Chapter 5 Fashion History Outline
I.
The Earliest Clothing – earliest clothing made from natural resources as protection from
weather. Visual records in form of cave drawings, Egyptian tombs, Greek and Roman
sculptures.
a. First Clothes and Fabrics – simple construction, animal skins in cold climates worn hair side
in. In warm climates protection from sun/rain; laced grasses to form wovens; plant leaves and
tree bark. Egyptians made linen cloth from flax plants. India and Pakistan produced cotton.
China raised silkworms.
b. Fashions of Early Civilizations –earliest garment rectangular wrapped or draped on the
body. Shape was easy to wash and could be smoothed dry.
i. Ancient Egypt – Northern African Nile valley. Garments of linen and cotton; great for
hot climates. Actual fabrics found in Egyptian pharaohs tombs.
ii. Minoan – Island of Crete. Women wore first recorded fitted garments. Full bell shape
skirts. * Show pic on internet.
iii. Ancient Greece – Elaborate wrapping, draping and pinning long rectangular pieces of
fabric. Chiton worn both men and women. Himation. Woolen fabric. Later silk.
iv. Roman Empire –Romans ruled from present day Italy into Greece. Greek himation
became Roman toga. Right arm uncovered. Cover identified occupation or class.
Only emperor wear purple. Tunic worn under toga. Women wore stola with a
wrap/palla. Men and women wore gold jewelry.
v. China and Japan – Both genders wore trousers. Long coat and long skirt. High collar.
Simple shapes. Elaborate embroidery. Japan wore kimono both men and women;
made of linen. Wide decorative sash called Obi. Fabric, colors and arrangement of
layers denoted rank of wearer.
II.
Evolution of Fashion – Fashion changed very slowly before the 20th C. People wore the
same style for life! Special occasion outfits were handed down through generations. Refer to
pics pages 82 – 85.
Middle Ages – 400 – 1400
a. Men wore simple wool/linen tunics, long stockings Men wore breeches, bliaut (mens or
womans overtunic featuring voluminous skirts, and fitted bodice/upper sleeves.)
b. Women wore tunics over long gowns; women wore gowns with fitted bodices, full skirts and
full sleeves; hennin (pointed headpiece with veil) on head.
c. Outerwear of goat or sheep skin.
d. Middle class began to prosper and it was hard to tell the rich commoner from a rich
nobleman. Sumptuary laws were created to differentiate middle class from noblemen.
Only wealthy wore silk/ermine/silver. Punishment for dressing above social class = fine,
prison, death.
1300-1400’S/Renaissance
a. Splendor – Italy, France, Spain = elaborate designs, fabrics and decorations. Gold thread,
jewels, lace, furs.
b. Wealthier classes set the standard for fashion with bright colors, large prints and elaborately
layered.
c. Men wore doublet a tight fitting shirt under a jerkin a sleeveless, skirted garment. A short
gown topped the outfit. Codpiece, ruff.
d. Womens dresses fitted bodice and very wide skirt. A farthingale (metal, wood or
whalebone) frame held skirt out. Fancy petticoats underneath.Ruffs (stiff collars framed
face) for both men and women. Slashing popular. Pregnancy pillow.
1600’S/The Seventeenth Century – Reign of Louis XIV, France world leader. The Royal
court at Versailles set the style.
a. Lace important décor for men. Shirts trimmed with bow ribbons. A cravat or laceedged piece of linen tied in bow. Powdered wigs popular.
b. Women discarded hoops, lace trimmed collars and bodices, necklines lower,
hairstyles higher. Beauty marks applied to face.
c. Puritan garments simple/austere.
1700’S/The Eighteenth Century - `Early in century France fashions for both men and
women still elaborate.
a. Madame de Pompdour – hairstyle.
b. Men wore surcoat with shirts turned down collars; justaucorps; tricorne hat
c. Later in century people emulated Greek sculpture, French revolution began, rebellion
against extravagance. Women wore loose, flowing muslin dresses; there was no
room for pockets so purses emerged. Hairstyles were lighter and flowing too.
d. As Europeans settled in America, their fashion styles came too.
1800’S/The Nineteenth Century –After French Revolution (1789-1799). France changed
from monarchy to democracy. People no longer dressed like the upperclasses. Rise of
middleclass now more people could afford new clothes.
a. Men wore cut away jacket which evolved to tailcoat then frockcoat. No more
bright colors or lace. Men now wore long trousers. Trend of matching coats to
vest to pants began.
b. Women wore empire waist after Empress Josephine, wife of Napoleon. Leg o
mutton sleeves. Necklines widened until shoulders bared. Tight corsets
common.
c. Victorian clothes designed for appearance not practicality. Women were
considered delicate, fragile. Full skirts morphed into back bustles. Underskirt
exposed. High necklines and fitted sleeves.
1890’s young women worked in factories and wore simple skirts and tailored white blouses,
shirtwaists.
a. Bustle in back of skirt
b. Exaggerated hourglass shape
III.
INFLUENCES ON FASHION HISTORY – throughout history each of the following has brought changes
to fashions:
a. Trade – societies began to trade goods, ideas, techniques, fabrics, trims also exchanged; sailors,
soldiers, missionaries, Crusaders. Barter – trading without money.
b. Politics and Power - Originally kings, queens, nobility set clothing styles they had made by
tailors/dressmakers. Commoners wore what they could sew themselves. During Renaissance, when
Spain and Portugal in power, their fashions influenced others in Europe. France a fashion leader
since reign of Louis XIV (1661). Middle class, England’s Queen Victoria, France’s Empress Eugenie.
Asian and African societies thrive; after Napoleon campaigns in N. Afica, Egyptian fashions popular.
c. Religion – clothing can be statement of religious beliefs. 16th C Reformation promoted dark colors,
simple styles, little decoration – in contrast to splendor of Renaissance in England at same time
period. English Puritans believed in humility and simplicity, chose plain clothing styles.
d. Technology – Starting with stitches to hold together animal skins to shuttles, looms, spinning jenny,
cotton gin, sewing machine, paper pattern etc.
i. Industrial Revolution – 1760 Scottish inventor James Watt created steam engine and began
Industrial Revolution – power driven machines. Factories created smoke, dirt = middle class
wore darker colors and sturdier fabrics.
ii. Development of Factories – First =S. factories in New England after 1790 located near
seaports, RR lines and rivers. Textile mills. First loom for weaving in Patterson, NJ 1842.
Sweatshops – women/children working in dark, overcrowded, unhealthful places to work.
After Civil War textile mills built in the South to be closer to cotton fields. Finished fabrics
shipped north to make into garments.
iii. Growth of Ready to Wear – First mens clothing factory made sailors uniforms. Ready to wear
market grew quickly – miners, farmers, pioneers. Womens ready to wear grew more slowly –
their fashions changed quickly and difficult to sew. First ladies items were capes/shawls,
petticoats/underwear. 1890 shirtwaists worn by women in factories. Growth of ready to wear
created growth of large stores. Department store born in 1950. Catalog/mail order popular.
iv. Invention of New Fibers – 1889 French chemist created artificial silk – first synthetic fibers.
Rayon 1924 invented by forcing dissolved bark/cellulose through tiny holes to create long
fibers.