Akilah Millington 7A4-ID4 Social Studies

It all started in the seventeenth century; when settlers from England had just arrived in Massachusetts. In 1620 men, women, and children exited off the boat and started to create colonies in the New World. In the beginning clothing wasn’t considered important, but after a while it became very popular within the growing colonies.

Before women could wear any type of clothing, they had to put on their undergarments which included the corsets. Corsets were garments fitted around the upper part of the chest and ended at the torso. Most women wanted to stay “in shape” so they wore these to make them look thin. To keep the corsets in place, strings were usually placed in the back and tied to make them feel tight. If the corset was tied too tightly it would push the lungs closer together and result in difficulty breathing. It could also result in a fainting spell.

Worn under the outer corsets were shifts. These garments were similar to the shirts worn by men. They came in different shapes starting from different qualities of white linen, drawstring, or a plain neck. They were worn similar to the how corsets were worn except for the fact that the shift was a looser garment. Petticoats were skirt like garments sewn under the outer part of a dress. During the winter petticoats were worn under the dress for extra warmth. The garments were also worn on the outer part of the dress to fill the gap in the gowns.

In the Seventeenth century, women were not seen walking around in two different garments with two different patterns. They were seen in … DRESSES!!!!! Dresses are outer garments with that varying lengths. In the Seventeenth century dresses were worn floor length. They were usually worn for fashionable reasons.One of those reasons was the fact that they wanted to look fancy for balls and other special occasions (Psst. Down here, look at her mole. Well isn’t that just beautiful)

Cloaks were long, loose fitted outer garments that went from the neck and the shoulders and was used for protection from the dust and dirt. Capes were another piece of protective garment worn on the outside. It covered the shoulders and was shaped to fit around the neck. It was a bit shorter than a cloak. Caracos were jackets of many styles mostly worn during the second half of the Seventeenth century. They were often worn while at home or for special occasions.

Hats were typically only worn for fashion and to protect women’s skin from the harmful rays of the sun. In the Seventeenth century fashionable hats were shallow. The crowns were flat and the brim was very wide. Straw hats were also in fashion at that point of time. Caps on the other hand were worn by both girls and women. They were basic garments that covered the hair so that women wouldn’t have to style it. They also kept the hair from daily dust and dirt. When women left the house, they would tie the ribbon under the neck to keep it from falling off easily.

And so, that’s the end of the story of how fashion began in the Colonies and led to Modern day fashion. thanks for watching please come back soon. Resources Information On Clothing Images fuchsias18thcdress.wordpress.com nps.gov villagegreenclothier.com unchainedinamerica.com 123rf.com rossetti.vispa.com americanduchess.blogspot.com oakhillclothiers.com kaboodle.com