Electronic Clip File

SADIE AUGUSTINE
MFD 201
 The Seventeenth Century

— During this period, the styles and ornamentation of dress were largely influenced by the transition of art from

Renaissance, to Mannerist, to Baroque. The changes in these differing styles of art were clearly reflected in

popular dress trends. France was under the reign of Louis XIII, while England was ruled by Charles II. The

way people dressed in the seventeenth century proclaimed their social status and clearly separated the wealthy

from the poor. The Puritans, who wanted to purify the Church of England from Roman Catholic practices, also

played a large part in the clothing of this period. The Puritans and the Cavaliers had very distinct styles of

dress to separate one group from the other. Although Spain was the leader in fashion during the sixteenth

century, it began to fall behind other countries during the seventeenth century. Breakthroughs in machinery

played a large part in the manufacturing of fabrics during this time; the draw loom was invented and made

figured silk fabrics easily acquirable. One of the reasons we know so much more about the clothing from this

period than the ones before is due to the paintings, portraits, and hand-colored fashion plates.

— Themes of influence: politics, religion, status

(Tortora & Marcketti)

 Muffs

Muffs were a popular accessory for women in the 17th century used to keep
women’s hands warm. This year, they were brought back on Chanel’s runway as
a muff that doubles as a purse.

(Mahe) (Sutton)
 Mules

Mules were some of the most popular kinds of footwear during the seventeenth
century. Today, designers such as Chanel, Gucci, and Prada are all bringing
mules back into their collections.

(Early) (Sarinana)
 The Eighteenth Century

— During the eighteenth century, France, which was under the reign of Louis XV, was the main influencer for fashion,

literature, decorative arts, and philosophy. Louis XV was a lazy and egotistical king with little interest in the importance

of his job, so he used his time to hunt and court women. One of his most well-known mistresses was Madame de

Pompadour, who served as his advisor and made the biggest social impact of all of his mistresses. In mid-century,

changes in philosophy were occurring, which came with changes in the styles of art as well. The shift in art styles can be

partly attributed to the discovery of Pompeii and Herculaneum after the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. The discovery of

these two ancient Italian cities sparked an interest in classical styles and themes once more. Queen Marie Antoinette

was also extremely influential for this century. She was a patron for fashion and bought on average 150 dresses per year,

and spent approximately $40,000 per year on clothes. However, the French people, wealthy and poor, were not fond of

her and contributed to the emergence of the French Revolution. Towards the end of the century, men who wore French

and Italian inspired clothing were considered fashion-forward and referred to as, Macaroni’s.

— Themes of influence: politics, conflict, technology

(Tortora & Marcketti)

 The Ditto Suit
The ditto suit, a three-piece suit made out of the same fabric, was extremely popular
during this century. Although Harry Styles’ (pictured right) Gucci suit is only two-
piece, it absolutely reflects the same concept of the 18th century ditto suit.

(A Colonial Gentlemen’s Clothing) (Waheed)

 Paniers

During the 18th century, the wide skirts of the dress are supported by a frame
called a panier. Pictured on the right is Janelle Monae at the 2017 Oscars;
although her dress is likely not being supported by paniers, the silhouette is
extremely similar.

(Patrick) (Okwodo)
 The Directorie & Empire Period

— The fascination with neoclassicism from the eighteenth century continued into the Directorie period. Most of

the Directorie period consisted of the French Revolution, which largely influenced the fashions of this time.

For instance, rebels wore the bonnet rouge, cockades, and sans culottes to demonstrate their support of the

revolution. The French people were outraged with their bankrupt government, the high unemployment rates,

and the overpricing of goods, which is what prompted their revolt. Following the Directorie period, the

Empire period was specifically named for French ruler, Napoleon Bonaparte. Bonaparte served as emperor of

France from 1790 to 1820. Many of the styles from the Directorie period remained, however, the popular styles

of the Incroyables and Merveilleuse disappeared. Bonaparte was conservative with his fashion and this was

translated to the French people as well. Napoleon wished to provide a stage for fashions to be displayed and

put a halt to all imports of fabrics to spark an interest in French goods.

— Themes of influence: politics, technology, economy (trade)

(Tortora & Marcketti)

 Empire Silhouette

The Empire line can be

described as a high-
waisted, relatively
straight silhouette. It
was the most popular
silhouette of that period
and is still common in
fashion today. On the
right, the empire waist is
seen on a dress in
Giambattista Valli’s
Spring 2016 runway
show. This silhouette is
also very common in
maternity and
bridesmaid dresses.

(Borrelli-Persson) (Phelps)
 The Spencer Jacket

The Spencer jacket

is a short jacket that
is cut just below the
bust line and is
worn by both men
and women. On the
right, a variation of
the Spencer can be
seen on the Calvin
Luo runway
featuring silver
buttons and a
severe cropped
silhouette.

(Timeline) (Okwodo)
 The Crinoline Period

— The Crinoline period is appropriately named for the crinoline skirt, which was a metal frame for holding out

women’s skirts. Hoop skirts were previously held out by numerous starched petticoats until September of 1856

when Peterson’s Magazine published an article stating the negative health effects caused by the weight of the

petticoats. At this time, the United States was fighting the Civil War and sewing machines made it possible to

make military uniforms quickly and efficiently. In Paris, the founder of French couture, Charles Worth, was

paving the way for haute couture designers. Worth was an Englishman who moved to Paris to work in the

fabric houses, later when his wife began wearing his designs in public, the requests came flooding in for

similar custom dresses. Worth gravitated toward wealthy, influential women to wear his designs and dressed

royalty and celebrities. Queen Victoria reigned over England during this time and was admired by her people

for her loving spirit and family values. Britain was also booming with imports, exports, and industrial

innovations.

— Themes of influence: status, economy

(Tortora & Marcketti)

 The Crinoline

The Crinoline period was named after the ever-so-popular crinoline skirt. This was
a hoop skirt that was held up by a metal frame called the caged crinoline. On the
right, Giambattista Valli featured this stunning gown with a hoop skirt in his
Spring/Summer 2017 collection. Although this version probably wasn’t supported
by a metal frame, it still portrays the same silhouette.

(The Crinoline or Hoop Skirt) (All the Looks)

 The Frock Coat

The frock coat was a staple in men’s fashion during this period and it was mainly
worn during the daytime. Today, variations of the frock coat can be seen at many
different retailers. Pictured on the right is a navy frock coat with gold buttons and
gold striped detailing sold by Zara.

(1860s Frock Coats) (Mandarin)

 The Bustle Period & The Nineties

— This period was named for the ever-so-popular trend, the bustle. The bustle is described as, “a device that

provided the shape of a skirt silhouette with pronounced back fullness”. This was the popular silhouette until

the 1890s, and this is when “leg of mutton” sleeves which were extremely full at the shoulder and gradually

became more fitted toward the wrist. This time period is also referred to as the Gay Nineties which conveys a

fun, whimsical tone coming out of the more serious Victorian era. During this time, women were beginning to

get jobs of their own and bicycling became a very popular sport among women. Pre-Raphaelite and Art

Nouveau aesthetics were prevalent in art and these styles were reflected in fashion. In the United States,

women were joining the workforce as well; they held jobs as nurses, teachers, waitresses, bookkeepers,

dressmakers, and even farm hands. This change in the daily lives of women also had an effect on their clothes.

Woman’s fashion simplified with shorter skirts, and less decoration to be more suitable for the workforce.

Luckily, photographs have documented the way these women dressed since most magazines did not

acknowledge the adaptation.

— Themes of influence: status, technology

(Tortora & Marcketti)

 The Sack Jacket
During this period,
one of the most
popular elements of
dress was the sack
jacket. The allure of
this particular jacket
is that it was not
fitted and could be
handed down
through
generations; it is
known as the
forerunner to the
tuxedo. Today, we
see many versions of
tuxedo jackets;
different colors,
patterns, and
fabrics.
(Bustle) (Leitch)
 The Bustle

During this period,

the bustle was the
predominant
feature of women’s
dress. It’s main
purpose was to
make the S-shaped
silhouette that was
so popular. Today,
bustles are seen
mainly in wedding
gowns and
formalwear for
decoration and to
keep the train
from dragging and
getting ruined.
(Van Cleak) (What Is A Bustle?)
 Works Cited

1860s Frock Coats (n.d.). In WalterNelson.com. Retrieved November 26, 2017.

A Colonial Gentlemen’s Clothing: A Glossary of Terms (n.d.). In History.org. Retrieved November 16,

2017.

All the Looks From Giambattista Valli Spring-Summer Couture 2017 Collection (2017, January 24). In

Elle.com. Retrieved November 19, 2017.

Borrelli-Persson, L. (2016, July 11). Tracking the Rise of the Empire Line From Empress Josephine to

Maison Margiela. In Vogue.com. Retrieved November 26, 2017.

Bustle & 1890s (n.d.). In LowellDesigns.com. Retrieved November 26, 2017.

Early 17th C. Lady’s Mules (n.d.). In Aands.org. Retrieved November 26, 2017.

Leitch, L. (2017, January 17). Fall 2017 Menswear: Giorgio Armani. In Vogue.com. Retrieved November

26, 2017.
 Works Cited Continued

Mahe PhD, Y. (2012, February 19). History of Fur in Fashion 10th to 19th Century. In FashionInTime.org.

Retrieved November 16, 2017.

Mandarin Collar Frock Coat (n.d.). In Zara.com. Retrieved November 19, 2017.

Okwodo, J. (2017, September 12). Spring 2018 Ready-To-Wear: Calvin Luo. In Vogue.com. Retrieved

November 26, 2017.

Okwodo, J. (2017 , February 26). The Story Behind Janelle Monae’s Dramatic 2017 Oscars Look. In

Vogue.com. Retrieved November 26, 2017.

Patrick, N. (2016, July 30). Pannier-The 18th Century Fashion Undergarment That Kept The Gown

Spectacular. In TheVintageNews.com. Retrieved November 26, 2017.

Phelps, N. (2016, January 25). Giambattista Valli-Spring 2016 Couture. In Vogue.com. Retrieved

November 19, 2017.

 Works Cited Continued (2)
Sarinana, J. (2016, September 29). Fallin’ For Fall. In SincerelyJules.com. Retrieved November 26, 2017.

Sutton, S. (2017, March 7). Chanel’s Most Practical Handbag Just Hit The Runway. In Coveteur.com. Retrieved

November 16, 2017.

The Crinoline or Hoop Skirt (n.d.). In Victoriana.com. Retrieved November 26, 2017.

Timeline Of Art History (n.d.). In MetMuseum.org. Retrieved November 26, 2017.

Tortora, P. G., & Marcketti, S. B. (2015). Survey Of Historic Costume (6th ed.). New York, NY: Bloomsbury

Publishing.

Waheed, J. (2017, September 23). Rocking Out In Styles. In DailyMail.com. Retrieved November 17, 2017.

What Is A Bustle And Why Do You Need One? (n.d.). In WeddingConnectionsHV.com. Retrieved November 26,

2017.

Van Cleak, K. (2011, May). Late Eighteenth Century Skirt Supports: Bums, Rumps, and Culs. In

DemondeCouture.com. Retrieved November 19, 2017.