FUNDAMENTAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VARIOUS

KINDS OF COSTUMES
CLIMATE:
 The fundamental differences between the various kinds of costumes
were determined by climate.
 The inhabitants of cold region have always worn clothes to help
withstand the Rigors of low temperatures , for them this was
necessity, rather than matter of choice.
 The choice of covering and ornaments in tropical regious is
conditioned by the exhausting heat. People in these temperature
zones, frees from the decades of climate, could vary their costumes at
will in accordance with religious or social demands.
 When it comes to fashion, weather plays an important role in
determining how we dress. People have to deal with everything from
snow to rain to the humid heat of the tropics, not to mention regularly
changing seasons in much of the world. But climate isn't the only
consideration when it comes to deciding what to wear. The choice to
put on sunscreen before going to the beach or carry an umbrella if it's
drizzling has as much to do with other societal factors as it does
weather.

"We know that weather and how people dress aren't always exactly related,
because in some places, if there is a strong religious overlay, people will cover
themselves even when it's very hot," said Joanne Eicher, editor in chief of the Berg
Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion. "For example, for people who are
really committed to being Islamic, a woman will wear something that covers her
totally because she's committed to her religion."

Sometimes people will dress in ways that seem counter to the weather just because
it's more fashionable, Eicher added. She said examples of this can be seen in
teenage boys not wearing snow boots in the wintertime, and in the origins of Ugg
Boots. These sheepskin boots, now commonly used in snow and cold weather,
were first created in Australia and came to the United States via the beaches of
California, despite the fact that the climate in both of those locations is warm.
"Fashion isn't really a matter of being vain or overly preoccupied with self, it's a
part of being socialized," Eicher said. "For many people, fashion is really about
fitting in."

Besides weather and religion, other factors that impact fashion include age, gender,
wealth, status, and technology. New technology for producing different synthetic
textiles has radically changed the material clothing is made from. Eicher said that
in the past, people had to rely on natural materials to make clothing. Large leaves,
fish scales and even the intestine of large sea mammals could be employed to make
raincoats. The latter, known as "gutskin parkas," were commonly used among Inuit
and Eskimo people during periods of wet weather or for ocean travel, according to
the Smithsonian Institution. Today, many raincoats are made of vinyl or
microfiber.

As in the past, extreme weather conditions still dictate what people wear. In the
Arctic and Antarctica, for example, it's impossible to be outdoors without bundling
up. Inuit peoples historically relied on sealskin and caribou furs to make warm
coats that protected them during the long winters.

Whether our fashion will change even more as a response to climate change is
impossible to predict, but it's certain that weather and culture will continue to
influence what we wear.

STATUS – RITUAL:
 The fact that in more temperature regions, hunting people are aborned
rather than clothed leads us to reach for the origions of this behavior
in the wish to distinguish oneself from the other members of the
group, desire to attract attention or sympathy to specify the Jage
group, the tribal classification or the status of the individual ,
bachelor, married or widower. It is also possible to establish links
with religious ceremonies, or rites connected with mouring and war.
 It is very possible that in hot climates, the skin and furs used in
costumes covered only the sexual organs, but this would have been in
response to a regious idea of taboo rather than because of a physical
nrrd to protect. Origionally in hide and later in cloth, this ancestral
garment was respectfully presewed in the exercise of workship.
PRE-HISTORY:

BEGINNING:

The term pre-history can be referred to the vast span of time since the
beginning of the universe but more often it refers to the period life appeared
on the earth, or even more specifically to the time since human-like beings
appeared.

END:

The date marking the end of prehistory in a particular culture or region is the
date when relevant written historical records become useful academic
resources varies enormously from region to region. For example; In Egypt it
is generally accepted that prehistory ended around 3200 B.C, whereas, in
New Guinea the end of prehistoric era is set much more recently at around
1900 A.D.

Prehistory refers to the period of time before civilization and writing. We don't
know a lot about prehistory.
Since pre means "before," and history is the record of human
events, prehistory refers to the time before human civilization developed and
started writing things down. Scientists often speculate about what happened in
prehistory, which is also known as prehistoric times. When did spoken language
develop? What was the first tool? What were families like? Scientists study fossils
and artifacts to help them theorize about prehistory, because people weren’t
writing things down during that time.

TIME PERIODS:

In dividing up human prehistory in Eurasia, historians typically use

the three-age system, whereas scholars of pre-human time periods typically
use the well-defined geologic record and its internationally
defined stratum base within the geologic time scale. The three-age system is
the periodization of human prehistory into three consecutive time periods,
named for their respective predominant tool-making technologies:

 Stone Age
 Bronze Age
  Iron Age

MEANS OF PREHISTORY:
The main source for prehistory is archaeology, but some scholars are beginning to
make more use of evidence from the natural and social sciences. This view has
been articulated by advocates of deep history.
The primary researchers into human prehistory are archaeologists and
physical anthropologists who use excavation, geologic and geographic surveys,
and other scientific analysis to reveal and interpret the nature and behavior of pre-
literate and non-literate peoples. Human population geneticists and historical
linguists are also providing valuable insight for these questions. Cultural
anthropologists help provide context for societal interactions, by which objects of
human origin pass among people, allowing an analysis of any article that arises in a
human prehistoric context. Therefore, data about prehistory is provided by a wide
variety of natural and social sciences, such
as paleontology, biology, archaeology, palynology, geology, archaeoastronomy, co
mparative linguistics, anthropology, molecular genetics and many others.
Human prehistory differs from history not only in terms of its chronology but in
the way it deals with the activities of archaeological cultures rather than
named nations or individuals. Restricted to material processes, remains and
artifacts rather than written records, prehistory is anonymous. Because of this,
reference terms that prehistorians use, such as Neanderthal or Iron Age are modern
labels with definitions sometimes subject to debate.
STONE AGE:
The concept of a "Stone Age" is found useful in the archaeology of most of the
world, though in the archaeology of the Americas it is called by different names
and begins with a Lithic stage, or sometimes Paleo-Indian. The sub-divisions
described below are used for Eurasia, and not consistently across the whole area.
1) PALAEOLITHIC:
"Palaeolithic" means "Old Stone Age", and begins with the first use of stone tools.
The Paleolithic is the earliest period of the Stone Age.
The early part of the Palaeolithic is called the Lower Palaeolithic, which
predates Homo sapiens, beginning with Homo habilis (and related species) and
with the earliest stone tools, dated to around 2.5 million years ago. [11] Evidence
of control of fire by early humans during the Lower Palaeolithic Era is uncertain
and has at best limited scholarly support. The most widely accepted claim is
that H. erectus or H. ergaster made fires between 790,000 and 690,000 BP (before
the present period) in a site at Bnot Ya'akov Bridge, Israel. The use of fire enabled
early humans to cook food, provide warmth, and have a light source at night.
Early Homo sapiens originated some 200,000 years ago, ushering in the Middle
Palaeolithic. Anatomic changes indicating modern language capacity also arise
during the Middle Palaeolithic.[12] During the Middle Palaeolithic Era, there is the
first definitive evidence of human use of fire. Sites in Zambia have charred bone
and wood that have been dated to 61,000 B.P. The systematic burial of the
dead, music, early art, and the use of increasingly sophisticated multi-part tools are
highlights of the Middle Paleolithic.
Throughout the Palaeolithic, humans generally lived as nomadic hunter-
gatherers. Hunter-gatherer societies tended to be very small and egalitarian, though
hunter-gatherer societies with abundant resources or advanced food-storage
techniques sometimes developed sedentary lifestyles with complex social
structures such as chiefdoms, and social stratification. Long-distance contacts may
have been established, as in the case of Indigenous Australian "highways" known
as songlines..

2) MESOLITHIC:
The "Mesolithic", or "Middle Stone Age" (from the Greek "mesos", "middle", and
"lithos", "stone") was a period in the development of human technology between
the Palaeolithic and Neolithic periods of the Stone Age.
The Mesolithic period began at the end of the Pleistocene epoch, some 10,000 BP,
and ended with the introduction of agriculture, the date of which varied by
geographic region. In some areas, such as the Near East, agriculture was already
underway by the end of the Pleistocene, and there the Mesolithic is short and
poorly defined. In areas with limited glacial impact, the term "Epipalaeolithic" is
sometimes preferred.
Regions that experienced greater environmental effects as the last ice age ended
have a much more evident Mesolithic era, lasting millennia. In Northern Europe,
societies were able to live well on rich food supplies from the marshlandsfostered
by the warmer climate. Such conditions produced distinctive human behaviours
that are preserved in the material record, such as
the Maglemosian and Azilian cultures. These conditions also delayed the coming
of the Neolithic until as late as 4000 BCE (6,000 BP) in northern Europe.
Remains from this period are few and far between, often limited to middens. In
forested areas, the first signs of deforestation have been found, although this would
only begin in earnest during the Neolithic, when more space was needed
for agriculture.
The Mesolithic is characterized in most areas by small composite flint tools —
microliths and microburins. Fishing tackle, stone adzes and wooden objects,
e.g. canoesand bows, have been found at some sites. These technologies first occur
in Africa, associated with the Azilian cultures, before spreading to Europe through
the Ibero-Maurusian culture of Northern Africa and the Kebaran culture of
the Levant. Independent discovery is not always ruled out.

3) NEOLITHIC:
"Neolithic" means "New Stone Age." Although there were several species of
human beings during the Paleolithic, by the Neolithic only Homo sapiens
sapiens remained.[15] (Homo floresiensis may have survived right up to the very
dawn of the Neolithic, about 12,200 years ago.)[16] This was a period of
primitive technological and social development. It began about 10,200 BCE in
some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world [17] and ended
between 4,500 and 2,000 BCE. The Neolithic is a progression of behavioral and
cultural characteristics and changes, including the use of wild and domestic crops
and of domesticated animals.
Early Neolithic farming was limited to a narrow range of plants, both wild and
domesticated, which included einkorn wheat, millet and spelt, and the keeping
of dogs, sheep and goats. By about 6,900–6,400 BCE, it included
domesticated cattle and pigs, the establishment of permanently or seasonally
inhabited settlements, and the use of pottery. The Neolithic period saw the
development of early villages, agriculture, animal domestication, tools and the
onset of the earliest recorded incidents of warfare.[18] The Neolithic era
commenced with the beginning of farming, which produced the "Neolithic
Revolution". It ended when metal tools became widespread (in the Copper
Age or Bronze Age; or, in some geographical regions, in the Iron Age).The
term Neolithic is commonly used in the Old World, as its application to cultures in
the Americas and Oceania that did not fully develop metal-working technology
raises problems.
Settlements became more permanent with some having circular houses with single
rooms made of mudbrick. Settlements might have a surrounding stone wall to keep
domesticated animals in and protect the inhabitants from other tribes. Later
settlements have rectangular mud-brick houses where the family lived together in
single or multiple rooms. Burial findings suggest an ancestor cult where
people preserved skulls of the dead. The Vinča culture may have created the
earliest system of writing.[19] The megalithic temple complexes of Ġgantijaare
notable for their gigantic structures. Although some late Eurasian Neolithic
societies formed complex stratified chiefdoms or even states, states evolved in
Eurasia only with the rise of metallurgy, and most Neolithic societies on the whole
were relatively simple and egalitarian.[20] Most clothing appears to have been made
of animal skins, as indicated by finds of large numbers of bone and antler pins
which are ideal for fastening leather. Wool cloth and linen might have become
available during the later Neolithic,[21][22]as suggested by finds of perforated stones
that (depending on size) may have served as spindle whorls or loom weights.
4) CHALCOLITHIC:
In Old World archaeology, the "Chalcolithic", "Eneolithic" or "Copper Age" refers
to a transitional period where early coppermetallurgy appeared alongside the
widespread use of stone tools. During this period, some weapons and tools were
made of copper. This period was still largely Neolithic in character. It is a phase of
the Bronze Age before it was discovered that adding tin to copper formed the
harder bronze. The Copper Age was originally defined as a transition between
the Neolithic and the Bronze Age. However, because it is characterized by the use
of metals, the Copper Age is considered a part of the Bronze Age rather than the
Stone Age.
An archaeological site in Serbia contains the oldest securely dated evidence of
copper making at high temperature, from 7,500 years ago. The find in June 2010
extends the known record of copper smelting by about 800 years, and suggests that
copper smelting may have been invented in separate parts of Asia and Europe at
that time rather than spreading from a single source.[26] The emergence
of metallurgy may have occurred first in the Fertile Crescent, where it gave rise to
the Bronze Age in the 4th millennium BCE (the traditional view), though finds
from the Vinča culture in Europe have now been securely dated to slightly earlier
than those of the Fertile Crescent. Timna Valley contains evidence of copper
mining 9,000 to 7,000 years ago. The process of transition from Neolithic to
Chalcolithic in the Middle East is characterized in archaeological stone tool
assemblages by a decline in high quality raw material procurement and use. North
Africa and the Nile Valley imported its iron technology from the Near East and
followed the Near Eastern course of Bronze Age and Iron Age development.
However the Iron Age and Bronze Age occurred simultaneously in much of Africa.

BRONZE AGE
The Bronze Age is the earliest period in which some civilizations have reached the
end of prehistory, by introducing written records. The Bronze Age or parts thereof
are thus considered to be part of prehistory only for the regions and civilizations
who adopted or developed a system of keeping written records during later periods.
The invention of writing coincides in some areas with the early beginnings of the
Bronze Age. Soon after the appearance of writing, people started creating texts
including written accounts of events and records of administrative matters.
The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the
most advanced metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use) included
techniques for smelting copper and tin from naturally occurring outcroppings of
ores, and then combining them to cast bronze. These naturally occurring ores
typically included arsenic as a common impurity. Copper/tin ores are rare, as
reflected in the fact that there were no tin bronzes in Western Asia before 3000
BCE. The Bronze Age forms part of the three-age system for prehistoric societies.
In this system, it follows the Neolithic in some areas of the world.
While copper is a common ore, deposits of tin are rare in the Old World, and often
had to be traded or carried considerable distances from the few mines, stimulating
the creation of extensive trading routes. In many areas as far apart as China and
England, the valuable new material was used for weapons but for a long time
apparently not available for agricultural tools. Much of it seems to have been
hoarded by social elites, and sometimes deposited in extravagant quantities,
from Chinese ritual bronzes and Indian copper hoards to European hoards of
unused axe-heads.
By the end of the Bronze Age large states, which are often called empires, had
arisen in Egypt, China, Anatolia (the Hittites) and Mesopotamia, all of them
literate.

IRON AGE
The Iron Age is not part of prehistory for all civilizations who had introduced
written records during the Bronze Age. Most remaining civilizations did so during
the Iron Age, often through conquest by the empires, which continued to expand
during this period. For example, in most of Europe conquest by the Roman
Empire means that the term Iron Age is replaced by "Roman", "Gallo-Roman" and
similar terms after the conquest.
In archaeology, the Iron Age refers to the advent of ferrous metallurgy. The
adoption of iron coincided with other changes in some past cultures, often
including more sophisticated agricultural practices, religious beliefs and artistic
styles, which makes the archaeological Iron Age coincide with the "Axial Age" in
the history of philosophy. Although iron ore is common, the metalworking
techniques necessary to use iron are very different from those needed for the metal
used earlier, and iron was slow-spreading and for long mainly used for weapons,
while bronze remained typical for tools, as well as art.

PROTOHISTORY:

Proto-history is a period between pre-history and history during which a culture or

civilization has not yet developed writing but often cultures have already noted its
existence in their own writing. For example; in Europe, the German tribes maybe
considered to have been protohistoric when they BEGAN appearing in Greek and
Roman sources.

Protohistoric may also refer to the transition period between the advent
of literacy in a society and the writings of the first historians. The preservation of
oral traditions may complicate matters as these can provide a secondary historical
source for even earlier events. Colonial sites involving a literate group and a non-
literate group are also studied as protohistoric situations.
It can also refer to a period in which fragmentary or external historical documents,
not necessarily including a developed writing system, have been found. For
instance, the Proto–Three Kingdoms of Korea, the Yayoi[1] and
the Mississippian groups recorded by early European explorers are protohistoric.

CHRONOLOGY
As with prehistory, determining when a culture may be considered prehistoric or
protohistoric is sometimes difficult for archaeologists. Data vary considerably from
culture to culture, region to region, and even from one system of reckoning dates to
another.
In its simplest form, protohistory follows the same chronology as prehistory, based
on the technological advancement of a particular people with regard to metallurgy:

 The Copper Age or Chalcolithic

 The Bronze Age
 The Iron Age

HISTORY:

History is the study of past as it is described in written documents even

occurring before written records are considered prehistory.

HOW WOMEN USED TO DRESS:

 String skirt
 Fringes that were sewn
 Woven waist belt
 Sleeved bodice

HOW MEN USED TO DRESS:

 Tunic was formed from a piece of cloth which was less rectangular in shape.
SKIN AND HIDE:
On account of extreme temperatures people only a few months to hunt these
conditions let to the pre-dominant views of animal’s skin for warmth. Tools used
for the preparations of skins were scrapers and burins, flint knifes, clay salts,
threads, hair from horse tails, needle from the bones, bone buttons. Fastening from
seal tooth, wild beast’s skin, stripped skin, shoulder hangings from animal’s paws
and shoulder fastening.

EGYPTIANS:
The ancient Egyptians were very particular about cleanliness and personal
appearance. People who were poorly groomed were considered inferior. Both men
and women used cosmetics and wore jewelry. Working-class men wore loincloths
or short kilts, as well as long shirt-like garments tied with a sash at the waist.
Wealthy men wore knee-length shirts, loincloths or kilts and adorned themselves
with jewelry – a string of beads, armlets and bracelets. Working-class women wore
full-length wraparound gowns and close-fitting sheaths. Elite women enhanced
their appearance with make-up, earrings, bracelets and necklaces.
The clothing patterns were embroidered, printed, bearded, jeweled.
Lotus flower is the most important design in Egyptian embroideries
Triangle is a symbol of power for Egyptians which can also be found on Egyptians
embroidery.
FOOTWEAR:
Both men and women wore sandals made of papyrus. Sandals made of vegetable
fibers or leather was depicted but few were seen barefoot as well.

ATTIRE FOR GODS AND GODDESSES:

Goddesses and elite women were portrayed wearing a sheath with broad shoulder
straps decorated with gold thread and colorful beadwork, and a type of sari; the
sheath was single strapped and highly decorated whereas the men wore knee-
length shirts, loincloths or kilts made of linen. Their garments were sometimes
decorated with gold thread and colorful beadwork. The priests, viziers and certain
officials wore long white robes that had a strap over one shoulder with leopard
skins over their robes.
HAIR AND HEADDRESSES:
Hair was pleated and braided and scented and both men and women used to wear
wigs whereas young children were bald. Egyptians showered their heads and
considered it as hygienic, according to them having hair on heas was unhygienic
and dirty. Human hair was traded from other countries. Wigs were a part of elite
class. Beards were decorated from copper and gold and the shape of beard used to
signify some status, dignity and power. There were removable beards so man can
change style.
MAKEUP AND JEWELRY:
Makeup and jewelry was also a necessity, buckles and necklaces were worn and
eye makeup was worn by both. Women used to blend materials with water and
paste and used them with different sticks of brushes. Use of makeup used to signify
about status and ritual.

1) Papyrus: A material similar to thick paper that was used in ancient time for
writing purpose made from the pit of papyrus plant.
2) Loincloth: Single piece of cloth, wrapped around the hips, worn by men in hot
countries.
3) Kilt: Garment resembling a knee length skirt of pleats.
4) Goffered frill: Designs on the edge of the garment.
5) Girtle: A belt worn by around the waist, rich man used t wear this.
6) Kalas: Pleaded dress for women (long)
7) Head dress: Nemes; made from linen, used starch to stiff it.
8) Khepresh: Blue crown of war to show the militarian position
ROMANS:
ROMAN CIVILIZATION:
Roman clothing owed much to that of ancient Greece but it had distinct form of its
own in the entire ancient world. They has simple clothes and they had rarely only
material. Wool, although to some extent linen was also available. At that time
minimum stitching and sewing was done and clothing was rather fastened with
clasps or broaches. Roman men used to wear wigs to hide baldness. Hairstyles and
beard varied time to time. Rings were the only jewelry worn by both men and
women. Early Roman jewelry resembles the Greek and Etruscan jewelry but
Roman styles were eventually developed. They were fond of colored stones like
Topaz, Emeralds, Rubies, and Sapphire etc. Pendants especially cameos in gold
frames were popular. They also used to dye their fabric with the help of
Haustellum brandaris (seashell used to get a purple-red kind of dye) and dyes were
permanently used by wealthy women. Yellow, indigo, blue shades were also
widely used in dying. Romans used two types of tanning, one was the mineral
tanning and the other was sun tanning. Romans used tools that resemble those used
in the middle Ages.

ATTIRE:
Clothing in ancient Rome generally comprised a short-sleeved or sleeveless, knee-
length tunic for men and boys, and a longer, usually sleeved tunic for women and
girls. On formal occasions, adult male citizens could wear a woolen toga, draped
over their tunic, and married citizen women wore a woolen mantle, known as a
palla, over a stola, a simple, long-sleeved, voluminous garment that hung to
misstep. Clothing, footwear and accoutrements identified gender, status, rank and
social class, and thus offered a means of social control. This was probably most
apparent in the segregation of seating tiers at public theatres, games and festivals.
Magistrates, priesthoods and the military had their own distinctive and privileged
forms of dress. The toga was considered Rome's "national costume" but for day-to-
day activities, most Romans preferred more casual, practical and comfortable
clothing; in various forms, the tunic was the basic garment for all classes, both
sexes and most occupations. It was usually made of linen, and was augmented as
necessary with underwear, or with various kinds of cold-or-wet weather wear, such
as knee-breeches for men, and cloaks, coats and hats. In colder parts of the empire,
full length trousers were worn. Most urban Romans wore shoes, slippers, boots or
sandals of various types; in the countryside, some wore clogs. Bulla was also worn
by both men and women as children and women headwear was also a necessity.
Tunics: Wore beneath their legs, short sleeved woolen top reaching to the knees
The tunic was standard dress for all men from slaves to the nobles. It could be
worn plain, belted at the waist or under a cloak. Citizens of Rome would wear a
tunic under their toga.
The simplest and cheapest tunics were made by sewing two pieces of wool
together to make a tube with holes for the arms. For those that could afford it
tunics could be made of linen or even silk. The tunic would be worn belted at the
waist and just covering the knees.
Togas: Worn by men, structured cloth, 15 feet long, longer and wider, heavier
fabric, it is wrapped around the waist. Only male citizens of Rome were allowed to
wear togas. They were made out of wool and were very large. The material was not
sewn or pinned but was draped around the body and over one arm. Togas were
very expensive because of the large amount of material needed to make them and
very heavy. It was the law that all citizens wore togas for public events. They were
even told which colour of toga they had to wear:
I. A plain white toga was worn by all adult male citizens
II. An off-white toga with a purple border was worn by magistrates and upper
class boys.
III. A toga made of dark coloured wool was worn after someone had died
IV. A bleached toga was worn by politicians
V. A purple toga with gold embroidery was worn by a victorious general and
later by emperors.
In later times it became more acceptable to wear togas of different colours
with embroidery but this was frowned on by those who preferred to keep to
the established order.

 Toga virlis: Wore by 14 to 16 age of men or usually the lower member of

senate.
 Toga practexta: Boys before they come to age
 Toga candida: Bleached white tunic worn by higher member of senate
 Toga pulla: Dark color of toga, worn in the occasion of mourning or at the
time of imperial crisis.
 Toga travea: Only the anchores and selected members of senate used to wear
it
 Stola: Long linen dress with long sleeves
 Palla: Rectangular cloak, weight depends on the weather
Stola and palla:
Besides tunics, married citizen women wore a simple garment known as a stola (pl.
stolae) which was associated with traditional Roman female virtues, especially
modesty. In the early Roman Republic, the stola was reserved to patricianwomen.
Shortly before the Second Punic War, the right to wear it was extended to plebeian
matrons, and to freedwomen who had acquired the status of matron through
marriage to a citizen. Stolae typically comprised two rectangular segments of cloth
joined at the side by fibulae and buttons in a manner allowing the garment to be
draped in elegant but concealing folds.
Over the stola, citizen-women often wore the palla, a sort of rectangular shawl up
to 11 feet long, and five wide. It could be worn as a coat, or draped over the left
shoulder, under the right arm, and then over the left arm. Outdoors and in public,
a chaste matron's hair was bound up in woolen bands (fillets, or vitae) in a high-
piled style known as tutulus. Her face was concealed from the public, male gaze
with a veil; her palla could also serve as a hooded cloak.[14][15] Two ancient literary
sources mention use of a coloured strip or edging (a limbus) on a woman's
"mantle", or on the hem of their tunic; probably a mark of their high status, and
presumably purple.[16] Outside the confines of their homes, matrons were expected
to wear veils; a matron who appeared without a veil was held to have repudiated
her marriage. High-caste women convicted of adultery, and high-class female
prostitutes (meretrices), were not only forbidden public use of the stola, but might
have been expected to wear a toga muliebris (a "woman's toga") as a sign of
their infamy.

 Tutulus: It was a hairstyle stripe of hair and top knot at the back.
 Flavion hair was tiles of curls going inwards forming a bunch of top knot at
the back
 Romans used to wear sandals, shoes made up of leather.
 Leggings were used as leg protectors in cold climate, usually worn by
gladiators.
 Some famous head dresses are namely; coronotriumphalis,
obsidimaliscivica, muralis, castrensis, narvalis.
EARLY MIDDLE AGES AND COLLAPSE OF ROMANS:
The Early Middle Ages from the 5th to the 10th century CE marked the
start of the Middle Ages of European history. The Early Middle Ages
followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire. The Early Middle Ages
largely overlap with Late Antiquity. The term "Late Antiquity" is used to
emphasize elements of continuity with the Roman Empire, while "Early
Middle Ages" is used to emphasize developments characteristic of the later
medieval period. The period saw a continuation of trends begun during late
classical antiquity, including population decline, especially in urban centers,
a decline of trade, and increased immigration. The period has been labelled
the "Dark Ages", a characterization highlighting the relative scarcity of
literary and cultural output from this time. However the Byzantine Empire,
continued to survive, and in the 7th century the Islamic caliphates conquered
swathes of formerly Roman territory.

MINOAN CLOTHING
The Minoan culture developed on the Greek island of Cretein about
3000B.C.E.Minoans created a thriving society around royal palaces and survived
for several hundred years. Archeologists, scientists who study the remains of
ancient cultures, have excavated sites in Crete to find pottery, frescoes (paintings
applied directly to wet plaster on walls) on the walls of palace remains, and statues.
These artifacts provide a vivid picture of Minoan culture, especially that of the
wealthy citizens.

Minoan remains indicate that Minoan clothing fit the contours of the body and
required knowledge of sewing techniques. Men wore a variety ofloincoverings and
rarely covered their upper bodies. Women wore tiered, bell-shaped skirts and fitted
short-sleeved tops that exposed the breasts. Minoans seemed to idealize tiny
waists, and both men and women wore tightly fitted belts, or girdles, that cinched
their waists down to a fashionably small size.
MYCENAEAN CLOTHING:
When the Minoan culture disappeared in about 1600B.C.E., for reasons
archeologists still have yet to discover, the Mycenaean culture began to flourish on
mainland Greece and invaded Crete, where they encountered the Minoans. The
remains of Minoan culture influenced the Mycenaeans who adopted many of their
clothing styles. Women's clothing is especially difficult to distinguish from Minoan
clothing. Women wore the same long skirts and short-sleeved tops; however,
paintings indicate that Mycenaean women did occasionally cover their breasts with
a bib or blouse. Mycenaean men appear to have worn loin coverings similar to the
Minoans, but more frequently they seem to have worn short-sleeved tunics with a
belted waist. The true distinguishing costumes of the Mycenaeans were their
armor. Evidence indicates that Mycenaeans were warlike peoples. For battle
Mycenaean soldiers wore protective clothingthat wrapped the body from neck to
thigh in bronze plates, bronze leg guards, and helmets constructed of boar's tusks.

GREEK CLOTHING:
As the Mycenaean culture began to suffer from famines and other environmental
catastrophes around 1200B.C.E., another culture began to flourish. The Dorians,
ancient Greeks, became dominant and conquered the struggling Mycenaeans.
Although no evidence about what Greeks wore has been discovered for life
between the twelfth and the eighth centuriesB.C.E., by the eighth century art was
again being produced and paintings of Greek clothing styles appeared. As one can
see in many examples from Greek art, the ancient Greeks had a great appreciation
for the beauty of the naked body. Early Greek society did not forbid public
nakedness, at least for men. Men always went naked when exercising or competing
in athletic games, and both men and women bathed naked in public baths, though
not together. Women were required to keep their bodies covered when they were
with men.
By the seventh centuryB.C.E.Greek society was dominated by a wealthy class who
wore luxurious woven clothes and decorative jewelry. From this time until the
invasion of and defeat by the Romans in 146B.C.E., Greeks developed several
different styles of clothes. In general, Greeks did not cut and sew their clothes until
the fourth centuryB.C.E.Instead they draped finely woven cloth over and around
their bodies to create distinct styles of dress and protective wraps. The wealthiest
Greeks could afford fine wool and finely woven linen, which at its most expensive
was an almost transparent, soft cloth. Others used cloth woven from the flaxplant
soaked in olive oil, and peasants used textiles made of coarse wool. The most
distinctive Greek garment is the chiton, or tunic. Two different styles of chiton
were developed: the Ionic chiton and the Doric chiton, with variations, usually of
length, to distinguish styles for men and women. The fabric of chitons was
crinkled, or pleated, to enhance the fullness of the drape of the garment. Over the
chiton, Greeks kept themselves warm with a variety of wraps, including the
himation, chlamys, chlaina, and diplax. Although these draped fashions continued
to be popular, by the fourth centuryB.C.E.both women and men began wearing
sewn tunics with a U or V neckline. Writings from this time discuss a variety of
specific styles for these sewn tunics and archeologists uncovered a variety of tunic
styles in a temple in Attica, a state of Greece that formed the territory of Athens,
the Greek cultural center.

Because much of our knowledge of Greek fashions comes from the marble
sculptures they left behind, many people once thought that most Greeks wore only
white clothes. However, experts now know that even the pale marble of the statues
was once covered with bright paint that wore off over the centuries. Greeks, in fact,
loved color and many dyed their clothes. Wealthy aristocrats wore purple clothes
dyed from a species ofshellfishor pure white linen robes. Yellow clothes were
worn mostly by women. Black clothes were worn by those mourning the death of a
loved one. Peasants dyed their clothing a variety of greens, browns, and grays.
Soldiers wore dark red garments to minimize the appearance of blood on the
battlefield.

In addition to dyeing, decorative designs were also painted, embroidered, or woven

onto garments in many colors. Garments were also adorned with patterns of
geometric shapes or trimmed with colorful border designs. GREEK
COSTUMES:
Clothing in Ancient Greece consisted of lengths of rectangular linen or wool
fabric. The Greeks wore light clothes as the climate was hot for most of the year.
Their garment usually consisted of two main parts: a tunic (either a peplos or
chiton) and a cloak (himation). Clothes were secured with ornamental clasps or
pins at the shoulder and belt, sash, or girdle at the waist. Length of clothing
differed between men and women. Women clothing was to their ankles while men
wore their robe to the knees.
Inner tunic that was worn by women was a “peplos”. It was made of wool and had
clasps at shoulders. The upper part of the peplos was folded down to the waist and
formed so-called apoptygma. Chiton was lighter tunic, often pleated, made of linen
and worn by both genders and all ages. Chitons also had knee-length for men and
ankle-length for women.

The undergarment that women wore around the mid-portion of the body was called
strophion while the shawl that they wore over the tunic was called epiblema. Some
women wore a loose veil as well while at public places. The women also wore
necklaces, made of gold and silver, and had earrings and bracelets.

A rectangle, woolen, blanket-sized robe that men wore was called chlamys. It was
a typical Greek military attire and when it was not used as a robe it was wrapped
around the arm and used as a light shield in combat.
During winter, Ancient Greeks wore the himation -a larger cloak worn over the
peplos or chlamys. Over time, himation was made from lighter materials and was
worn in every weather.

Footwear was not used very often and Greeks mostly walked barefoot, especially
in the house, but in case they needed one, they wore leather sandals or leather
boots. Most Greeks could go their entire lives without wearing shoes.

To protect themselves from the summer heat, Greek men wore petasos, a type of a
wide-brimmed hat. It was mostly used for traveling. Women also wore hats with
high-peaked crowns.

Fabrics were dyed by natural plants. The most common colors used for dyeing the
clothing were violet, green and grey while materials were decorated in checks,
wavy lines, stripes and flowered designs. Colored clothing was always more
expensive than plain.

Wool was very expensive at the time, because it was imported from India which
made clothing also expensive. Wealthy people could afford to by clothing while
 poorer had to make their own. Women and slaves were the one that made clothing
in Ancient Greece.

In hot weather working men would often just wore a loincloth.

The history of clothing in ancient Greecetraces its roots to three significant

civilizations: the Minoans, the Mycenaeans, and the ancient Greeks. Each of these
civilizations created sophisticated clothing customs. Clothing for these civilizations
served not only to cover and protect the body, but also to decorate and enhance the
beauty of the wearer.

BYZANTINE ERA:
 Greco-roman culture developed a new form, shaped by Christian
influence,.
 Constantinople was the capita of fashion in past years.
 Clothing used to envelope the body and cover the natural body shape.
 Heavily colored silk fabrics and brocades were used.
 Embroidered with precious stones and pearls .
 Ordinary people used to wear clothes made from linen and wool .
 Byzantine dress is full of Christianity’s symbols.
 The type of clothing they had was pallium, paenula and scrpioebumers,
 Pallium was a semicircular in shape.
 They used roman toga as basic garment and replaced it with more
elaborated fabrics with distinctive patterns.
 Paenula was a heavy woolen cloak, semi circular in shape, it was closed
at the front with or without a hood, it also had a narrow band of white
wool.
 Scripioebumer was a wound of stick made from ivory wood, selected
people could have it.

Early medieval European dress changed very gradually from about 400 to 1100.
Byzantine dress changed considerably over the thousand years of the Empire. The
Byzantines liked color and pattern, and made and exported very richly patterned
cloth, especially Byzantine silk, woven and embroidered for the upper classes, and
resist-dyed and printed for the lower. A different border or trimming round the edges
was very common, and many single stripes down the body or around the upper arm
are seen, often denoting class or rank. Taste for the middle and upper classes
followed the latest fashions at the Imperial Court. Men’s Fashion: Roman toga was
still used as very formal or official dress. By Justinian's time this had been replaced
by the tunica, or long chiton, for both sexes, over which the upper classes wore other
garments, like a dalmatica (dalmatic), a heavier and shorter type of tunica, again
worn by both sexes, but mainly by men. The hems often curve down to a sharp point.
The scaramangion was a riding-coat of Persian origin, opening down the front and
normally coming to the mid-thigh, although these are recorded as being worn by
Emperors.

WOMEN’S CLOTHING:
Dresses that comes down to the ankles, with a high round collar and tight sleeves
to the wrist. The fringes and cuffs might be decorated with embroidery, with a
band around the upper arm as well. V-necks, hook belts and stola was also worn.

FOOTWEAR:
Sandals with white socks and knee length shoes were worn by soldiers. Red shoes
marked the Emperor.

HAIR AND HEADDRESSES:

Long hats were worn by the men with beard and curled elongated hair whereas
upper-class women mostly wore their hair up, again very often curled and
elaborately shaped.
MIDDLE AGES:
 Sumptuary law
 1100s: elongated elegance inspired by elongated statues
 Bliant: concept of elongation was long sleeves; bolero sleeves
 Long hair
 Long dresses
 Mid partition trousers.
 Wimple: long piece of fabric, made from silk or wool
 Fillet: wore under the scarf/
 Barbette: wore under the chin
 Circlet: wore over the head, jeweled with pearls
 1200s:
 Kirtle: long, simple, full sleeved dress
 Hair and head dresses: fillet, barbette.
 Men used to wear coif over their head
 Dorelet fringe: short curl fringe over the heads, wore over coif
 1300s: Tailoring focused on fittings the clothes to form a natural body shape
 Selective people could se buttons in their dresses in this time period.
 Buttons were used as a symbol of status.
 Men also used to wear fitted tunics
 Dagges: a dress worn by men
 Doublet and hose: tight fabric made from silk or wool and had a tight sleeve,
it was a button up tunic, sometimes with puffed sleeves.
 Hose: skin tight trouser
 Poulines: a special king of shoes, narrow from the front
 Head dresses: 2 rectangular braid infront of the head and circlet over it
 Men used to wear hood with long pointed tails known as liripipe
 1400s: fashion gets too odd
 Houppelande: outer garment with enormous sleeve made from wool or silk.
 Tunic and collars were also there
 Decorated collars were introduced
 V neckline was invented
 Haute couture dresses include: chaperon, bourrelet, conical hennin,
trunicatedhennin and butterfly hennin

1100’s
 The European fashion was the middle age fashion. This Renaissance period is also
covered in both Dark and middle Ages period. Dresses were elongated in 1100’s as
well as statues, buildings and even paintings were also elongated and exaggerated.
Bliaut or Bliaud sleeves were introduced, these were long and that’s the reason
why the dresses were stretched and kept long, it also made the silhouette long.
They used to braid their knee long hair and used to add fake hair. Tunic was long
and fake hair used to make the job easy for hairstyling. Hair and Headdresses:
hood, wimple, barbette, fillet, circlet.

1200’s
Here the dressing changed a bit with an addition of two layers, 1st layer as kirtle
and 2nd as surcoat. Devil’s window was introduced which a round large was cut on
the sleeves to show the inner garment.

HEAD AND HEADDRESSES:

Decorative fillet, crespinette or a caul, barbette and curled “Dorelet” fringe
whereas men used to wear a coif.

1300’s
1300’s is also known as fitting the form, clothes were fitted. Cotehardie was
introduced which was worn by a mistresses, which was a unisex garment tailored
to fit the torso and arms, usually with a row of buttons down the front as well as
down each fitted sleeve from the elbow to the wrist. Women's coathardies trailed
on the floor, but those for men could be cut very short. They also started wearing
Dagges or Dag’s which basically were daggings on a Cotehardie or a tunic.
Doublet and Hose were also worn; it was two piece outfit, where doublet was the
top and hose were skinny trousers with leg-of-mutton or puffed sleeves attached to
it but in men to enhance the shoulders puffed sleeves were stuffed. Another
invention was the poulaines which used to vary.

HAIR AND HEADDRESSES:

Men wore the chaperon that made a transformation from being a utilitarian hood
with a small cape to becoming a complicated and fashionable hat worn by the
wealthy in town settings whereas in women cauls, coronet or simple flower circlet
was worn.
LATE 1300-1400’S .
In the late 1300’s dress used to be parted from the middle with separate colors on
the left and right and a partition from the center by a belt or by a cloth strap and
even men used to wear this type of dress.

1400’s
In 1400’s huque dress was introduced, it was a loose tunic men used to wear and
houppelande was also worn which was with an elongated dress with elongated
sleeves. Collars were invented for the very first time. In this era the dresses,
sleeves, headdresses and even cuts were way too exaggerated. V necks were trendy
and it varies in textiles even fur V necks were worn with high waistline.

HAIR AND HEADDRESSES:

For men it was chaperons and for women it was bourrelet, a conical henin (a cone
type headdress), truncated or cone henin and butterfly henin.

LATE MIDDLE AGES:

GOTHIC 1250-1500’s:
Here architecture was originated from France which included
 Pointed arches
 Gothic windows
 Division
 Interior

CLOTHING:
For men there were bright colors with slender designs and emphasis on the waist
with decorations of small bells and diamonds made by the tailor whereas for
women it was same as the Middle Ages, a skirt, top and fitted bodice.
Gothic Dress is a stark black or dark style of clothing worn by the members of the
Goth subculture. Gothic fashion clothing, which is considered by many as a protest
against the extravagance, can be described as a profusion of dark velvets, fishnets,
lace, tight corsets, gloves and leather shaded with scarlet. Gothic clothing also
features Dark make up such as black lips, dark eyeliner, dark finger-nails and black
dyed hair.
The Gothic time dress is usually divided into two periods, Early Gothic period
(1200-1350) and Late Gothic period (1350-1450). The outfits in the Early Gothic
period were more sophisticated, graceful and simpler in cut than the Romanesque
period. Sleeves used to be tight and the forearms were given more importance.
Minimal trimmings on the Gothic clothing were also a feature of the Early Gothic
period. The Gothic dresses were usually longer and the necklines were deep. Styles
changed quickly during the Late Gothic period. The period moved from the earlier
flowing draperies that metamorphosed, into fabrics that kept on becoming more
and stiffer with the passage of time. During the 15th century, the extremes were
mostly in the upper silhouette. Crisp pleats, tight belts, padded doublets, leg-o-
mutton sleeves were also some of the important features of the Gothic clothing in
the Late Gothic period.

n the Early Gothic period, men wore hair at a sensible length often in a bob to the
jaw line with a bang across the forehead. Men often bleached their hair as blond
hair was popular. Few men wore beards. In the Late Gothic period, men wore hair
bobbed with neatly curled ends. Young girls in both periods wore their hair loose,
flowing upon their shoulders. But after marriage, they used to confine their hair in
a bun at the nape. They also used to wear many types of hair pieces, such as
wimple and gorget, to cover it.

Gothic corset is an important piece of Gothic dress. It shapes the body of a girl like
an hourglass. It was very popular during the Victorian and medieval ages. Even
today, Gothic corset is widely popular as even today, hourglass shape of a girl's is
considered as aesthetic and flattering. At the outset, a Gothic corset was very
uncomfortable to wear. It is only with the passage of time that the garment became
more soft and convenient to wear.

Gothic outfits like fishnets are summer temperature friendly. Fishnets can be worn
on arms, legs or even as shirts and jumpers. Cotton bloomers, lace-trimmed long
skirt and flowing gauzy skirts are some of those parts of Gothic clothing that are
very comfy to wear in the summer. Men wear shirts with ruffles, buckles and
lacing that look just like pirate shirts. In summer, male Goths wear light natural
fiber shirts and short black trousers, accessorized with wide-brimmed hats, black
umbrellas and silver ornaments. Gothic clothing is incomplete without Gothic
boots. Female Goths usually wear dark black boots with high heels, while Gothic
men wear dark black flatted boots, which are usually heavy. However, one can also
come across Goths wearing bloody-red boots.

HAUTE GOTH:
In 1977, Karl Lagerfeld hosted the Soirée Moratoire Noir party, specifying "tenue
tragique noire absolument obligatoire" (black tragic dress absolutely required). The
event included elements associated with leatherman style.
Goth fashion has a reciprocal relationship with the fashion world. In the later part
of the first decade of the 21st century, designers such as Alexander
McQueen, Anna Sui, Rick Owens, Gareth Pugh, Ann Demeulemeester, Philipp
Plein, Hedi Slimane, John Richmond, John Galliano, Olivier Theyskens and Yohji
Yamamoto brought elements of goth to runways.This was described as "Haute
Goth" by Cintra Wilson in the New York Times. Thierry Mugler, Claude
Montana, Jean Paul Gaultier and Christian Lacroix have also been associated with
a gothic style In Spring 2004, Riccardo Tisci, Jean Paul Gaultier, Raf
Simons and Stefano Pilati dressed their models as "glamorous ghouls dressed in
form-fitting suits and coal-tinted cocktail dresses". Swedish designer Helena
Horstedt and jewelry artist Hanna Hedman also practice a goth aesthetic.

GOTHIC LOLITA:
Gothic lolita, sometimes shortened to gosu rori (ゴスロリ) in Japanese, is a
combination of Gothic and lolita fashions.The fashion originated in the late 1990s
in Harajuku.
Gothic lolita fashion is characterized by darker make-up and clothing.Red lipstick
and smokey or neatly defined eyes, created using black eyeliner, are typical styles,
although as with all lolita sub-styles the look remains fairly natural.Though Gothic
make-up has been associated with a white-powdered face, this is usually
considered poor taste within the (largely Japanese) lolita fashion scene.
Brands which exemplify the Gothic lolita style include Atelier-Pierrot, Atelier Boz,
Black Peace Now, H. Naoto Blood and Moi-même-Moitié. Author and TV Host La
Carmina is a popular model of Gothic lolita fashion.

ARISTOCRAT:
Aristocrat is a type of Japanese street fashion, championed by the visual kei rock
musician Mana with his fashion label Moi-même-Moitié and influenced by gothic
and Neo-Victorian fashions. A typical outfit will combine elements of fetish
wear with Victorian and sometimes steampunk fashions, including tight pants,
velvet sportcoats, top hats, cravats, corsets, ankle length skirts, lace petticoats, and
the frilly pirate shirts previously popularised by the New Romantics of the 1980s.
CYBERGOTH:
The Cybergoth and rivethead subcultures emerged in America during the late
1990s, and combined classic gothic fashions such as leather duster coats, tripp
pants or Demonia brand platform boots with the clothing worn by fans of industrial
metal and rave music to create a dystopian, futuristicscience fiction look. Shaved
heads, synthetic neon dreadlocks, camouflage, tight leather pants, chains, platform
boots, stretched body piercings, sleeve tattoos, goggles, corsets, PVC or leather
skirts, and black trenchcoats decorated with metal studs are frequently seen on
members of this subculture.

DARK AGES:
 Tunics: rectangular dress with square neckline, split neckline
 Woolen leggings held up by belts.
 Leather boots secured by leather stripes
 Worn by men and women
 Men wore calf length and women wore full length.
 Dalmatica was a A line tunic with split side for the elite, embroidered and
trimmed with jewels
 Palla and stola were wore by women,
 Superhumeral: worn by imperial families, large heavily jeweled collars
 Loros: heavily jeweled crowns. Long stripes of pearls hanging were seen
in some loros.

Fashion in the period 1500–1550 in Western Europe is marked by voluminous

clothing worn in an abundance of layers. Contrasting fabrics, slashes, embroidery,
applied trims, and other forms of surface ornamentation became prominent. The
tall, narrow lines of the late medieval period were replaced with a wide silhouette,
conical for women with breadth at the hips and broadly square for men with width
at the shoulders. Sleeves were a center of attention, and were puffed, slashed,
cuffed, and turned back to reveal contrasting linings. Cloissone designs were
followed with neutral palate and jewels and it was the rule of the Emperor Charles
so the earlier dark ages were known as The Carolingian Renaissance.

CAROLINGIAN CLOTHING:

 Sophisticated crowns
  Charlemagne: the king, recognized as holy emperor
 One strong nation was ruled by him
 The clothing in this time period was mostly for rich people,
 Colors and embroideries in fabrics were common
 Dresses trimmed with pearls and jewels
 Clothes were very classy, elegant
 It was illegal to touch the arm of the freeborn women and thus sleeves
became far tighter and were tailored separately
 Structured capes replicated cloaks.
 Male clothing for peasants was tunica
 Rich man wore same dress but highly embroidered.

Structurally similar to everywhere else in Western Europe, Carolingian noble

fashion was far richer in color, embroidery and trim. Structured capes replaced
cloaks for the gentry and expensive dyes jewels and embroidery was done.

JEWELRY AND ACCESSORIES:

Women and men either noble or of wealth wore gold chains and other precious
jewelry; collar-like necklaces called carcanets, earrings, bracelets, rings, and
jeweled pins.

COSTUMES OF RENAISSANCE TIME PERIOD:

Due to laws prohibiting who was allowed to wear what, and the cost of materials,
there was a vast difference in attire between the classes. Not only did materials
vary, but styles as well, as the lower classes opted for practicality in their clothing
by necessity. Lower classes, such as laborers and apprentices would wear linen, a
light, cool fabric derived from the flax plant, wool, or sheepskin. Cotton had been
in production since antiquity, but its import and manufacture was prohibited in
Elizabethan England in order to protect the wool industry, one of England's chief
exports. It was not until cotton farming in the new world and Eli Whitney's
development of the cotton gin in 1793 that cotton become a favored fabric
(Cotton).

An example of middle-class women's dress, c. 1570

Fabrics available to those in the upper classes included silk, satin, velvet, and
brocade. As this was prior to the industrial revolution, all harvesting, weaving, and
production of fabrics and clothing was done by hand, thus greatly influencing
price. As with fabric choices, the lower classes were limited in the amount of
clothing they could afford, and may only have one set of clothing. Liveries,
uniforms worn by servants with their master's colors or emblems on them, were
provided by the master to the servant. Liveries were exempt from many of the
sumptuary restrictions, as they represented the upper class master, not the servant.

While the the materials and sumptuousness of clothing varied greatly between the
classes, the basic elements of an outfit were much the same. As with today, styles
went in and out of fashion, often rapidly.

WOMEN:
The styles of the gowns worn by women in Renaissance England changed from
year to year, but the basic styles remained the same. Women wore gowns
comprised of a tight-fitting bodice and a fuller skirt that would hang down to the
ankles. Dresses cut to expose much of the neckline were acceptable and
fashionable. Clothing of the upper classes was heavy and cumbersome, and
restricted movement for the wearer. Women of the lower classes wore much less
restrictive styles, both for freedom of movement, and because they did not have
servants to help them dress. In dressing, a lower class women would wear a much
looser corset, or none at all, and would possibly eschew other underpinnings such
as bum rolls (crescent-shaped cushions worn around the hips) or farthingales (hoop
skirts used to hold the skirts out) for added comfort.

All women's outfits started with a shift (a loose, linen smock worn to protect the
gown), and stockings, which were normally knee-high. Petticoats were added both
to fill out a gown and to keep the wearer warm.
Lady Jane Grey, c. 1545

MEN:
A man's outfit would start with a shirt, similar to today's dress shirt, but lacking the
collar and cuffs we are familiar with, instead sometimes utilizing lace collars and
cuffs. Over this would go a doublet, or fitted top, and finally over that a jerkin, a
close-fitting jacket. Men of the working class like their female counterparts dressed
for utility and might simply wear the shirt alone.

Instead of trousers as we are used to them today, men would wear hose on their
legs. The upper hose were (often poufy) knee-length trousers which were met by
the nether hose, or stockings, on the lower leg. In the reign of Henry VIII, doublets
became shorter, creating a space between the upper hose and the doublet. In order
to preserve modesty, the cod piece became popular again, having been around
since the middle ages. The cod piece was originally a cloth or animal skin pocket
in the from of hose or trouser, but were now made from various materials, and
often padded or used for storage - Henry VIII used his codpiece to store money.
Once more, these additions to the outfit would be more common in an upper class
individual or person at court than the average Englishman (Kosir).

Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southhamptam

CHILDREN:
Children in Renaissance England were considered simply small adults, and their
dress reflected this. Children were dressed in clothing very similar to their parents,
and both young boys and girls wore dresses during infancy and toddlerhood. For
young boys, this aided the mother in toilet training and care giving. When boys
were old enough (usually around the age of seven, when they could start helping
their fathers) they were "breeched," or put into their first pair of breeches, or hose.
This practice continued up until the 19th century in the Western World, and
portraiture of young children is often difficult to gender without tell-tale props
such as swords or hats.

An example of the daughter's clothing mirroring the mother's, c. 1580

The Sumptuary Statues

Which great abuses, tending both to so manifest a decay of the wealth of the realm
and to the ruin of a multitude of serviceable young men and gentlemen and of
many good families, the Queen's majesty hath of her own princely wisdom so
considered as she hath of late with great charged to her council commanded the
same to be presently and speedily remedied both in her own court and in all other
places of her realm, according to the sundry good laws heretofore provided.

The term sumptuary refers to the sumptuousness, or the excesses clothing.

Sumptuary restrictions were not new to the English monarchy or people. Henry
VIII's first Parliament met in January 1510 and passed a sumptuary law which took
a great deal from earlier acts in 1463 and 1483. The acts passed during the
Elizabethan reign build further on her father's act, but share many qualities. Under
Henry, colors and cloths were restricted by class, it allowed for the fining of
offenders, and also concerned itself not just with men's apparel but women's as
well. Henry and his parliament continued to amend and strengthen these laws,
focusing on the penalties imposed, further restrictions on fabrics and fabric length,
and continuing to allow the King to make special license for those he saw fit.
Elizabeth, upon taking the throne, further stipulated what could be worn and by
whom. She first set orders to ensure the earlier acts were followed. A proclamation
dated October 21 1559 put the responsibility of ensuring these laws were enforced
in the hands of magistrates and men of power. A letter was then sent to the City
corporation, urging the passing of this proclamation, and suggesting two watchers
per parish be posted to carry out this task. Later, again in response to what
Elizabeth I termed "the excess of apparel and the superfluity of unnecessary
foreign wares" that were believed to cause serious problems for the realm, a series
of statues were put into effect, including the largest on June 15, 1574. The final
statue was the most detailed, and specifically listed fabrics, colors, and designs and
very explicitly designated the wearing of them to particular nobles.

All these restrictions, from Henry VIII to Elizabeth I served several purposes, both
overt and covert. The most explicit purpose was to address the problem of up and
coming young gentlemen and nobles, who in the effort to look their best and wear
the best materials available, would spend over their means. This was not only a
problem for their families, but the monarchy, as this money could be better spent
towards goods that were of better use to the nation. It was also vitally important in
a strictly class-based and class-segregated society like Tudor England that people
dressed according to the standards of their own class and gender. A class system
does not work efficiently if one cannot tell to which class a person belongs, and
blurring of class lines takes some of the meaning away from higher positions. This
clear distinction between groups is also necessary to curb attempts at upward
mobility by the emerging middle class of merchants, and to maintain social
conformity and etiquette, which Elizabeth strongly favored. Additionally, these
laws curbed the influx of unnecessary foreign goods, in an effort to support
English commerce.
The punishment for violation of these statutes were fines and/or jail times
amounting up to three months for the 1562 statute forbidding any person under the
rank of Knighthood wearing silk trimming on hats and other sundries. During
Henry's reign, the 1533 Act for Reformation of Excesse in Apparayle had a fine of
3 shillings and 4 pence for every day of the offense. This was not an astronomical
fine, but it can be imagined it would be a strain on a member of the working
classes. Those employing servants who had violated the restrictions could face a
large fine as well for not releasing the servant from his employment or hiring him
again. Penalties paid were fines, not fees, and person of lower status could not
purchase the "rights" to a specific item or material (Secara).

In 1561 restrictions were put on the amount of fabric to be used in hose, and
obliged tailors to enter into bonds to observe these provisions. Refusal meant
imprisonment and loss of occupation. Searches were made regularly to ensure
cooperation, and servants and apprentices were taught also to follow the law. On
January 24, 1565 Richard Walweyn, a servant whose master had also been brought
up on charges for an "outrageous great pair of hose," was detained until he could
acquire more appropriate hose for himself. In another instance, merchant tailor
Thomas Bradshaw was convicted of wearing unacceptable hose. The court ordered
that all the stuffing and linings of one of his said hose shall be cut and pulled out
presently, and he to be put in his doublet and hose, and so led home through the
street to his Mrs. House, and there the lining and stuffing of the other to be
likewise cut and pulled out.

Violators of higher office were dealt with more gently. In one instance, offenders
described as "gentlemen" were fined 20 and ordered to correct their attire. Even
with punishments, the statutes were difficult to enforce. There were appointed
officers at court, and alderman were charged to monitor their wards. Elizabeth I set
the responsibility of enforcing the restrictions on all clergy for their flock, masters
for their servants, neighbors for one another (Secara). However, neighbors were
not likely to turn one another in if they wished to violate the statues themselves. By
1566, Elizabeth issued precepts ordering guards at the gates of the city by seven in
the morning to:

...having a diligent eye during all the said time to all and every such person &
persons as they shall see there to enter into the City of London, or pass or repass at
or by the same gate using or wearing any great and monstrous hosen, silk, velvet or
weapons restrained and prohibited.

Offenders were taken to the magistrates at the Guildhall.

Despite the possible cost in fines to offenders, the best enforcement was public
opinion. Public embarrassment was a very effective punishment. Wearing
something that did not fit into society's view of the acceptable could be pointed at
for ridicule (Secara). Ridicule at court or about town for a violation or
inappropriate item would be more damaging, and public, than a fine, as in the case
of tailor Thomas Bradshaw, for whom the major punishment was being marched
through London to his home in his torn, illegal attire. The mention of his "Mrs." in
the above account also implies that violators would also face censure at home.

The specific items restricted were detailed, and covered every aspect of the
Elizabethan costume. Among the restrictions listed in Elizabeth I's 1574 statute
were:

Purple silk and sable fur: Reserved strictly for the Queen, King, and their
family members.

Velvet: The colors crimson and scarlet being reserved for only the highest
nobility: dukes, marquises, and earls.

Tinseled cloth: Cloth that was woven with strands of gold and silver, that is, tinsel,
was reserved for the nobility including viscounts and barons.

Gold, silver, or pearl embroidery: Reserved for dukes, marquises, earls

(including the children of all three), viscounts, barons, and Knights of the Garter.

Lynx and civet cat fur: Restricted to the above ranks, and including the wives
of men who can dispend 100 by the year.

Enameled buttons, chains, etc.: Restricted to the above nobility, and

including wives of barons' sons, and wives of knights.

Silk, satin, and damask: Reserved for the above, and including knights'
daughters.

The statues covered both men and women's clothing. These statues were specific to
all ranks of the nobility, and dictated the allowances from the Queen down to
knights. The only non-nobles permitted these types of materials and items were
those who were in service to the Queen through diplomatic positions, the privy
chamber, or other court office, or those men and women in service to nobles, who
were permitted materials in their liveries.
There was not only concern in this period for men and women dressing above their
status and means, but also, men and women testing gender boundaries by cross
dressing. Just as sumptuary violations blurred class lines, so did Renaissance cross
dressing blur gender lines. In a strictly gendered and homosocial environment, this
was of great concern. The most public instance of cross dressing was in theatre.
Women were not allowed onto the stage, and therefore young men and boys would
play female roles, dressing completely for the part. This raised concerns about
homoeroticism and feminization. Instances of cross-dressing abound in
Renaissance theatre, not only in males dressing for female roles, but female
characters dressing as males. That is, a male actor would dress as a female
character who in turn dresses as a male. A classic Shakespearean example is As
You Like It, wherein the female charatcer Rosalind (played by a male actor)
dresses as the male Ganymede.

Off-stage, women would cross-dress for a number of reasons, including to avoid

rape, be able to travel alone, practice a profession, or simply to have adventures
(Cressy 440). A notable example of female cross-dressing is Mary Firth, also
known as Moll Cutpurse, awell-known character about London, who regularly
dressed as a man, smoked, and appeared on stage. Thomas Middleton and Thomas
Dekker's The Roaring Girl is based on Firth. She was forced to appear in court for
her transgressions, although was treated lightly.

For the most part, off-stage cross dressing was viewed as a prank, or lark and
punishments were often mild in the courts. Punishments, like for violating
sumptuary statutes, were often focused on public embarrassment. One women in
1578 was required to ask her father's forgiveness before communion.

Above all, clothing violations, whether classed or gendered were enforced to keep
conformity, preserve class distinctions, and with these, preserve social harmony as
a gender- and class-segregated society. While the punishments were often light, the
number of records of violations and the need of statutes implies the seriousness to
which Tudor monarchs viewed the matter.

BAROQUE COSTUMES:
When we think about Baroque, luxurious palaces are often among the first images
to come to our minds. There are many architectonic masterpieces from this period,
but have you ever wondered what clothes were worn by the people in them?
The Baroque was a time in art history mainly defined by the exuberant
ornamentation in the different artistic works. It developed in Italy after the
Renaissance, by the turn of the 17th century and spread to most parts of Europe,
lasting until the early 18th century.
Originally, Baroque art was promoted by the Catholic Church to improve its
image, as part of a series of actions against the Protestant Reformation. The
Baroque was soon adopted by the courts from different kingdoms for exhibiting
their power and wealth and, as a style of power, it touched most arts and utilitarian
objects, including clothing.
During the first years of the 17th century, clothing still preserved several elements
from the Renaissance. The new style didn't immediately change clothing,
and Baroque fashion started around 1620. Male attire was influenced by the
English Civil War and the Thirty Years War of Catholics against Protestants,
which devastated extended regions. Women's clothes looked to exhibit wealth
through ornamentation instead of jewelry.
Meanwhile, France continued to grow as a wealthy monarchy. Under the rule of
Louis XIV, this nation became the cultural center of Europe, and its court usually
had the lead in fashionable styles. The second half of the 17th century was the peak
of Baroque fashion with exuberant outfits for exhibiting wealth, especially for
men.
 Louis XIV in 1701

STYLE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF BAROQUE

FASHION
The fashion trends were mostly defined and followed by the monarchs and noble
courts, who were the social class able to afford expensive attire; clothing was often
big and ostentatious and designed for differentiating the nobles from the lower
classes.
The middle class, especially in the Netherlands where it was stronger, tried to
replicate the fashion of the nobility, but usually only after a while and by using
simpler outfits. For the working class, clothing didn't change much and was more
related to people's jobs than it was to fashion trends.
During the Baroque period, silk was the preferred fabric, and sometimes velvet
was used as well. Linen was common for the inner layers of clothes.
Early Baroque Fashion (1620s-1650s)
Long dresses with a close-fitting bodice, known as gowns, were the most common
attire for women. The silhouettes gradually softened as hard corsets from the
Renaissance were replaced by flexible stays. The neckline was low, and lace
collars were used for decoration. Virago sleeves, which were made of large strips
of different fabrics gathered at the elbow, were popular. Elaborate patterns and
dark colors were fashionable, and it was common to wear a black cape on top. The
hairstyle consisted of curls on both sides of the head. Shoes were usually covered
by the dress, so they were very simple.

Anne of Austria wearing a dark gown with lace collar and

virago sleeves, circa 1625
Men's clothing adopted a militaristic look. A tight jacket known as a doublet was
popular. It was pointed in the lower center part, raised to the sides, and had paned
sleeves, which showed the undershirt. Lace decoration was used for collars and the
lower edge of the sleeves (the cuffs). The lower part consisted of breeches, which
were loose and went down to the knee or under. Tight boots high up to the knee
were worn, often turned down with lace. The attire was completed with a long
sword. Long loose hair was the trend for men.
 Charles I of England wearing militaristic-looking clothes,
in 1629

LATE BAROQUE FASHION (1650S -1715)

The main piece of women's clothing continued to be the gown, with simpler
patterns and even monochromatic designs. The emphasis was on the shoulders
with very low necklines. Tight corsets were worn again, visible and ending in a V-
shape at the waist. The gowns had loose sleeves that ended below the elbow. The
use of elaborate hand fans also became popular. Women's shoes continued to be
simple, with a small heel, and the curly hair continued to be trendy.
Portrait of an unknown couple wearing late Baroque
clothes, in 1661

CLOTHINGS OF ROCCO TIME PERIOD:

A significant shift in culture occurred in France and elsewhere at the beginning of
the 18th century, known as the Enlightenment, which valued reason over authority.
In France, the sphere of influence for art, culture and fashion shifted from
Versailles to Paris, where the educated bourgeoisie class gained influence and
power in salons and cafés. The new fashions introduced therefore had a greater
impact on society, affecting not only royalty and aristocrats, but also middle and
even lower classes. Ironically, the single most important figure to
establish Rococo fashions was Louis XV’s mistress Madame Pompadour. She
adored pastel colors and the light, happy style which came to be known as Rococo,
and subsequently light stripe and floral patterns became popular. Towards the end
of the period, Marie Antoinette became the leader of French fashion, as did her
dressmaker Rose Bertin. Extreme extravagance was her trademark, which ended
up majorly fanning the flames of the French Revolution.
Fashion designers gained even more influence during this era, as people scrambled
to be clothed in the latest styles. Fashion magazines emerged during this era,
originally aimed at intelligent readers, but quickly capturing the attention of lower
classes with their colorful illustrations and up-to-date fashion news. Even though
the fashion industry was ruined temporarily in France during the Revolution, it
flourished in other European countries, especially England.

During this period, a new silhouette for women was developing. Panniers, or wide
hoops worn under the skirt that extended sideways, became a staple. Extremely
wide panniers were worn to formal occasions, while smaller ones were worn in
everyday settings. Waists were tightly constricted by corsets, provided contrasts to
the wide skirts. Plunging necklines also became common. Skirts usually opened
at the front, displaying an underskirt or petticoat. Pagodasleeves arose about
halfway through the 18thcentury, which were tight from shoulder to elbow and
ended with flared lace and ribbons. There were a few main types of dresses worn
during this period. The Watteau gown had a loose back which became part of the
full skirt and a tight bodice. The robe à la française a
lso had a tight bodice with a low-cut square neckline, usually with large ribbon
bows down the front, wide panniers, and was lavishly trimmed with all manner of
lace, ribbon, and flowers. 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 the chemise à la reine (pictured right), a
loose white gown with a colorful silk sash around the waist. This was
considered shocking for women at first, as no corset was worn and the natural
figure was apparent. However, women seized upon this style, using it as a symbol
of their increased liberation.
Women’s heels became much daintier with slimmer heels and pretty decorations.
At the beginning of the period, women wore their hair tight to the head, sometimes
powdered or topped with lace kerchiefs, a stark contrast to their wide panniers.
However, hair progressively was worn higher and higher until wigs were required.
These towering tresses were elaborately curled and adorned with feathers, flowers,
miniature sculptures and figures. Hair was powdered with wheat meal and flour,
which caused outrage among lower classes as the price of bread became
dangerously high.
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. Lace jabots 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.
They were also worn more open to showcase the elaborate
waistcoats. Tricorne hats became popular during this period, often edged with
braid and decorated with ostrich feathers. Wigs were usually worn by men,
preferably white. The cadogan style of men’s hair developed and became popular
during thFrench elites and aristocrats wore particularly lavish clothing and were
often referred to as “Macaronis,” as pictured in the caricature on the right. The
lower class loathed their open show of wealth when they themselves dressed in
little more than rags.
Fashion played a large role in the French Revolution. Revolutionaries
characterized themselves by patriotically wearing the tricolor—red, white, and
blue—on rosettes, skirts, breeches, etc. Since most of the rebellion was
accomplished by the lower class, they called themselves sans-culottes, or “without
breeches,” as they wore ankle-length trousers of the working class. This caused
knee breeches to become extremely unpopular and even dangerous to wear in
France. Clothing became a matter of life or death; riots and murders could be
caused simply because someone was not wearing a tricolor rosette and people
wearing extravagant gowns or suits were accused of being aristocrats.

The Rococo era was defined by seemingly contrasting aspects: extravagance and a
quest for simplicity, light colors and heavy materials, aristocrats and the
bourgeoisie. This culmination produced a very diverse era in fashion like none
ever before. Although this movement was largely ended with the French
Revolution, its ideas and main aspects strongly affected future fashions for
decades.

18th CENTURY FRENCH FASHION:

 Men: undergarments:
 Drawers: underpants
 Hose, socs
 Button shoes
 Jabot: used t wear under the neck.
 Breeches.
 Long waistcoat
 Women: changing silhouettes
 Skirt and bodice remains the same
 Robe volente: common dress
 Pleated dress
 Knotted bodice
 Used as a maternity dress
 Robe de francasise: also known as sackback
 Long channel of fabric coming from the shoulder and goes down
 Pleats at the back
 A panel of fabric at the back
 Bumproll was at the back at first but it came on the front side later and was
known as the romp.
 Robe de anglaise popular in that time
  Little variations.
 Split gown with visible petticoat
 Panniers: large channel of fabric
 Child bearing hips
 Large basket like canning, made from thin pieces of wood over the fabric
 Robe de polanoise was a dress with layers of fabric folded on the bacl
 Robe a la grecle: a dress with a belt around the waist
 Heavy neclines with frills, layers of fabric
 Redingnote was a double coat
 Robe de chemise was a dress with wide neck and belt on the bustline
 It has no extra embroideries
 Garracae: separate jacket with a bodice and peplum
 Ficher: female outfit, fabric was worn around the shoulder
 Makeup: a cone shaped face mask made from corn starch was common.
 Wigs: men used to wear wigs.
 Allonge wigs: curls and puffed hair
 Buckled wigs: white hair wig
 Queue: a French tail of men
 Tricorn hat: also known as cocked hat
 Shoes: neither of the shoe was identical,
 Soft collars of shoes were made
 Highly embellished.

MARIE ANTOINETTE:
Born Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was
the last Queen of France before the French Revolution. She was born an Archduchess
of Austria, and was the penultimate child of Empress Maria Theresa and Francis I,
Holy Roman Emperor. In April 1770, upon her marriage to Louis-Auguste, heir
apparent to the French throne, she became Dauphine of France. On 10 May 1774,
when her husband ascended the throne as Louis XVI, she assumed the title Queen of
France and Navarre, which she held until September 1791, when, as the French
Revolution proceeded, she became Queen of the French, a title she held until 21
September 1792. After eight years of marriage, Marie Antoinette gave birth to a
daughter, Marie Thérèse of France, the first of her four children. Despite her initial
popularity, a growing number of the population eventually came to dislike her,
accusing her of being profligate, promiscuous, and of harboring sympathies for
France's enemies, particularly her native Austria. The Affair of the Diamond Necklace
damaged her reputation further. During the Revolution, she became known as
Madame Deficit because the country's financial crisis was blamed on her lavish
spending and her opposition to the social and financial reforms of Turgot and Necker.
She was an exceptionally gorgeous lady who had the sense of fashion and her citizens
loved her before all the misunderstandings that took place. She was known for the
years and still known for her beauty, charm and fashion. She was a lively women who
loved herself and her surroundings but unfortunately the downfall of the French came
and everything ended but the name is still left in the books of fashion.

 Louis XIV understood the power of clothing.

Marie Antoinette has the lasting style legacy, but it was Louis XIV, who
ruled in the 17th century and passed away in 1715, who really pushed the
agenda (and let us not forget, he wore red heeled shoes). The king had a great
fondness for fashion and expensive goods, and thought that prioritizing such
things made good economic sense. The French style industry grew to be big,
powerful, and efficient. Louis even established a system of trade guilds,
called corporations, designed to set standards, regulate the industry, and
provide structure. Every profession within the business, from tailors to
dressmakers, had a union which provided organization and power. At a time
when the wealthy loved to exhibit their wealth, Louis fed into the culture
by implementing etiquette standardswhich called for costume changes
throughout the day.

 Anything could become fashion inspiration.

French brothers Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Etienne Montgolfier invented the
first hot air balloon in 1783. A bag of hot air might not seem a likely source
of fashion inspiration, but inspire it did, with the industry hoping to ride the
coattails of the popular innovation. Montgolfière even became a term in hair
styling.

 Fashion magazines came out every 10 days.

If you think it’s hard to keep up with the trends now, imagine if Vogue was
published nearly every week. In the late 1700s, fashion magazines managed
to make the rounds despite having a narrow group of subscribers in the most
elite circles. Servants would then read the latest news, pass the periodicals
around, and perpetuate the already fast moving fashion cycle. It’s unclear
how the media got access to the royals to report on their ever-evolving styles,
and in fact, when comparing the physical records with written accounts, it
seems their insider information might have involved a bit of imagination.

 Everything was outdated immediately.

Hatmakers, or milliners, served a hugely important role in 18th century
fashion, both in defining the look of the time and propelling it
forward. The marchandes de modes gave their stylings topical names to set
them in a particular (and short) place in time. Any new accessory or trimming
had a ticking clock on it from the moment it was sent out into the world. This
“planned obsolescence,” as Chrisman-Campbell calls it, gave milliners
incredible power over the industry and ensured a steady stream of clients.

 Everything was custom, and everyone was a designer.

Individuals would work with hatmakers, dressmakers, and sometimes even
fabric salesmen to compose one-of-a-kind items—yet another way that
milliners made their mark on the look of the time. Marchandes de
modes became powerful in the context of the guild system because, while
dressmakers could only trim a dress with the same fabric the dress was made
of (rules were rules), a marchandes de modes could trim it with anything (but
not sew a dress—at least not legally at the beginning). They provided variety
and customization that made them highly sought after.

6. Even royals thrifted.

Secondhand clothing was fairly regular among the wealthy, and most people
were wearing pieces that had previously been owned twice or even three
times before. Flea markets made for popular destinations, and Marie
Antoinette's ladies-in-waiting were lucky enough to score her hand-me-
downs, which they would wear or sell or make into dog beds. The fact that
servants often wore the garments their masters had been sporting recently
speaks to both the importance and the disposability of fashions at the time.
The industry was moving at breakneck speeds.
  The pouf was more than a look—it was a statement.
The iconic pouf stylings of the time—with their feathers, flowers, ribbon,
lace, jewelry, fruit and other miscellanea—weren’t just about looking cool or
displaying wealth; they were meant to be a reflection of personal and cultural
events, or even newsworthy occurrences in science or politics like the
American Revolution. Topical fashions extended to fans, men’s waistcoats,
and even gowns.

 Rose Bertin was a rockstar designer of the time.

Bertin was a milliner who was introduced to Marie Antoinette by the Duchess
of Chartres and, from there, became one of the “it” designers in Paris. She
charged a lot for her work, dressed well, and even had servants and a
carriage. As someone who started out in a lower class, Bertin’s ascension to
life among the royals was a subject of controversy. She was also unique in
that she dressed the queen as well as others, which was previously not
allowed. Marie Antoinette wanted Bertin to be a part of the world of fashion,
which is why she didn't demand exclusivity.

 Black was the new black.

During the 18th century, being in mourning was often more about etiquette
than actual grief. Widows stayed in mourning attire for a year, and it was
customary for the entire court to don funeral wear if any member of the
European royal family died. Black was in such regular rotation in the outfit
color scheme that people got quite used to it and began to value its
practicality. As mourning traditions started to fade, black became a color of
everyday dress.

 Aprons were stylish.

Hundreds of years before Anthropologie was born, French nobility knew
there was something desirable about the rustic aesthetic (or as Chrisman-
Campbell calls it, “peasant-chic”). Luxury aprons became fashionable, in part
due to the success of the 1784 play The Marriage of Figaro, which was about
servants. Bertin made such aprons for Marie Antoinette, and the queen even
had a model village built in the gardens at Versailles—something many high
society types did at the time—so she could play dress up and pretend to be a
peasant.

The popularity of aprons was part of a movement toward simpler styles.

Cotton began to appear, which was a nice change of pace for the lower class,
who could conveniently wash the fabric while emulating the styles of the
rich. But it was bad news for the embroideries and silk weavers, who would
eventually ask Louis and Marie to help with their floundering business
(sadly, there’s not much to be done when you’re out of vogue). Surprisingly,
a portrait of the queen done by Vigée Le Brun in 1783 ignited public anger
because of the simplicity of the dress. Not everyone was accustomed to the
new trend at that point.

 Everything was lost in the revolution.

From the clothes themselves to the industry that had once served as a
crowning achievement of the court, the world of French fashion disappeared
in the wake of the revolution. Of the royal wardrobes, we can only imagine
and piece together ideas of what once was from accounts and drawings. Many
industry workers died or escaped, finding their way to other European cities.

 People wore political allegiances on their sleeve.

Or, rather, their head. The tricolor cockade was the look of a revolutionary
though it eventually became mandatory to wear the hat or some sort of
tricolor fashion during that time if you wanted to avoid conflict.

 Napoleon eventually brought fashion back.

When Napoleon became Emperor in 1804, he wanted to return to the
fashionable days of Louis XVI because, much like his predecessor, he
believed encouraging the industry would help with the economy. He brought
back luxurious dress and helped to breathe some life back into a facet of
business and society that had been all but wiped out during the tumultuous
years of the French Revolution.
MALE FASHION

In the 18th century normal local men used to wear shirts, drawers, hoes and shoes.
There was jabot, breeches (pants/shorts), long waistcoats, wigs, uppercoat and
tricorn hats which were basically sailor’s hat which was worn by all the classes. A
slight change in the embroidery was done for military and economical wear of
men, heavy embroidery was done because men used to represent themselves in the
council and government. Male fashion was really very fancy with dusty colors,
shocking colors with golden embroidery basically male fashion will never ever be
this fancy for daily wear like it was in that era.

FEMALE FASHION

Females used to wear skirts which varied throughout the century with three quarter
sleeves and square neckline on a blouse. They had different types of dresses
throughout the century which are as follow;

ROBE VALANTE

With a fitted bodice and 3 quarter sleeves.

ROBE BATTANTE

Loose garment for maternity wear, if a royal gets pregnant and used to wear this
dress.the locals used to follow the same trend.

ROBE ALA FRANCAISE

A dress with a panel at the back, it is also known as the watteau dress. It has a
square neckline in the front and round at the back, with fitted front and loose at the
back also known as “sacque or sack back”.
ROBE A L’ ANGLAISE

A dress without a back panel fabric, it has no sack back and it has embroidered
layers which enhances the hips.

ROBE A LA POLONAISE

A dress where a piece of fabric at the back was folded up to make a triple layered
Dress at the hipline where ankles were left naked to look hot.

ROBE A LA CRECLE

A simple gown with a sash around the bodice with ruffled neckline.

REDINGETE

A coat with buttons on the side.

ROBE EN CHEMISE

Tight long sleeves with a square neckline and a simple sash which became trendy
in 1780-90’s.

CARACO

A separate jacket at the bodice

ROMP

An attachment of piece, it is used to increase the hip size and is worn beneath the
Silhouette.
PANNIERS

Panniers is the french word for baskets, it was a replacement of the romp which
Enhanced the hipline. Why? To show that the man power and nature was altered
so. They wanted that men are more powerful and used to transform the natural
human Beauty. It was worn by every age group. It was hard to walk through the
doors. Wearing a pannier so the architecture was modified.

HAIR AND HEADRESSES:

Female used to powder their hairdo to keep the hair stiff; it was made of
cornstarch, Enchanted flowers for fragrance. They used to wear full wigs and
added fake hair, curls and Novelty hats (covered with flowers, leaves), one of the
famous hat of that century was the “bergere” whereas men used to wear allonge
hats in the late 17’s with buckled club wig in. The 18th century and tricorn hat
during the 18th century which was also known as cooked hat.An overview of a
wealthy female dress of that era; Mantua- same piece of fabric and color all over
one piece dress

 Shift

 corset

 pannier

 petticoat

 stomacher

 engageants (lace fake sleeves attach to the fabric sleeves)

 Choker ( a black ribbon tied around the neck)

 powdered hair
  coiffure (belle poule) first worn by maria antoinette

 Makeup

“THE ARTISTRY AND DESIGN OF 18TH CENTURY FRENCH

FASHION”

Stockings: A Private Affair

A lady’s stockings were certainly the most private of affairs. The task of putting
them on was often done in complete privacy without the assistance from their
maids. Elastic, of course, was not invented during this time period. Silk ribbons
were often used to anchor the stocking above the knee. Increased tautness of the
ribbon had to be achieved to prevent the natural fall of the stocking given to
gravity. It was marvelous to see the model demonstrate this action – as we
witnessed first hand how much tension was actually required to tightly secure each
ribbon. This was something I never reflected upon, until this three dimensional
presentation.
Photo Courtesy / S.Young
Corset: The Key to the Perfect Silhouette
Shape and silhouette were important factors in the 18th century. The corset was
the key to establish this desired image. It took multiple hands to properly place
and lace the corset – for if it was not tight enough, the other dressings would not fit
properly. Most of the corset was secured by lacing with a needle in the back.
Although the chemise, or shift, may be changed up to 3x per day, the corset would
always be reworn.

The corset was designed for the purpose of being strong and durable to give the
body a “fashionable shape.” To complement the function of this garment,
the boning of the corset were typically placed in a V shape to accentuate the image
of the body. The typical fabric utilized for the corsets may have included linen or,
in certain cases, a fancier fabric like a brocade . There were often difficulties
associated with brocade due to the manner in which it was woven, causing the
fabric to gradually disintegrate with repeated handling and limited durability to
being washed. As a result, linen was often the fabric of choice due to breathability
and overall durability.

More interestingly, I discovered that corsets were primarily made by men due to
the fact that it was difficult work to cut and set the bone features. Ultimately, its
creation was extremely hard on the hands and men were the only ones who were
strong enough for this task. Baleen, from a whale, was the preferred material for
the bones of the corset. They were similar in composition to nails or horn that
could be molded into the shape or form of the dress. More importantly, this
product enabled greater success in molding the corset to the wearer’s body. Tabs
were also sewn to the corset, over the hips, to further accentuate this desired shape.

It was all about the illusion of the silhouette. French society wanted to portray the
image of women similarly to a doll, through the means of makeup and achieving
the perfect shape and silhouette. Illusion was everything.
Photo Courtesy / S.Young. In this picture, the model is demonstrating a 1/2 boned
corset that was composed of 42 bones to accentuate her silhouette in preparation
for full dress.
This photo depicts the model demonstrating the attire typical for the morning
toilette, also illustrated in the portrait painting above. This piece of clothing was
worn to protect the more elaborate clothing underneath from byproducts of make-
up or powder application.
The standard hair style consisted of a braid at the base of the neck which was then
secured at the top of the head. The ideal styling required the hair to have a dull
appearance or even greyed to portray an image of maturity. To achieve this, a
specialized pomade was made from liquified bone marrow, accented in aroma to
be more pleasing to the user. Powdered rice or potato starch was also added with
additional coloring as the final touch. In addition, the application of vibrant
makeup was considered to be very important for an aristocratic woman. The face
was viewed as an equivalent to canvas. Thick layers of white paint were often
used to cover the skin, while increased application of bright rouge was utilized as a
symbol to indicate wealth and status. In other words, the higher in social status or
royalty – the brighter the color of cheeks. No limitation was off the table here,
resulting in rather intense coloring that would certainly draw immediate attention
by all who surrounded them.

The slide pictured above the model, shows an example of the materials and tools
that were often used during the tasks of hairdressing and body care. This form of
luxurious grooming centered around an elaborate dressing table that held a large
sized mirror, various brushes, and containers that held their powder and make-up.
A few examples of the furnishings from this era are on current display at the
museum, including the actual chair used by Marie Antoinette during her toilette.

Exploring Daily Pursuits

This photo demonstrates the variety of tools used during the 18th century.Including
ivory, bone, steel, and abolone shell.
Much of the morning routine included time spent hand embroidering material that
would be used later to make gifts for the men of the household. These gifts often
included caps for their fathers, uncles, or even brothers – as it was often cold when
their wigs were removed! On special occasions embroidery was also added to
enhance the details of aprons as gifts for their mothers or sewn onto bags that were
often carried to hold letters or other small personal items on daily walks.
This picture illustrates a typical embroidery hoop with a floral design. Many hours
were spent engaging in this task, even by women of high societal status. Time was
spent indoors and outdoors engaging in this occupation.

A beautiful pair of dyed shoes from American Duchess. Gorgeous in design and
detailing! On the right is an example of a letter bag that was often hand
embroidered during their morning daily routine. Notice the attention to detail of the
floral design and of course the silk ribbon drawstring.
One piece of artistry that was often underestimated by the novice viewer, was the
skill, level of precision, and length of time required for White-Work. This task
was defined as the “general term for embroidery that incorporated the use of a
white ground fabric and white embroidery yarns to create an intricate pattern or
design.” In all honesty, the level of work in the embroidering of material made for
gifts or personal use could not be as appreciated until you see it in person. The
intricate details and precision of the embroidery work was truly mesmerizing.

Take A Step Back In Time: Admiration for the Artistry of French Fashion and
Design
The approach to fashion in the 18th century was much different than it is today.
Each piece of clothing required extended time and a high level of craftsmanship to
create. It was common to change at least 8 to 10 times each day. Can you imagine
changing this many times in one day? The level of time it took to change their
clothing and attire was substantial. However, French fashion was viewed as form
of decorative art that went hand in hand with the opulent furnishings and decor of
the household. Their attire had a place and a purpose – to illustrate a world of
luxury. It was common for clothing to remain within the family, with the
exception of giving some articles of the finer fashions to the heads of the
households. From furnishings to staff, this form of practice further supported the
appearance of luxury and wealth to include every aspect of the household.

The beauty of this time period, we learned, was that these fashions took time and
there was very little change in the primary styles of the clothing worn – unlike
today where we see clothing shift to reflect each season or trend. Madame de
Pompadour, a member of the French Court and the mistress of Louis XV, was the
inspiration for some of the designs presented at today’s lecture.

Let’s take a closer look at the beautiful attire worn by the model that reflected three
possible activities that influenced her daily routines, including an informal
ensemble worn in the privacy of the home, formal day wear, and, of course, an
exquisite gown worn during formal court occasions. The beauty of this
presentation was that each example created was modeled after true historical
designs. Words could not contain my excitement in seeing these elaborate and
intricate forms of clothing! My heart was filled with joy and appreciation, as
Maxwell Barr opened a whole new window into the art and design of French
fashions!
Informal Day Wear: Worn in the Privacy of the Home
The model is demonstrating the type of clothing that was often worn in the privacy
of the home. She is wearing a heavier petticoat that is made of white silk taffeta
with a Coraco jacket worn at hip-length. The subtle characteristics of lace and silk
bows were often details that demonstrated their wealth. Holding her embroidery
hoop, she was ready to engage in one form of her daily pursuits, embroidery. On
her head you will see a straw bergere hat with two exquisite streamers of lace,
called lappets, that were attached to her headdress. She looked stunning!

Did you know?

Lappets, streamers of hand made lace, were also a visual demonstration of wealth.
Commonly worn in the 17th century, there was a specific reason why women sat
with their back to the driver while riding in carriages. If she did not sit in this
position, thieves would attempt to grab the lappets in order to sell them. The
reason – lace was more valuable than gold.

Formal Day Wear

This style of dress was a beautiful representation of a walking skirt, possibly made
of silk textile, and a matching jacket. A full brimmed bergere hat was also worn,
which was very popular during this time period. On her shoulders you can see a
fichu, a square or rectangular kerchief made of lace, that was worn to cover the
exposed neck and tied in the front of the bodice of the dress. The fichu could also
be pinned or tucked if needed. It provided a layer of modesty to hide exposed
areas. As always, these forms of fashion detail take their cue to support societal
norms while also never faltering from the spirit and radiance of fashion.

One question that was asked from the audience was in regards to the purpose of
large brimmed hats. We learned that the bergere hat, such as this one, was often
styled to be flat and brought forward with a wide brim to shield the face from sun
exposure. In addition, gloves were also worn for the same purpose. The clothing
not only reflected the level of artistry in design, it also served a purpose to ensure
the right image was being portrayed to meet societal values.

Did you know?

Silhouettes were considered so important that a lady of wealth did not straighten
her arms while in public. The clothing accounted for this form of etiquette by
incorporating a curve in the sleeves of the jacket or even adding weights to ensure
correct posturing.
I will always love the lace detailing, even the decorative lace accessory, a jabot,
worn at her neck. Each detail added to the entirety of this form of wealthy attire.
We truly loved this example of a Brunswick jacket. This picture does not do the
coloring justice, as it was a perfect shade of plum with ruched trim, lace adornment
on the cuffs, and a pleated back. Notice the sewn curvature of the sleeves to hold
the arms in the appropriate position as per the etiquette of this time period. This
was typically worn for traveling along with an embroidered bag to carry any
personal items. Gorgeous!
All You Really Need Is The Right Pair Of Shoes

Photo taken by Sass3journey.com. Fun Fact: There were no heel supports in the
18th century.
These shoes were simply STUNNING! Initially hidden behind some of the
accessories, our presenter slowly revealed them to me as I was marveling at the
other pieces on display. The details! Upon closer observation, each element of
this shoe was truly breathtaking. We, as audience members, were not only amazed
by the special attention to detail – we were astounded to learn that, historically,
there was typically not a right or left shoe. In fact, the shoes were made universal.
It was only through natural wear that the shoes would mold to the specific foot
placed within them, creating a left side and right side over time. I know one thing
is for certain, he had me at shoes. ♥ I would adore the opportunity to wear a pair
of shoes like these. Thank goodness for American Dutchess, a wonderful place to
locate 18th century inspired shoe designs. As you can imagine, I am saving for my
own first pair.
This picture depicts the variety of shoe styles that were worn in the 18th century.
In the bottom image you can see an example of French, Yellow Silk Shoes with
“Louis” heels and paste buckles, that dated between 1760-1765. The other
examples above were shown during the presentation and we loved them all!

Accessories Will Always Complete an Outfit – No Matter What Century You’re In

The level of craftsmanship in the individual designs of the accessories and dress
embellishments, such as lace, were made with with a level of artistry that took
extended time and skill to create. Each unique in its individual beauty, adding an
essential accessory to the style of dress during this time period. We were elated to
see originals from the 18th century, including a hand-painted fan, two examples of
lace, and a yellow, hand embroidered panel from the 18th century.
These three items were an absolute joy to see up close. The fan, above, is hand-
painted and has an ivory handle. It dates to approximately 1775 and came from
London. On the bottom left, you can see two examples of lace dating from the
1700’s. On the bottom right, you can see an original, yellow embroidered back
panel, composed of five pieces. Exquisite!
I learned so much during this presentation. Prior to this, I always marveled at the
details and embellishments of each article of clothing. However, now I realize that
as I look at the ornate details of a design – I must also appreciate the level of time
it took to complete such work. One thing I heard from a fellow admirer during the
presentation was “The best seamstress could place 20 stitches per square inch.” In
fact, that seems rather true – knowing that one square inch of Bobbin lace could
take up to 12 -18 hours to complete. This fact presents a whole new appreciation
for the skill and time that was required to create these designs. Knowing the length
of time it took to complete a 1 inch piece of lace gave you a formula to help
calculate the total amount of time required for its creation. One example: A man’s
lace cuffs took approximately 9 months to create! Isn’t that simply amazing? In
addition, lace woven with extremely fine thread, even flecks of gold, added to its
overall value and worth. As our presenter so eloquently stated, “Lace was worth
more than gold.” I can honestly state that this is a point that I will appreciate in the
future when I visit other exhibitions that have original fashions on display.

A Gown Fit For the French Courts

As she was adorned with the final accessories, the model was a pure vision of
beauty and offered a window into what French Court Fashions must have looked
like. Clothing as elaborate and adorned as the furnishings, were true pieces of
individualized art – where every detail was accounted for. The importance of
shape and silhouette is reinforced by the wearing of “panniers” or hoops, the
french word for basket. This gave the shape that the women ultimately wanted,
while also offering some practicality as she could place items secretly inside.
Beautiful close up of posies on front panel of gown.
In this particular dress there are 60 posies which required 20 yards of ribbon to
make. Lace and silk bows adorn the sleeves. However, most importantly the
stomacher was often adorned in jewels to illustrate wealth. The detailing below
illustrates the art of decorating the stomacher. As audience members, we felt
honored to see this dress one last time before it was placed into “retirement.”
Maxwell Barr’s work is phenomenal and we appreciated each moment of
this unique learning opportunity.
 The presentation of this formal gown was a delight to watch. Observing the natural
movement of the fabric as she walked, the maintenance of impeccable posture, and the
natural positioning of the body with the support garments – was something you could
not truly appreciate without this 3-dimensional demonstration.