Chapters 5 Fashion History

Terms Barter: Trading goods, services, ideas, and techniques w/o the use of money Cellulose: Main component of such plants as cotton and flax; produced by dissolving the fibrous inner bark of mulberry trees Ready-to-Wear: Clothing made in advance for sale to any purchaser ready to wear fashion show

Terms Sumptuary Laws: Regulations that controlled what each social class would wear during the middle ages Sweatshops: Name applied to early clothing factories because of dark, airless, uncomfortable and unhealthy working conditions

Changing Fashion A century ago the fabric in bathing suits covered all but the head and arms. This modest look eventually gave way to designs that were more comfortable in the heat and less restrictive for swimming. Swimming designs today are quite varied and less modest than earlier versions.

Fashion History When you slip on a favorite pair of blue jeans, do you stop and think that a coal miner born 150 years ago appreciated the same sturdy, riveted denim construction? When you put on running shoes, do you realize that a Briton sheepherder laced his boots in the same crisscross pattern 1500 years ago? Throughout history, garments styles have reappeared. They may look the same or they may be changed slightly to reflect new needs and new technology.

The Earliest Clothing A. Thousands of years ago, people made clothing from natural resources as protection from weather Ex: Animal skins and hair, plants, grasses and tree bark B. The First Clothes and Fabrics Very simple in construction and design; Nomads In northern Europe, cave dwellers wore animal skins, probably hair side in.

In Africa, the South Pacific, and parts of Asia, people laced grasses together for protection against the sun and rain. Parts of plants, such as the bark of trees, were soaked and treated until soft enough for cloth. As early as 5000 B.C, people in Egypt made linen cloth from flax plants A few thousand years later, inhabitants of present day India and Pakistan, possibly even the Americas, produced cloth from cotton, while in China, silkworms were raised for their silken cocoons.

Fashions of the Early Civilizations The earliest, simplest garment was a rectangle of fabric wrapped or draped about the body Ancient Egypt Early garments were made from cotton and linen Well suited for hot climate of the Nile River Valley Men wore knee length skirts tied in front Women wore long, straight dresses that tied behind the neck or at the shoulder Drawings, mummy cases, and actual fabrics discovered in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs reveal the fashions of the day.

Minoan Contribution Around 1700 B.C. on the island of Crete, women wore some of the first recorded examples of fitted garments 1. Full skirts stretched into a bell shape 2. Jackets were short and form fitting Colorful fabrics and small hats were popular The Greeks fashioned their garments by elaborately wrapping, draping, and pinning long, rectangular pieces of fabric, which took dozens of square feet of fabric Both men and women wore a garment called a chiton (KY-tun) Sometimes a himation (hih-MA-tee-ahn) was worn as a cloak

Roman Empire The Greek himition was the basis for the toga. Long pieces of fabric were wrapped around the body, always exposing the right arm. Different colors identified various occupations/class ranks Only the emperor could wear purple Women wore a stola; a long, belted robe similar to the chiton Jewelry: necklaces, brooches, earrings, gold wedding rings

China and Japan Qin Dynasty Although most shapes were simple, garments often featured very elaborate silk embroidery Some designs symbolized beliefs and customs; others provided information about a wearer’s status In the Manchu region, a cheongsam (CHAWNG-sahm) was worn by women This high collared dress buttoned on the right side and had long side slits As far back as the 4 th century in Japan, the kimono was the standard dress for both men and women Kimono’s were made from one piece of linen and wrapped to fit the body.

The Evolution of Fashion a. Many years ago, fashion changed very slowly. People often wore the same clothing style for life An outfit for special occasions was often handed down from one generation to another b. Until the 14 th Century, European clothing was loose fitting and draped Around 1350, people started wearing more fitted styles; regional differences soon developed in Europe Spanned from about 400 to 1400 European settlers in America influenced the clothing styles worn in the US and Canada.

Early on, men wore simple wool or linen tunics and long stockings; women wore tunics over long gowns Goatskin/sheepskin outer garments provided protection in cold weather As prosperous middle class developed, styles changed to distinguish the rich from the poor 1. Men wore knee length pants called breeches 2. Women’s gowns had fitted bodice, very full skirt, and long, full sleeves 3. Garments trimmed with embroidery and decorative edgings Sumptuary laws were implemented because nobility felt threatened when the middle class imitated the upper class. A. Punishments, fines, imprisonment, or death

Renaissance Splendor During the Renaissance, styles in Italy, France and Spain features elaborate designs, beautiful fabrics, and elegant decorations The exploration of the New World in the 15 th and 16 th centuries brought great wealth to Europe. 1. Great wealth in Europe=gold threads woven into fabrics; jewels, lace, and fur decorated garments 2. Men’s attire: tight-fitting shirt called a doublet and a short gown with full sleeves over it, long stockings and puffed breeches. 3. Women’s attire: Dressed w/ a fitted bodice and very wide skirt w/ metal, wood, or whalebone frame 4. Both men and women: Ruffs and shoes trimmed w/ buckles and bows.

The 17 th Century During reign of King Louis XIV—France became the world’s fashion leader 1. The Royal court of Versailles set the style 2. Men’s fashion: lace; cravat (kruh-VAT), which is a lace edged piece of linen, circled the neck and tied in a knot or bow; powdered wigs 3. Women’s fashions; Discarded hoops; stiff ruff; lace-trimmed bodices; necklines lowered; higher hairstyles; beauty marks

The 18 th Century Much the same as the 17 th Century Fashions for both genders in France were very elegant, with laces, ribbons, and colorful silks. Women: gowns with bows, edging neckline with lace. Hairstyle, lifted and combed straight back. Men: suit coat with a fitted waist and flared hem. Wigs became less popular.

The 18 th Century French Revolution began, commoners rebelled. Women started wearing: loose, flowing dresses, began carrying purses, hairstyles featured soft, ringlet curls.

The 19 th Century After the French Revolution, dressing like royalty and upper classes was frowned upon.

The 19 th Century Men’s: cut away jacket, evolved into the tailcoat, then shortened to the knee-length, trousers(ending a 200 year tradition of knee breeches). Matching all colors. Women’s: raised waist-line(empire). Fuller and more elaborate dresses, stiff petticoats(fancy underskirts with ruffled or lace edges), hoops, leg-of-mutton sleeves(full at the top and narrow at the bottom). Corsets ’s - Designed for appearance than practicality. Back bustles. 1890’s – women working in factories began wearing simple skirts and tailored white blouses. The style is called the Gibson girl look.

Influences on Fashion History A. Trade B. Politics and Power The most dominant nations spread their influence to others. With the emergence of the middle class, royalty and wives of political leaders became fashion leaders C. Religion The sixteenth century Reformation encouraged dark colors, simple styles, and little decoration English Puritans=very plain clothing styles to show they didn’t conform to worldly standards

D. Technology The Industrial Revolution 1760 – James Watt= steam engine Rapid change resulted in power-driven machines. Clothing cost less, and people could buy clothing from catalogs and stores. However machinery created dark and dirty smoke, so businessmen began wearing darker colors and sturdier fabrics. Development of factories 1 st built in 1790, in seaport locations like Boston and New York. Others were near railroad lines and rivers. Most workers were women and children. Textile mills became popular in the South after the Civil War.

D. Technology Growth of Ready-to-Wear 1 st men’s clothing factory, specialized in making sailor’s uniforms. People working in the factories were becoming the new middle class and had more money to spend on clothing. Women’s grew more slowly. The growth of Ready-to-Wear created the growth of large stores Invention of New Fibers Artificial silk, and rayon

Fashions of the Twentieth Century A At the turn of the century, times were changing 1. By 1912, petticoats were abandoned for long, straight skirts 2. During WWI, women were working, so more practical clothing developed After WWI, excitement for fashion began to show ’s: Flapper dress/straight and short with a long string of beads

’s: Women were active in sports and began to wear wide trousers and above the knee shorts; evening gowns were long and form fitting At this time, men’s fashions were virtually unchanged

1940’s: Both men and women wore tailored suits/ shoulder pads

During WWII: Shortage of fabric; women’s skirts became slimmer and shorter; nylon stocking became virtually impossible to get ( )

After WWII: Christian Dior introduced the “New Look” for women; almost overnight, women began to wear dresses w/ long, full skirts

The 1950’s A. Fashions influenced by designers, movies, and television shows Dior Introduced A-line silhouette for women Full skirts paired with sweater sets Pants rolled up or cropped for casual wear, worn with a man’s shirt Men’s fashion: gray flannel business suit/single breasted and loosely fitted; dress shirts could be pale blue or yellow instead of just white; leather jackets; pompadour hairstyle of Elvis Presley T-shirts were worn w/ jeans (instead of as an undershirt) as influenced by actors Marlon Brando and James Dean

The 1960s The influence of fashion designers declined and were replaced by cultural events such as the Beatles, Woodstock, and rock concerts Jacqueline Kennedy became a fashion leader for women; Chanel suit and pillbox hat Young men started wearing colorful fabrics and jewelry Jacket lapels widened and pants flared or bell-bottomed; men grew sideburns, mustaches, and beards to go with longer hair lengths

African Americans rediscovered traditional African garments Hippie look for men and women

The 1970s A. Unisex look: men and women wore the same fabrics and colors B. The two-piece polyester leisure suit gained popularity with men C. Jeans; T-shirts with slogans; hip hugger pants; layered look;

The 1980s Styles featured broad, padded shoulders (think back to the 1940s) The “power suit” was invented for women Designer jeans became a status symbol Styles were influenced by performers like Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Prince, and Michael Jackson By the end of the decade, freedom of choice dominated

The 1990s and Beyond….. A. Fashions for both men and women became more natural in shape The padded shoulders and poufed skirts were gone Styles ranged from baggy pants to leggings; from oversized shirts to skinny tops Styles from past decades re-emerged in the middle 1990s 1. updated versions of fitted 1950s jackets 2. sheath dresses from the 1960s 3. wrap dresses and hip huggers from the 70s

B. In the 21 st Century, the trend has been toward more casual, comfortable clothing that could worn at work and home.