1780 - 1820 In the 1770s public demand had risen for printed cottons which would look like expensive fashionable silks or the printed glazed chintzes from India; but during the 1780s the fashions for ladies dresses (or gowns) became straighter, slimmer, simpler styles with a higher waistline. Muslin was much favoured for its softness and flowing lines. By the 1800s plain, printed or embroidered Lancashire muslins were much in vogue for the high waisted 'Empire' line dresses where the waistband ran under the bust. Necklines were often low and sleeves were short and puffed. While this style was cool and suitable for summer it was cold for the English winters. Patterned cotton shawls became fashionable and knitted cotton stockings were worn with layers of calico petticoats. Drawers (knickers), unknown throughout the 18th century, were introduced at this time for women because of the clinging nature of the dresses. The first drawers were baggy, laced and reached to the ankles. In 1812 pantaloons became all the rage. They were shorter than drawers, reaching only to the knees. Around 1818 these were replaced by pantalettes which were mid calf length and trimmed with lace. Corsets made of jean (like denim) were worn to support the bust and stomach. The concept of underwear began to flourish with the advent of the Industrial Revolution. Before, an undergarment was just a simple shift or shirt worn next to the skin; practical since it protected the outer garments and was easier to wash. This garment could also be made of a smoother or softer material than the outer garment so that it did not irritate the skin. The medieval penance of wearing a hair shirt was devised simply because of the great unseen discomfort it could cause. Most people slept in their shifts. Only rich people could afford separate nightshirts or 'smocks'. In 1556 the upper classes were told to 'use your servants as you do your smocks, have many, use one and change often.' 1820s - 1850s The long period of the Regency came to an end in 1820 with the death of George III and the coronation of George IV; and a change began in women's fashion. Dress waistlines lowered and the volume of skirts increased. In 1830 a new king, William IV, came to the throne. Skirts were accentuated at the back by the use of a cloth bustle tied around the waist and waists were becoming smaller, helped by tight corseting. Sleeves were in huge leg 'o mutton style. By the 1840s tight long waisted stays ensured ever smaller waists which gave women an 'hour glass appearance'. Fashion was starting to take on a fussy look and flounces, ribbons and ruffles were the order of the day. Bodices were slim line and the corsetry industry flourished. Women were laced into stays drawn so tight that they could hardly breathe. Drawers were made of percale and were no longer joined on the inside leg. The legs were completely separate and joined only by a waistband. Pantalettes were now considered indecent for grown women and were worn only by young girls. Another new innovation was the camisole, reaching to the waist, a sleeveless/ short sleeved undergarment with a low neck which was designed to offer additional warmth. The number of petticoats worn was increasing to give fullness to the skirts and the ubiquitous red flannel petticoats came into fashion during the 1840s. In the same period nightcaps tied under the chin were introduced. Women slept in nightdresses rather than chemises, although 1850s morality declared that there must be no lace trimmings or embroidery because it was not considered 'proper' for nightwear to be attractive. It was however in the 1850s, the second full decade of Queen Victoria's reign , when Britain was at the height of its wealth and power built on the Industrial Revolution, that fashion reflected the ultimate in the garish display of materialism through the crinoline. A crinoline was a large hooped wire cage, first devised in 1848, the circumference of which could measure up to six metres, and it became the 'must have' in fashion for all women. It gave skirts a voluminous appearance without the need to wear several heavy fabric petticoats. Despite its popularity the crinoline was fraught with problems. It took up an awful lot of room. The wearer often experienced difficulty in sitting down. Crinolines got caught up in just about anything and wearers fell over, fell down, and fell off trains and horse buses. Several crinoline wearers were burned to death after their wearers had inadvertently allowed their crinolines to get too close to the hearth. Crinolines were banned from mills and manufactories because of the dangers posed by unguarded machinery and the amount of room crinolines took up. 1851, the year of the Great Exhibition in the Crystal Palace, saw the introduction of Bloomers. Bloomers later came to mean closed drawers (i.e. those joined on the inside leg to resemble longer versions of modern knickers), but the garment which Amelia Bloomer launched was a trousered dress outfit, a knee length dress with trousers worn underneath, known as the Bloomer costume, in an attempt to free women from crinolines, petticoats and heavy skirts which dragged in the dirt of the streets. However this outfit was treated with ridicule and contempt and ended up as a journalistic sensation not a fashion. It was only worn by Amelia and some of her friends for just a few months. Its real importance is that it was a first attempt to introduce practical clothing for women. In between: 1860 - 1919 1860s The crinoline disappeared during the mid 1860s, a victim of inevitable fashion change and also probably of Victorian prudery. The glimpse of ankle afforded by the wearing of crinolines was though to be 'disgusting'. In 1868 an American actress posed for a photograph sitting cross legged (as many 21st century children do in school assemblies or gym lessons). Her legs were uncovered from knee to foot in this pose and the photograph was described as 'the most disgusting example of self degradation in a woman I have met with' Skirts remained large and full but achieved this effect by the use of petticoats and the revival of the bustle in 1865. Bustles were initially filled with down but by 1870 had become 'a structure of steel half hoops' Bodices were still tight. Under garments had to be in white since coloured underclothing 'might lead to wilful exposure and this habit might lead to indescribable excesses' 1870s The bustle (or crinolette) declined in popularity around 1875 and 'sheath like' dresses became the new fashion. These included 'princess style' tea gowns and the Polonaise, a coat like dress, consisting of 'a fitted bodice with a full skirt, draped in front from the waist and caught up on either side at the back, so that it fell in three large loops; the underskirt, or petticoat, which showed prominently, was elaborately embroidered' Corsets remained tight and restrictive. In 1878 combinations, bodice and drawers were combined into a single garment, were introduced. Combinations were made from linen, calico, cambric, wool or merino, and were usually either pink or cream in colour. The first suspenders, made of sateen, appeared in 1876 and replaced garters in holding up stockings. 1880s This decade saw a revival of the bustle and the introduction of separate skirts and bodices or contrasting tunic blouses. 'Separates' were not a new idea, having been popular in Tudor and Stuart England. Day dresses and formal dresses had long trains. There was also a craze for 'decoration with dead animals and birds'; notably stuffed birds on hats. In 1883 basques (corsets with suspenders) were introduced. Corsets were still as tight as ever; strengthened with whalebone which made it impossible for some wearers to sit or eat properly and which caused numerous medical problems. 'Bust improvers' were marketed in 1884 to be worn under the camisole; but in 1889 the 'bust bodice' (the pre cursor of the modern brassiere), made of cotton fabric and designed to be worn over the corset to support the breasts, was introduced. Red flannel was widely used for drawers and petticoats. 1890s Outdoor pursuits such as cycling, sports and walking encouraged the adoption of tailored coats, costumes and suits which gave women a much greater freedom of movement. 'Separates' were in fashion with decorative bodices, plain skirts, pleated skirts and gored skirts. Gored skirts became wider as the decade progressed and were lined with taffeta. When worn with taffeta petticoats these skirts rustled with a sound known as 'frou-frou'. Blouses and shirts became accepted, more loosely fitting and easily interchanged fashion items than the bodice. There was a revival of the fashion for leg o' mutton sleeves. 1900s The fashion for bell shaped skirts was complemented by high necked blouses and this is the look which characterises the transition from Victorian England into a new century and the reign of Edward VII (1901-1910). Large decorative hats were popular in Edwardian England. Around 1905-1907 blouse sleeves became ¾ length and this was followed by ¾ length coats (reaching to mid calf, not to just below the hips as in recent times). In 1906 the term 'knickers' came in to use for drawers. Knickers were usually made of calico. In 1908 'skirt knickers' which buttoned between the legs, were introduced; followed in 1909 by 'Directoire knickers' which were slim line and elasticated at the waist and knees. It was these knickers which evolved into the modern styles. 1910s The decade of the Great War (1914-1918) began with the accession of a new king in 1911 (George V 1911-1936) and saw the laying of the foundations for the major fashion changes which would follow during the 1920s. There was a new fashion for straight skirts which then gradually became generally wider and shorter. In 1910 there was an impractical fashion called the hobble skirt because the wearer could only hobble due to a tight band around the skirt at the knees. Wide white Peter Pan collars also became popular. The War brought a military looking style to coats and jackets while dresses had a 'barrel outline' and ended just above the ankle. In 1919 jumpers were introduced. The importance of the introduction of knitted fabrics was that they altered many fashions into straighter and narrower styles. Underwear became less cumbersome and corsets became less restrictive, helped by the introduction of more elastic fabrics. During the period 1913-1916 bras were introduced. Camisoles and petticoats and knickers were still worn but 1916 also saw the introduction of cami knickers which were petticoat length with a gusset or button flap. Around the same the shorter wider French knickers came into vogue. Stockings were worn black for winter and white in summer. 1920s - 1940 The Great War years completely revolutionised fashion. Young soldiers, shocked beyond belief by what they had seen and endured, retreated a little from the real world. They did not want the responsibilities that came with wives and children. They wanted to reclaim some of their lost youth. The 1920s fashions emphasis was, for the first time, on youth; on 'boy shaped schoolgirls' who knew how to have fun. Hemlines rose, waistlines dropped, and brassieres were worn tight to compress and flatten the breasts in keeping with the boyish look. Dresses hung straight and low tie sashes were worn around the dropped waist. Dress lengths varied. The 'flapper' dresses worn when dancing the Charleston came to just below the knee. Sleeveless dresses came in to fashion for the first time. In the mid 1920s zip fasteners were introduced, although they were not used for dresses until the 1930s. Trousers were introduced for sport, leisure and evening wear. Jumpers and knitwear became popular. One piece knee length swimsuits were worn without shame. French knickers remained popular but ordinary knicker lengths were shortened to 'panties'. Silk stockings were in vogue and now that legs were exposed they were available in a variety of pink, beige and fawn shades. Nightwear became more exotic and pyjamas were all the rage. The 1920s were an age of fashion liberation, experimentation and personal expression for many women. There was a more austere mood during the 1930s caused by the Great Depression and the growing possibility of another war with Germany. However, fashion chic and glamour dresses characterized the decade but the underlying themes of women's freedom and personal expression did not change. Waistlines rose and hemlines dropped. Evening gowns were long and narrow and shaped to the natural contours of the body. They were often worn with little bolero jackets. Smart tailored two and three piece suits came into vogue. Shoulders were padded and square during the latter half of the decade. Trousers and 'woolies' (jumpers, cardigans etc) remained popular and shorts were introduced. Cami knickers came back into fashion. Brassieres were 'designed to support and separate' and by 1937 had become known as bras. In 1940 a Purchase Tax was levied on clothing and prices rose sharply as raw material supplies dwindled with the onset of war and clothing manufactories switched to ammunitions work. By 1941 the Government had decided to ration clothing and issued clothing coupons to every family and individual in the country. Raw materials were in ever shorter supply because of the Government demand for uniforms for Armed Services personnel. As a result the Government introduced Utility clothing, simply styled functional clothing made with a minimum of raw materials. It was dubbed the first civilian uniform and came on the market in 1942. Skirts and dresses were straight and knee length, and pleats were restricted; jackets short and box shaped and allowed no more than three buttons. Unnecessary frills and trimmings were forbidden. Silk or nylon stockings were not available. National need, as in the Great War, meant the end of an era for women's fashions. Further reading: Cunnington, Willet C. and Philis. Handbook of English Costume in the 18th century Handbook of English Costume in the 19th century (1959) Faber. Cunnington, Willet C. and Philis. History of Underclothes Michael Joseph, 1951. Marly, Diana de. Working Dress - a history of occupational clothing. Batsford, 1986. ISBN 0 7134 5028 2 GG View the Womens wear collection to find out more > |
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