Essay, Research Paper: 18Th Century Costumes

The time period of the 18th century was a time of change. Changes were being made from geographical moves to fashion. Those from England were moving to the New World to break away from anarchy. There was the French Enlightment, the Enlightment is when certain thinkers and writers, primarily in London and Paris, believed that they were more enlightened than their compatriots and set out to enlighten them.
The fashion style of the 18th century was a reflection of the morals of the time. Most people dressed conservatively. Women for instance, showed very little skin, but accentuated their figures. Men wore clothes that advertised their trade or occupations.
The style of this century was donned the Rocco Period. The Rococo period was marked stylistically by the same elaborate decoration, which characterized the Baroque period immediately preceding it. Despite similarity the Rococo style had, at its center was a radical difference. The Baroque period had very solid colors and a type of heaviness about its fabric. While the Rocco Period seemed to have more of a lightness to its fabric. The Rocco Period began using more floral motifs and also began using birds and bows in their fashion.
Women s Dress
The 18th Century woman was the most well respected in history of Western Civilization until the 20th Century. The Enlightenment had suddenly changed the rules of Western society.
The dominant style in the early part of the century was with the formal mode of dress, which gradually phased out, until in 1800, almost all that was left was the informal day dress. Dress during this period goes through a dramatic shift. Women s dress collapsed from it s padded and puffed look to a thin, often translucent silhouette.
Here are some of the types of clothing that were worn by women:
+ Brunswick
A three-quarter-length jacket worn with a petticoat, the Brunswick was an informal gown or a traveling gown. It had a high neck, un-stiffened bodice that buttoned, long sleeves, and frequently had a sack back (loose pleats) and a hood.
+ Cap
The cap was worn by women and girls to dress their heads. The cap protected the hair from everyday dust and dirt so that the hair need not be washed as frequently. The cap could be made of linen, cotton, or even all lace. Lace and ruffles could be added to the cap. The style of fashionable cap changed frequently.
+ Dress
Dress in the 18th century referred to the overall fashion for everyone and not a single garment. It was the total look from head to toe. Full dress would refer to the most formal, fashionable look. Today the military's most formal uniform is referred to as the full-dress uniform.
Fashionable Undress
In the 18th century this referred to the less formal clothing for everyone, but still in the best of fashion. Usually worn during the day.
Gown
Throughout the 18th century a woman's dress usually consisted of a gown and petticoat. The gown consisted of the bodice and skirt joined together, with the skirt open in the front to reveal the separate petticoat, which was an essential part of the dress and not an undergarment.
+ Shoes
Shoes were made of silk fabrics, worsteds, or leathers. Depending on current fashions, they may or may not have had elevated heels. They would fasten by buckles, clasps or, if very utilitarian they might have ties.
+ Stomacher
A triangular shaped piece of fabric used in the front of the gown to hold the gown together. Sometimes soft, but might be stiffened, it would be attached to the bodice lining by pins and tabs, hooks and eyes, or lacing. It could be made of the same fabric of the gown.
Men s Dress
With the Enlightment and the change of women s clothes, also came the change in men s clothes. Men clothes became thinner than what they once were and the clothes also became not as form fitting. Other major changes include the adoption of trousers from the dress of sailors and the urban proletariats of the French Revolution, the passing of the fashions for wigs and hair powder.
Here are some of types of clothing that were worn by men:
+ Banyan
A gentleman's banyan was a loose, informal robe to be worn instead of a coat. Made most often of patterned materials, these useful garments could vary from light and cool to quilted and warm.
+ Breeches
In the early 18th century breeches were barely seen beneath long waistcoats and coats. By the mid-18th century they were more noticeable beneath shorter waistcoats and open coats, and so the cut of breeches became tighter and revealed the shape of the leg. Breeches were made in a great variety of silks, cottons, linens, wools, knits, and leathers
+ Cravat
The 18th-century man almost always wore some sort of neck cloth, whether fashionably dressed or at labor. The cravat was one of many forms of neckwear. It was a narrow length of white linen that could be adorned on its ends with lace, fringe, or knots. It was worn wrapped about the throat and loosely tied in front. The cravat was first seen in fashionable dress in the mid-17th century.
+ Shirt
The shirt was worn as a man's undergarment, covering the body from neck to knee. Most were made of white linen, which could be very fine or very coarse. A gentleman's best shirt may have ruffles at the wrist and/or breast. A laborer's shirt was sometimes made of unbleached linen or small patterned checks and stripes. A plain shirt might serve as a nightshirt.
+ Wigs
In the second half of the prior century wigs had entered into court fashion in both England and France. In the early years of the 18th century the Full Bottomed Periwig reigned with its cascade of curls. As the century progressed, the proportion of the wig generally decreased and the variety of fashionable forms expanded greatly. By mid century wig wearing was available to most levels of society for the individuals who chose to do so. Made of human, horse, goat, or yak hair, the choice of material and styles changed constantly with fashion and personal preferences.
Eighteenth century clothing was changing very fast. This type of change can be understood by many people today. The style of clothing reflects society, and that is what those of the eighteenth century did. Our 21st century hype about being your own person has all been done before. Granted, we may think our type of clothing is more expressive than that of the 18th century, but we have the same idea as those coming to the New World did many years ago.