Early 19th Century
(Fig. 1)
An 1820 dress having patterns complementing the shape
Victoria & Albert Museum, London
(Fig. 2)
Lihi Hod 2015 Wedding Dress
Belle the Magazine
Modern research apparatuses indicate the adaptation of the old fashion to the contemporary clothing. These resources provide us with the historical images presenting the previous dress models that the current world adopted. The 19th century happened to be a significant period, which marked radical changes in the manner of dressing and fashion, as a whole. During the 1820s and 1830s, women’s dresses took a gradual shift to reveal the actual shape of an individual’s body. The waistline excavated, thereby changing to a lower position. Several trends emerged that gave the skirts a conical silhouette shape. The dresses also contained decorations designed horizontally on the dress. Figure 1 is an example of the clothes worn by the early 19th century women (Mentges, par. 51).
Figure 2 is a contemporary adaptation of the clothing in the early 19th century. This idea crops from the similarities exhibited by two. The wedding dress shape resembles that of the old dress. Additionally, the position of the waistline in both images tends to take a lower stand compared to the garments that came before the 19th century. The two images also indicate the adoption of decorations to supplement the curvy shape of the dresses.
The most interesting bit relating to the two images is how the designers used their intellectual skills to structure the curvy shape of the clothes. Ideally, one develops an interest when he or she sees the decorations put in both dresses. These decorations add beauty to the dresses. Women dressed in the old clothing would go for formal occasions. A woman who wore the cloth commanded respect from fellow women and the men in the society. Women who wore this dress felt sexy and loved. The brides wore the wedding gown as a sign of uniqueness from other individuals. It showed that the woman had entered the marital stage.
The mid-19th Century
(Fig. 3)
An early 1860s Combination of fashion inscriptions
Godey’s magazine
(Fig. 4)
Empyreal bridal headdresses 2015
Glam check
The mid-19th century period characterized the shifting in dressing following the advent of designers who defined dressing based on fashion. The dressing at that particular time saw the incorporation of designed hairstyles and headdresses in women’s fashion. The women at that given time maintained their styling by using pomades and oil. Women divided their hair in the middle while smoothing and braiding them (Historic Costume & Textiles Collection, par. 16). They confined the designed hair in decorative hairnets. The new style had the use of fashioned bonnets that contained small ridges as a measure to disclose the face. Figure 3 is an example of the dressing attempts displayed by the women in the 1850s.
Figure 4 is a reflection of the modern adaptation of the old fashion given the similarities portrayed by the two images. Both images show that the women styled their hair to complement their looks. Additionally, there is the use of headgears and hairnets containing small ridges thereby enabling the women to reveal their faces. The flexibility exhibited in the brim is an indication of the adoption of the mid-19th-century designs. In both cases, the use of headgears links to decorative attempts employed by women in supplementing beauty.
While comparing the two images, I came up with the interesting bit of the utilization of the hairnets and headgears to maintain the styling of the hair. In both settings, the women wear the bonnets in a manner that secures the styling of their hair. Contemporarily, dressed in this hat is a show of having taste in fashion. In the mid-19th century, wearing the bonnet revealed that the woman was from a wealthy. It would also signify the creation of comfort and confidence following their fashion and purpose significances. In both settings, individuals who wore the headdresses felt classy and fashionable.
The late 19th Century
(Fig. 5)
William Morris’ daughter wearing a corset, 1883.
Victoria & Albert Museum, London
(Fig. 6)
Cocktail Dress Party Gown, 2015
Glam Check
The late 19th century saw the further growth of dressing techniques among the people. It was characterized by the use of silhouette and bustle among women. There was the introduction of styles revealing the natural shape. Unlike the early 19th century, the skirts, in this setting, tightly fitted the wearer. The clothes entailed corsets that proved longer and firmly boned. The corset’s design also took nature of the individual’s body shape. Figure 5 is an example of a corset worn by the daughter of William Morris during the late 19th century (Victoria and Albert Museum, par. 1).
Figure 6 is a contemporary adaptation of the corset used in the 1880s. This argument comes from the fact that the two images possess certain similarities, which prove the adoption of the old garments in the current fashion world. One wears the new corset when modeling or attending dinner parties. The women wore the old garment when attending social events or official parties organized by influential people considered superior to the society. Individuals wearing these garments show their appreciation of the fashion trends. Additionally, it is vital to identify that the women that wore the dresses felt beautiful, curvy, and sexy.
While comparing the two images, I found it interesting how the women in both contexts tightly fitted the clothing to expose their natural silhouette. It also dawned on me that the new fashion trend was a simplified form of the old designs exhibited by the women’s dresses. Another interesting bit was the similarity in the appreciation of colors in both dresses.
The examination of the dressing models in the three settings establishes a profound comprehension of the current fashion world. It confirms that the designers have made extra steps to appreciate the fashion designs used in the past by adopting their skills of the structure. This move gives a precise explanation about the non-understood fashion world.
Works Cited
Historic Costume & Textiles Collection. "Reforming Fashion, 1850-1914: Politics, Health, and Art". n.p., 2012. Web. 23 Feb. 2016.
Mentges, Gabriele. "European Fashion (1450–1950) — EGO". EGO | Europäische Geschichte Online. n.p., 2011. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. < http://ieg-ego.eu/en/threads/models-and-stereotypes/the-spanish-century/gabriele-mentges-european-fashion-1450-1950>
Victoria and Albert Museum. "Introduction to 18th-Century Fashion - Victoria and Albert Museum". n.p., 2016. Web. 23 Feb. 2016. < http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/c/corsets-and-bustles-1880-1890-from-over-structured-opulence-to-the-healthy-corset/>
