Such a concept in clothing as a "dress" did not initially exist, in the past both in Europe and in the East they wore shirts and tunics that differed not even in style, but in material, trim and length. The very concept of "dress" originates in ancient Egypt, it is the female kalaziris that is the prototype of the outfit. It looked like a straight shirt, about ankle length, with or without straps. Currently, these outfits can only be found in historical dress rentals or costume shops.
The main clothing in ancient Rome and Greece was the tunic, a universal thing for both men and women. In those days, fashion trends were set by the human body, not clothes, so the fabric of fine wool or linen was simply draped around the body.
The very concept of a historical dress as a women's outfit appeared only in the 9th century, thanks to the spread of the Christian religion, which is based on the separation of men and women, their rights, duties and position in society. If you are tracking the evolution of an outfit such as a dress, then it is better to do it according tomajor historical eras.
Early Middle Ages
This period lasted from the 7th to the 12th century, it is characterized by a mixture of ancient and Byzantine styles of outfits. The dress at that time consisted of two tunics, they were put on each other. The material for the lower garment was silk or linen, everything depended on the position in society. In fact, it played the role of women's underwear. All masters tried to make the fabric as pleasant to the body and soft as possible, so they did not decorate it with anything. When it came to the top tunic dress, there was already room for fantasy, but not too much. The upper tunic had a trapezoidal shape, and among the decorations one could note embroidery on the collar, hem and sleeves.
Such concepts as "bodice" and "skirt" did not exist in that period of time. Belts were used to highlight the waist. The appearance of the belt depended on the class of the woman, simple peasant women pulled the waist with leather strips or braided cords, richer ladies decorated the belts with plates of gold or silver, covered with enamel or skillful engraving, it was possible to inlay with semiprecious stones.
Late Middle Ages
The late Middle Ages lasted from the 13th to the 15th centuries, it was marked by numerous Crusades and the general development of trade with neighboring Eastern countries. It is because of these factors that markets and shops have replenished their assortment with bright fabrics, very expensive in cost, such as silk and muslin. Of course, when compared with moderncolors, the color scheme was scarce, but at that time a true variety of colors entered the life of the aristocracy: cherry, scarlet, blue, bright green, yellow and many others.
This period marked itself with the development of women's dresses, not only from the side of the fabric, but also from the side of the cut. There were divisions into a bodice and a skirt, and the richness of a dress could be judged not only by the trim or belt, but also by the amount of expensive fabric. In addition, in most European countries of that time, the social status of a woman was also determined by the number of pleats on a skirt - the more, the higher.
Renaissance era
In Europe, this era (XV - XVII centuries) was marked by the return of fashion to the ideals of ancient times - the harmony of the human body and its beauty. Women's dresses during this period were supposed to show broad shoulders, small breasts, white skin and a thin waist. It was during this period that a clear division into the bodice began, which had to be necessarily tightly laced and have an oval neckline, and a long skirt.
Changes also affected the sleeves. They were made in such a way that parts of the lower white dress were visible from the armhole and on the elbows. Initially, the cuts were made vertically or in the form of an oval, rhombus, but later tailors got the hang of making more artistic options. For example, at the end of the 15th century, the sleeves themselves were no longer attached to the bodice and were kept exclusively on thin strips of fabric or ribbons.
In the middle of the 16th century, Spain became the trendsetter, and the visionwomen's ball gowns are changing under the pressure of gold from the New World. It was this country that was least committed to the ideals of antiquity, which is why fashion in Europe began to change radically. Under the influence of a new trend, the silhouette of dresses loses femininity and flexibility, braces and corsets are added, which is why the dresses themselves become more rigid. The further, the more absurd the outfits were, and by the end of the century they could no longer be called a dress, more than anything it looked like a portable jewelry case, a showcase, and not a dress. In addition, the corsages became so tight and rigid that they could compete in strength with the cuirass of the military.
The end of the century brought the long-awaited changes in fashion, the silhouettes of dresses changed again, the ideals of the Renaissance returned. This time becomes a turning point for women's fashion, it becomes more multifaceted and complex. It began to reflect the difference between the inhabitants of Europe both in religion and in class and race. Moreover, tension is growing between countries, contradictions are intensified by numerous wars and civil strife.
Baroque
It was at this time that the well-known baroque style was born, which became dominant in European countries for a long 150 years. Translated from Italian, the name can be translated as "artsy", "strange". As for the appearance of dresses in this style, there is a softening of the female silhouette and a complication of the cut due to numerous draperies. Light and pastel shades are replaced by bright and juicy colors, becoming a new indicator of position in society. Light colorsplay the role of a symbol of female tenderness, purity and purity, as well as coquetry.
During the dominance of the Baroque style, sleeves and skirts become more voluminous every year, and corsets emphasize the waist more and more. Over time, more and more frills and ruffles are added, but the waist is always thin and graceful. All women with a class position higher than peasants were dragged into corsets.
Rococo
The heyday of this style falls on the reign of King Louis XV of France. The style is equal to the most luxurious and refined, being the embodiment of a high culture of a person and his desire for the pleasures of life. It was at this time that sewing and modeling flourished, which has since become equated with art.
The life of the highest aristocratic circles of Europe firmly includes silks produced at the manufactories of Lyon. A distinctive feature of this material were extravagant colors. Women's historical dresses made of Lyon silk were decorated with a large number of frills, frills, ribbons, lace and flowers. Decor made of precious and semi-precious materials was also welcomed. The royal favorite, the Marquise de Pompadour, became the style icon of this period, interestingly, she lingered at the throne of the King of France for quite a long time.
Back to basics
The French Revolution brought not only changes in the social system, but also a change in fashion in Europe. Anotherreturn to ancient ideals. Among the many features of the women's dress stood out: a raised waistline, the absence of an underskirt and a corset. These are historical empire dresses. For this short time, a thin waist went out of fashion, which allowed secular fashionistas to relax.
Romantic style
The arrival of this style dates back to the 20s of the XIX century, and again the thin waist became the standard of female beauty. The skirts of the new style became shorter and widened, they began to resemble a bell in their shape, but the length became shorter - ankle-deep. A typical sleeve of this style is the leg of lamb, which widens at the shoulder and becomes fully fitted at the wrist.
Big breasts and their accentuation played an important role in the peculiarities of the romantic style of historical ball gowns. Deep necklines were in fashion, but the neckline could only be shown in the evening; in the daytime, women were required to wear capes and shawls that covered the chest.
It was during the reign of this style that the first sewing workshops appeared, which significantly increases the availability of dresses and the speed of changing fashion trends. During this period, sewing on patterns of historical dresses begins. For example, already in the 50s, skirts began to be decorated with horizontal frills, ruffles and other decorative elements made of fabric, designed to emphasize the conical silhouette of a woman's outfit. But the end of the 60s was the beginning of a decrease in crinolines, over time they were replaced by bustles at all - pads on the lower back, designed to give the figureexpressiveness. This detail of women's historical dress remained in fashion until the 80s of the XIX century.
Belle Epoque
The period between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the First World War in 1914 is called that. Why? It was then that models came into fashion that fully emphasize all the feminine curves of the body. The dresses were long and almost tight, the men had something to admire. But it didn't last long.
Already in the 20s of the last century, the bodice of the dress became such that it would make even the most curvaceous girl flat. The changes also affected the waist line, it went down almost to the hips, thereby making the silhouette not at all feminine. This period is significant with another event in the fashion world - the creation of a little black dress by Coco Chanel.
Further changes
The most detrimental effect on women's dress models was the Second World War. As soon as they left the school bench, the girls put on their uniforms and then for many years they searched intuitively for something similar. The industry recovered only in the 50s of the XX century - bright colors and puffy skirts burst into fashion again. But the 60s pleased not only women, but also men, and then they entered the women's wardrobe of the mini model to the middle of the thighs.
70s - the heyday of the chemical industry, which means that the women's wardrobe and not only painted with new, even brighter shades. Disco-style dresses and shiny materials were in fashion. This did not last long, until the end of the decade. Already in the 80s, fashion took on a look more familiar to modern man. There is no single stylewomen were free to dress as they pleased. Such trends continue to this day, while famous fashion designers still periodically return to traditional dresses of past centuries.
Now in modern society, theme parties are very popular, for them you can rent historical dresses. Theater performances, historical scenes and much more require knowledge of the fashion of past centuries.
