How has women’s fashion evolved since the 18th century and how is it similar to

women’s fashion today?

Thank you. Now that I’ve got your attention, I simply must ask...

Throughout history, fashion has changed very drastically and very often. In the late 18th century, fashion was influenced heavily by Marie Antoinette—even before she became Queen.

RIDICULOUS!

Hats were very popular, and some of them were quite ridiculous. They would have everything from feathers to ships attached to their hats. And honestly, some people these days have hats that are worse.

Then Now

Even more ridiculous were the dresses. The women wore padding over a hoop around their hips, to make the sides of their dress look huge. While dresses are usually a lot more sensible nowadays, a lot of them seem to be annoyingly short. A woman’s figure also plays a role in fashion— in the 18th century, curves were quite in.

After the French Revolution, fashion changed dramatically. The crazy hats and huge skirts were a thing of the past. Dresses became simpler, with flowing skirts and short bodices. The dresses would sometimes resemble a man’s overcoat. As the bodices were so short, women would sometimes wear scarves or kerchiefs to make up for the lack of coverage on the chest.

To wear masculine clothing was quite stylish then, but now it has both boomed and collapsed. Women can wear pretty much everything nowadays, from dresses to suits. But sometimes its hard to tell if an outfit is masculine or feminine. Everyone can wear jeans and a t-shirt, and everyone can wear a suit. But dresses, skirts and certain swimsuits seem to be the only things that haven’t been altered to suit the opposite gender. This is probably because in many cultures and societies, guys could get bullied for wearing a dress, a skirt, or a rather feminine swimsuit. I think that everyone should be able to wear what they want, not what society wants.

Misha Collins!

Now we arrive in the 19th century, where bustle skirts, long trains and fancy bodices were all the rage. The only problem with the train was that it was extremely difficult to turn or back up with.

This style had many layers. First came the stockings and slip. Stockings would be black for day wear, and white or colored in the evening. Next came the corset and crinoline. The corset buttoned at the front, but had laces at the back to tighten it. Women would tighten it so much that their waistline would appear up to 4 inches smaller than it was. The crinoline was made of steel, and held the skirts in perfect form.

Next came the camisole and petticoats. The camisole served as a barrier between skin and dress, protecting the garment from sweat. There were two petticoats, one to help the skirts lay flat against the crinoline, and a fancier one over top. With the skirt bunched up, the fancy petticoat would be visible.

Now comes the dress itself. During the day, the neckline was high and the sleeves long, but in the evening women changed to dresses with much lower necklines and much shorter sleeves, revealing quite a fair amount of skin. Some of the dresses had bodices that were interchangeable, so a woman could create a whole new look without buying a whole new dress.

fancy petticoat still visible

The final result was a dress that, while accentuating a woman’s curves, was quite conservative. Accessories were a necessity, and fancy gloves, hats and a cape were usually worn. The shoes were half boots during the day, with thicker soles. The shoes worn at night were slippers with paper thin soles, and were often worn out after a busy evening of dancing.

Now we arrive in the 20th century: a time which underwent drastic fashion changes practically every decade. The bustle dress stayed in style for most of the 1900s, but when the 1910s arrived, it lost popularity. A more fluid, slim dress was favoured. These dresses flowed with a woman’s curves, neither exaggerating nor minimizing them.

In the ‘20s, the same fluid style was worn, only a little bit shorter. Hair was mostly worn in a bob, with a jewel-like crown. Gloves could also be worn, usually extending just past the elbow. Jewelry was elaborate yet simple.

The thirties were mostly long dresses and long peacoats, but the forties were more about t-shirt dresses or blouses and skirts that looked like a dress. Both fashions minimize the waist in an attempt to make it appear as small as possible.

Thirties

Forties

The t-shirt dress stuck around in the 50s, but it became more elegant and more girly. The 60s, however, let it be a bit more casual. It was loose around the torso, pulled in at the waist as to show off the smallest of waists, and flared out after the belt.

50’s

60’s

The 70’s was a decade of prints, flares, and let’s face it: a whole lot of tacky. Everything from bell-bottomed cat suits to fringed vests resided here, and while some of these styles could make a slightly modified comeback, like platforms and boho-style maxi dresses have, some of these styles need to stay in the past.

In the 80’s, aerobics were huge, and so was the style that came with it. Leg warmers, spandex and neon were very commonplace, as were oversized sunglasses, bangles and huge hoop earrings. Headbands and off-the-shoulder t-shirts were also popular.

As in any generation, fashion is influenced hugely by TV shows and music. The 90’s were no exception to this, and a lot of the shows are still very popular. Denim was a major wardrobe staple, and so were crop tops. While denim never went out of style, crop tops have made a huge comeback.

Now, fashion is bringing back styles from pretty much every decade. Crop tops, leg warmers, t-shirt dresses and fancy hats are popping up everywhere you look, and those are just some of the trends. And because society has become a little less rigid, pretty much anything goes. Bustle is huge now, what with the steampunk trends.

When we look at fashion, it’s obvious that it has come a long way since the 18th century. However, there are still many similarities. For example, when women wore corsets, their maids would put their foot on the woman’s back for leverage, so as to get the corset as tight as possible. Now, some girls have to lay down to get their skinny jeans on. The half boots worn in the 19th century have made a comeback, resembling both combat boots and heels of today. So before you mock the fashion of the past, think– because you might be wearing it yourself.

Drawings by Megan Sorensen

Picture sources: literary-liasons.comAtelierSylpheCorsets on DeviantArtsusannaives.com/wordpressStyleThisShindig on Pinterestarchibaldphotography.co.ukFashion History - Glossi by A'Marie vintage-retro on Tumblr1940's Patterns and Vintage ImagesThrowback: 50s Fashion 18th century women's capsClothing of Williamsburg, VA on Pinterestmookychick.co.ukGreat drawings of 18th century hats and hair-do’s Women's Fashion in 18th Century France

60's Fashion Everlasting 70's Styles70s FashionClothing Trends You Can Wear TodayttF Fashion Diary: 80s Skate PartyGirls Just Wanna’ Have Fun: 80’s Fashion Blog Archives - Open Mind Fashion Five 90s Fashion Trends That Are Totally Back In StyleFashion friday--90s are backBe Stylish.comthe search for a steampunk prom dressCrownless Princessasos.comamericanduchess.blogspot.ca

1750-1795 in fashion1775–95 in Western fashionEscape Into Lifehttp://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsgbugetT61qc7d0y.jpghttp://fax.libs.uga.edu/GT850xC4/1f/history_of_fashion_in_france.pdfmarie antoinettetinytophats on deviantart

the misha song

gifs:everybody shut up (sherlock)interested Sherlock