The focus of the essay is the history of fashion from the 18th century to the 1950s. Fashion has come a long way if one looks back and clothes are not just a means of covering the body but are a part of the personality of the individual. Fashion is taken very seriously and is a full-fledged industry today. It is amazing to see how fashion and attitude towards fashion have changed over the years. Some classic fashions can stand the test of time and never go out of style. Other clothing items are a temporary craze and last only a season. Some fashion styles get recycled every few years. Historical study of dress and fashion can be studied from different approaches, After all, the field of history carries a tradition that goes back to the nineteenth century (Riello 2011). Various ideas and themes are seen to adopt different methodologies in the culture of fashion.18th-Century Fashion Fashion was a lot different in the 18th-century from what we see around us today. A typical outfit for men was made of long waistcoat, knee-length coat, and knee breeches. Men wore silk stockings and leather shoes. By the middle of the century, there wasn’t much change in the fashion. Women wore Mantua or court dress which was a silk embroidered dress for formal occasions. The bodice had loose, and a hoop petticoat with several under-petticoats was worn. Corset made of linen was worn under the bodice and fastened with lacing down the back. Hair was worn closer to the head and covered with a small linen cap. Hoop petticoats made of linen became increasing fashionable with the progress of the century and were worn on formal occasions (Introduction to 18th-Century Fashion 2016).
Fashion from the 19th century Women during the 19th century were seen wearing low pointed waist and bell-shaped skirts which were voluminous. Evening dresses were off the shoulder, and they styled their hair as ringlets at the side of the head with parting in the middle. Capes with large collars were popular. Crochet shawls and linen caps with lace frills were worn as fashionable accessories. As for men, they sported low cinched waists and flared frock-coats that were inspired by Prince Albert. They wore waistcoats and tight trousers plus neckties. Men wore long hair sported by the sides. Moustaches and sideburns were popular (History of Fashion 1840 – 1900 2016). With the progress of 19th century, women's skirts became domed and bell-shaped. Long bloomers and pantaloons lined with lace, cape-jackets, and paisley patterned shawls were fashionable. Hair was styled into buns or side coils. Men were wearing matching coats, waistcoats, and trousers. As for their hairstyle, they wore moustaches and large sideburns. Later 19th century saw women wearing tight bodices with buttoned fronts and high necks. Sloping shoulders flaring into wide sleeves was fashionable, and so was the full and bell-shaped skirt. Collars and cuffs lined with white lace were popular, and women wore their hair tied into chignons at the nape of the neck. Hair accessories included floral wreaths, pomegranate flowers and ostrich feathers. Men by this time were wearing single-breasted and semi-fitted coats and jackets that were often collarless. High, starched collars were being worn with cravats. As for their hair, full beard, drooping moustache and side-whiskers were in fashion (History of Fashion 1840 – 1900 2016). With the progress of the 19th century, fashion placed importance on the back of the skirt. The waist became lower than before and low, square necklines became fashionable. Hair was dressed high at the back and women wore small hats tilted forward to the forehead. Men wore semi-fitted and thigh-length coats and jacket and stiff collared shirts. By 1880s, women were wearing tightly fitting bodices, high necklines, and very narrow sleeves. Rich fabrics and trims were used, and hair was worn in tight curls on the top of the head. As for men, they favored lounge suits and open jackets that revealed high buttoning waistcoat (History of Fashion 1840 – 1900 2016). Towards the close of the 19th century, women wore tight bodices, narrow sleeves, and high collars. Wide shoulders became fashionable. The three-piece lounge suit became very popular with men. However, frock coats were still worn. Collars were stiff and high, and gradually they were worn with knotted tie style, Hair was parted at the side and cut short
Fashion towards 1950’s
Towards the start of the 20th century, S-bend corset was fashionable among women and so were puffed, frilly blouses with lace collars and ribbon ties. Broad-brim hats were worn over wide 'brim' of hair. Men were wearing three-piece lounge suits and jackets with small, high lapels. Beards were favored by older men. The frilly blouses and fluted skirts remained popular, but the waistline became high. Practical working clothes were preferred by both men and women during World War I (History of Fashion 1900 - 1970 2016). The three-piece lounge suit was common among men. It was fashionable for women to wear tunic-style tops, colorful garters and neutral colored stockings. Hair was worn bobbed during the1920s. Men wore narrow-cut lounge suits and patterned modern knot ties. Cloth caps were common amongst the working class. Slinky femininity ushered in during the 1930s and simple and clinging evening gowns with low scooping backs were popular. Women wore Wool suits with shoulder pads during the day. Sports and beach-wear influenced the fashionable styles and outfits. Men were clean-shaven and wore three-piece suits for work as well as for formal occasions.
The war left shortages of fabric, and this impacted the fashion styles as well. Clothes were made using minimum fabric, and there were fewer pleats and no trimmings. Both men and women wore uniforms. Christian Dior introduced his 'New Look' during the mid-20th century, and this revolutionized the fashion industry (History of Fashion 1900 - 1970 2016). The trends in the 1950s were carried on from the 1940s. Slim pencil skirts became popular. Tweeds and woolen jackets and skirts were worn by women. Plain fabrics and floral prints were getting popular. Hair was done in ponytails or simple chignons. As for men, they wore Grey Flannel suits with shirts and handkerchief in the pocket. Tweed jackets were worn with non-similar trousers. 'Brill cream' was used to style their hair with a parting at the sides.
Works Cited
"History of Fashion 1840 - 1900." vam.ac.uk. 2016. Web. 2 May. 2016.
"History of Fashion 1900 - 1970." vam.ac.uk. 2016. Web. 2 May. 2016."Introduction to 18th-Century Fashion." vam.ac.uk. 2016. Web. 2 May. 2016.
Riello, Giorgio." The object of fashion: methodological approaches to the history of fashion." aestheticsandculture. 2011. Web. 2 May. 2016.
