long feather as decoration, and pointy, French-style shoes. Often zoot suit was seen with a watch chain dangling from the belt to the knee, then back to the side pocket. Matteo Lamandini is an example who has modernized zoot suits.

Matteo Lamansini's work