Chapters 5

Fashion History

TermsBarter: Trading goods, services, ideas, and

techniques w/o the use of moneyCellulose: Main component of such plants

as cotton and flax; produced by dissolving the fibrous inner bark of mulberry trees

Ready-to-Wear: Clothing made in advance for sale to any purchaserready to wear fashion show

TermsSumptuary Laws: Regulations that

controlled what each social class would wear during the middle ages

Sweatshops: Name applied to early clothing factories because of dark, airless, uncomfortable and unhealthy working conditions

Changing FashionA century ago the fabric in bathing suits covered all but the head and arms. This modest look eventually gave way to designs that were more comfortable in the heat and less restrictive for swimming.Swimming designs today are quite varied and less modest than earlier versions.

Fashion History

When you slip on a favorite pair of blue jeans, do you stop and think that a coal miner born 150 years ago appreciated the same sturdy, riveted denim construction?

When you put on running shoes, do you realize that a Briton sheepherder laced his boots in the same crisscross pattern 1500 years ago?

Throughout history, garments styles have reappeared. They may look the same or they may be changed slightly to reflect new needs and new technology.

The Earliest ClothingA. Thousands of years ago,

people made clothing from natural resources as protection from weatherEx: Animal skins and hair,

plants, grasses and tree bark

B. The First Clothes and FabricsVery simple in construction and

design; NomadsIn northern Europe, cave

dwellers wore animal skins, probably hair side in.

In Africa, the South Pacific, and parts of Asia, people laced grasses together for protection against the sun and rain.Parts of plants, such as the bark of trees, were soaked

and treated until soft enough for cloth.As early as 5000 B.C, people in Egypt made

linen cloth from flax plantsA few thousand years later, inhabitants of

present day India and Pakistan, possibly even the Americas, produced cloth from cotton, while in China, silkworms were raised for their silken cocoons.

Fashions of the Early CivilizationsThe earliest, simplest

garment was a rectangle of fabric wrapped or draped about the body

Ancient EgyptEarly garments were made

from cotton and linenWell suited for hot climate of

the Nile River ValleyMen wore knee length skirts

tied in frontWomen wore long, straight

dresses that tied behind the neck or at the shoulderDrawings, mummy cases, and

actual fabrics discovered in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs reveal the fashions of the day.

Minoan ContributionAround 1700 B.C. on the island of Crete, women

wore some of the first recorded examples of fitted garments1. Full skirts stretched into a bell shape2. Jackets were short and form fittingColorful fabrics and small hats were popular

The Greeks fashioned their garments by elaborately wrapping, draping, and pinning long, rectangular pieces of fabric, which took dozens of square feet of fabric

Both men and women wore a garment called a chiton (KY-tun)

Sometimes a himation (hih-MA-tee-ahn) was worn as a cloak

Roman EmpireThe Greek himition was the

basis for the toga.Long pieces of fabric were

wrapped around the body, always exposing the right arm.

Different colors identified various occupations/class ranksOnly the emperor could wear

purpleWomen wore a stola; a

long, belted robe similar to the chiton

Jewelry: necklaces, brooches, earrings, gold wedding rings

China and JapanQin Dynasty

Although most shapes were simple, garments often featured very elaborate silk embroidery

Some designs symbolized beliefs and customs; others provided information about a wearer’s status

In the Manchu region, a cheongsam (CHAWNG-sahm) was worn by womenThis high collared dress buttoned on the

right side and had long side slitsAs far back as the 4th century in

Japan, the kimono was the standard dress for both men and women Kimono’s were made from one piece of

linen and wrapped to fit the body.

The Evolution of Fashiona. Many years ago, fashion changed very slowly.

People often wore the same clothing style for lifeAn outfit for special occasions was often handed

down from one generation to anotherb. Until the 14th Century, European clothing was

loose fitting and drapedAround 1350, people started wearing more fitted

styles; regional differences soon developed in Europe

Spanned from about 400 to 1400European settlers in America influenced the

clothing styles worn in the US and Canada.

Early on, men wore simple wool or linen tunics and long stockings; women wore tunics over long gownsGoatskin/sheepskin outer garments provided protection in cold

weatherAs prosperous middle class developed, styles changed

to distinguish the rich from the poor1. Men wore knee length pants called breeches2. Women’s gowns had fitted bodice, very full skirt, and long,

full sleeves3. Garments trimmed with embroidery and decorative edgingsSumptuary laws were implemented because nobility felt

threatened when the middle class imitated the upper class.A. Punishments, fines, imprisonment, or death

Renaissance SplendorDuring the Renaissance, styles in Italy,

France and Spain features elaborate designs, beautiful fabrics, and elegant decorations

The exploration of the New World in the 15th and 16th centuries brought great wealth to Europe.1. Great wealth in Europe=gold threads woven

into fabrics; jewels, lace, and fur decorated garments

2. Men’s attire: tight-fitting shirt called a doublet and a short gown with full sleeves over it, long stockings and puffed breeches.

3. Women’s attire: Dressed w/ a fitted bodice and very wide skirt w/ metal, wood, or whalebone frame

4. Both men and women: Ruffs and shoes trimmed w/ buckles and bows.

The 17th CenturyDuring reign of King Louis XIV—

France became the world’s fashion leader1. The Royal court of Versailles

set the style2. Men’s fashion: lace; cravat

(kruh-VAT), which is a lace edged piece of linen, circled the neck and tied in a knot or bow; powdered wigs

3. Women’s fashions; Discarded hoops; stiff ruff; lace-trimmed bodices; necklines lowered; higher hairstyles; beauty marks

The 18th CenturyMuch the same as the 17th CenturyFashions for both genders in France were

very elegant, with laces, ribbons, and colorful silks.Women: gowns with bows, edging neckline

with lace. Hairstyle, lifted and combed straight back.

Men: suit coat with a fitted waist and flared hem. Wigs became less popular.

The 18th CenturyFrench Revolution

began, commoners

rebelled.Women started

wearing: loose, flowing dresses, began carrying purses, hairstyles featured soft, ringlet curls.

The 19th CenturyAfter the French Revolution, dressing like

royalty and upper classes was frowned upon.

The 19th CenturyMen’s: cut away jacket, evolved into the tailcoat,

then shortened to the knee-length, trousers(ending a 200 year tradition of knee breeches). Matching all colors.

Women’s: raised waist-line(empire). Fuller and more elaborate dresses, stiff petticoats(fancy underskirts with ruffled or lace edges), hoops, leg-of-mutton sleeves(full at the top and narrow at the bottom). Corsets..

1870’s - Designed for appearance than practicality. Back bustles.

1890’s – women working in factories began wearing simple skirts and tailored white blouses. The style is called the Gibson girl look.

Influences on Fashion HistoryA. TradeB. Politics and Power

The most dominant nations spread their influence to others.

With the emergence of the middle class, royalty and wives of political leaders became fashion leaders

C. ReligionThe sixteenth century Reformation

encouraged dark colors, simple styles, and little decoration

English Puritans=very plain clothing styles to show they didn’t conform to worldly standards

D. TechnologyThe Industrial Revolution

1760 – James Watt= steam engineRapid change resulted in power-driven machines. Clothing cost less, and people could buy clothing from catalogs and stores.However machinery created dark and dirty smoke, so

businessmen began wearing darker colors and sturdier fabrics.

Development of factories1st built in 1790, in seaport locations like Boston and New

York. Others were near railroad lines and rivers. Most workers were women and children. Textile mills became popular in the South after the Civil War.

D. TechnologyGrowth of Ready-to-Wear

1st men’s clothing factory, specialized in making sailor’s uniforms.

People working in the factories were becoming the new middle class and had more money to spend on clothing.

Women’s grew more slowly.The growth of Ready-to-Wear created the growth of large stores

Invention of New FibersArtificial silk, and rayon

Fashions of the Twentieth CenturyA. 1900-1950

At the turn of the century, times were changing1. By 1912, petticoats were abandoned for long,

straight skirts2. During WWI, women were working, so more

practical clothing developedAfter WWI, excitement for fashion began to

show1. 1920’s: Flapper dress/straight and short with a

long string of beads

2. 1930’s: Women were active in sports and began to wear wide trousers and above the knee shorts; evening gowns were long and form fittingAt this time, men’s fashions were virtually unchanged

1940’s: Both men and women wore tailored suits/ shoulder pads

During WWII: Shortage of fabric; women’s skirts became slimmer and shorter; nylon stocking became virtually impossible to get (1939-1945)

After WWII: Christian Dior introduced the “New Look” for women; almost overnight, women began to wear dresses w/ long, full skirts

The 1950’sA. Fashions influenced by

designers, movies, and television showsDior Introduced A-line

silhouette for womenFull skirts paired with

sweater setsPants rolled up or cropped

for casual wear, worn with a man’s shirt

Men’s fashion: gray flannel business suit/single breasted and loosely fitted; dress shirts could be pale blue or yellow instead of just white; leather jackets; pompadour hairstyle of Elvis Presley

T-shirts were worn w/ jeans (instead of as an undershirt) as influenced by actors Marlon Brando and James Dean

The 1960sThe influence of fashion

designers declined and were replaced by cultural events such as the Beatles, Woodstock, and rock concertsJacqueline Kennedy

became a fashion leader for women; Chanel suit and pillbox hat

Young men started wearing colorful fabrics and jewelry

Jacket lapels widened and pants flared or bell-bottomed; men grew sideburns, mustaches, and beards to go with longer hair lengths

African Americans rediscovered traditional African garments

Hippie look for men and women

The 1970sA. Unisex look: men and women wore the

same fabrics and colors B. The two-piece polyester leisure suit gained

popularity with menC. Jeans; T-shirts with slogans; hip

hugger pants; layered look;

The 1980sStyles featured broad,

padded shoulders (think back to the 1940s)The “power suit” was

invented for womenDesigner jeans became a

status symbolStyles were influenced by

performers like Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Prince, and Michael JacksonBy the end of the decade,

freedom of choice dominated

The 1990s and Beyond…..A. Fashions for both men and women

became more natural in shape The padded shoulders and poufed skirts were goneStyles ranged from baggy pants to leggings;

from oversized shirts to skinny tops 

Styles from past decades re-emerged in the middle 1990s1. updated versions of fitted 1950s jackets

 2. sheath dresses from the 1960s

 3. wrap dresses and hip huggers from the 70s

B. In the 21st Century, the trend has been toward more casual, comfortable clothing that could worn at work and home.