Changes in Fashion and fabric

Fabric in the 19th century In the early 19th century (1800s), the type of fabrics that were used most commonly were: linen(linen is a type of fabric woven from a special type of flax), wool, and silk. Printed fabrics could be imported from Britain, but it was extremely expensive. Women usually spun and weaved their cloth/fabric using flax and wool, instead of buying cotton from other countries. No one used own any bought clothes, they were all hand made, so they didn’t have many clothes. After washing clothes (which was not done very often as it was a tricky process) they usually needed to be re-dyed. In richer homes, when a dress was washed(it was usually made of silk) they would take apart the dress and wash only the dirty bits, and then sew it back together, but slightly differently each time so the lady had a new dress to wear to her next party.

Fabric in the 20th century In the 1950’s, the most commonly used fabrics were: cotton, wool, linen, silk, rayon(rayon is not an artificial fabric, and is a cheap alternative to silk). Later on, nylon came in. Nylon was first used for fishing line, and tooth brush bristles. When the company that first made nylon (DuPont), they marketed it by saying ‘as strong as steel, as thin as a spiders web’. It was released in 1933 in New York. As more people travelled as it came to the 1960s (it was becoming easier), clothes became a lot cheaper, lighter, and non-cressable. All though their were lots of better fabrics around, fabrics like silk and wool were still worn a lot. Furs were becoming more popular to wear as well. Also polyester, and crimplene were becoming popular, and they were easier to care for e.g. Washing them.

Fabric now The most common fabrics now used are warm, quick drying, and you don’t have to iron them. Most fabrics now have synthetics (man-made products) in them, such as plastic bottles. Cotton is one of the few fabrics now that is not an artificial fabric, as it is grown on a plant. Cotton was also the first fabric ever known to be used. Cotton is one of the most popular fabrics because: it is comfortable to wear, durable and long lasting, strong, easy to wash and dry, but it wrinkles easily (now they blend polyester with the cotton to help prevent the creasing. The most common fabrics now used are: polyester, linen, nylon, cotton, acrylic, and acetate.         

Fashion for women in the 19th century The clothes women wore restricted the things they did. Their clothes were tight and they couldn’t lift their arms past shoulder height. But they were expected to work from dawn to after midnight. The fashion in the 19th century changed most from 1837-1901 (the time length that Queen Victoria was queen). In the 1840s-1850s, the women’s dresses had puffy sleeves. The dresses were simple and pale. The women also had to wear lots of things under their dresses, such as: petticoats (a type of clothing that hangs from the shoulders or from their waist), and corsets(some thing that the women used to strap around their tummy, to make them look skinnier than they really are). By the 1850s, alot of people stopped wearing petticoats and started wearing crinolines( a crinoline is a stiffened petticoat made to make the dress stand out) as the size of skirts got bigger. In the 1860s, the skirts came in more at the front and the back went out more. The day dresses had frilly collars and when you wore a party dress, you wore it with lace gloves. In the 1880s, when women went for a walk, they wore a long jacket and skirt.

Fashion in the 20th century for women In the early 20th century, nearly all fashion was based on Paris and London, but mostly Paris. The writers of Fashion magazines from all over the world were sent to Paris to write their articles about the first fashion shows, which were held in Paris. In the 1920s, soon after the first world war, fashion changed alot. Women stopped wearing long dresses/skirts, and started wearing knee length dresses/skirts, women stopped wearing corsets, and started to dress in T-shirts/shirts and shorts/long pants. Although, it was only just after the war, and not many families had the money to buy clothes so they made them instead. Although the shops sold T-shirts for women, the shops didn’t sell T-shirts for girls. So instead, the mothers would buy boys T-shirts, and sew embodied flowers on to the front of the T-shirt so the girls would wear them. Many countries weren't very keen on dressing in T-shirts and shorts, but by 1925, most people would wear them. Also around 1925, women started to cut their hair short, instead of having it long. In the 1930s, women's fashion changed to being darker colours, as lot of people were very sad, because their families were dying in the war. About in the 1950s, Paris’s fashion industry began to crumble. Also, during the 1950s, synisthetic fabrics were introduced as they were easier to look after. During the war (1939-1945), the fashion was to have your skirt/dress just above your knees. This was because their wasn’t much fabric during the war, but about in the 1950s, there was a lot more fabric available, so the fashion changed to having your skirt/dress just under your calf. This lady was called-‘Fashionable lady of the era’.

Fashion for women now Lots more women wear shorts/pants and shirts/T-shirts than they used to in the past. Fashion has changed tremendously now it is the 21st century. From always wearing dresses and not having a choice on what to wear, to now, when you have a vast variety on what you can wear. Lots of women still wear dresses, but they don’t come down to their ankles, and are much more comfortable to wear. The most common things for women to wear now is: T-shirts and shorts/or long pants, long sleeved shirts and long pants, t-shirts and skirts, or dresses. Fashion is always changing so the clothes shop will keep selling clothes.

Fashion in the 19th century for men During the 1850s, men started wearing shirts with turned over collars. The upper class continued to wear top hats, and bowler hats were worn by the working class. In the 1860s, men started wearing bow ties. Frock coats (long coats) were shortened to knee length. Briefly, top hats became very tall, but shrank back down to their normal size. In the 1870s, men started wearing ascot ties (the long ties that hang down to about your belly button). Also, frock coats and sack coats/lounge coats became shorter. Narrower ties were worn in hotter climates e.g. America.

Fashion in the 20th century for men In the early 1900s, trousers were shorter than they were in the 19th century, and they also had turn-ups at the bottom, where you could turn up the bottoms of your pants. If the man had a moustache, it was often curled. The most common things that they would wear would be: a sack coat with a matching waist coat (vest), and black trousers. This was also worn with a shirt and tie underneath the waist coat and sack coat ( the shirt was usually white). The new trousers in the 20th century were creased at the front and the back, using the new trouser press. The blazer was also another common thing to wear-usually navy blue, brightly-coloured, or striped flannel coat, cut like a sack with patch pockets and brass buttons. It was usually worn for activities such as sports or sailing. This was the way that men were expected to dress in the early 20th century.

Fashion now for men Fashion has changed alot for men since the 20th century. They still wear a coat, trousers, a shirt, and some times a tie for special occasions or when they are going to work. Now they usually wear jeans and a t-shirt or shorts and a t-shirt. Now you have alot more choice on what you can wear.

Before (19th and 20th century) Compare and contrast Before (19th and 20th century) Now (21st century) Now we can wear what ever we like. Now there is a wide range of t-shirts and trousers ( t-shirts and trousers/shorts are now more popular than dresses). Now most fabrics are made with chemicals. Alot less choice on what you could wear e.g. Women had to wear a dress and men had to wear a coat, trousers, a shirt and a tie. Before there was no trousers and t-shirts for women. Fabrics used to be all natural.

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