(Short n’ Sweet) History of 18th Century Fashion
Think *and imagine, if you please: wigs, embroidery, buckled shoes, frills, bows, puffed sleeves, silk socks, lace, petticoats, powdered wigs, jabots, and of course, blow-your-mind full skirts.
How else to dance to the music of Lully, Handel, or Bach, if not with grace, poise and elegance. The attire simply had to match!
The members of the WORKING CLASS, and especially the SLAVES, were far from lucky to enjoy extravagance, and wore simple, practical clothes made of inexpensive, harsh fabrics (cheap linen or untreated wool). It allowed freedom of movement and durability.
Those in somewhat better financial situation would wear similar fashion as the upper classes (shirts, waistcoats, coats and breeches for men; shifts, petticoats, and dresses or jackets for women), but their best garments were reserved for a church service on Sunday and infrequent special occasions.
AND THEN, THERE were THE RICH… Ah, the rich !
Their clothes were mostly made from expensive fabrics, like superfine wool broadcloth, or silks (except in the smouldering hot regions like the Caribbean, or Virginia, where the fabric of choice was cotton); Lace was delicate, intricate, and expensive; Embroidery was detailed and sumptuous; Hairstyles even more so (the tall headdresses being the distinctive fashion of the 1770s).
Even though Italy, England, Austria, and Russia had their own world of extravagance, when we think of 18th century, there is an unequivocal supremacy of France and French taste, the sentiment the French made sure had prevailed: They, for example, preferred paintings of the indoor scenes where they could demonstrate their luxury, both in dress and lifestyle. The English, on the other hand, were more “egalitarian” in tastes, tended to have their portraits in the outdoor scenes and would wear more simple, pastoral attire. No wonder, then, when we think of opulence and extravagance, it is undoubtedly the Sun King, Madame Pompadour, and Marie-Antoinette we think of.
these are just a few dress styles during the reign of Louis XVI: la polonaise, la circassienne, la caraco, la pelisse, à l’Austrasienne, à l’Anglaise, à la Française, la retroussée, la robe volante/robe battante, (the scandalous!) robe en chemise, à la Turque, la redingote, and of course, the most famous of all la robe de cour. Just for the fun, here are few hat-style names: Chapeau-bonnette; à l’Anglomane, à l’Espagnole, à la Tartarienne…
Men were not too far when it came to showing off: frills and ruffles, embroidered coats, silk breaches and silk stockings, buckled shoes, powdered wigs with bows, plumed hats, lace, and frilled jabots.
The fashion changed several times during the 18th century, becoming more relaxed and simpler towards its end — people preferring comfort and practicality, looking to the nature (rather than their monarchs) for fashion inspiration. This was mostly a ref the political changes, like the American and French Revolutions. Around this time (mostly in men’s fashion) the image of “nonchalance” became important with the main goal to look as fashionable as possible with seemingly little to no effort.
Ah, fashion, thy name is vanity.