Here’s How Small Changes In Women’s Fashion From 1784 To 1970 Ended Up Creating A Big Difference

And vice versa. ♥

Not really. If you examine closely you will see that particularly the period up through the 18th century corsets and panniers were vital. Until Marie Antoinette changed fashion into the more ethereal, bucolic, easier to wear garments. Then you lost the panniers, but still with the Empire period, you had a slim silhouette. By the end of that era they were back into the tightlacing and stronger wasp shape, which until the Nouveau and Deco when corsets were transformed into girdles, tended to change shape. The bustle of the late-middle 19th century is just a throwback to the pannier. Even the 1950's wasp waists returned with Dior's New Look. It's not hate, it's just new ideas, building on old ones.

The world wars had a great influence in fashion (so I've read). Shortages and rationing of fabric - skirts got shorter and silhouettes were more streamlined. Clothing also needed less froufrou bits so that they didn't get in the way of women working. Military uniforms were also an influence. Trousers started being worn more (think women in mines wore them before that though I don't know any dates). I thought bras were around earlier - started to be mass produced around 1913/14?? Not that it means they were commonly worn of course.

In the 70's we wore dresses that were so daringly short that your underwear almost showed. That's when pantyhose really took off. You couldn't wear stockings and garter belts with those!

On the other hand, there were also short dresses and skirts during the ancient and middle ages.

I read somewhere that they made shorter skirts to save money and fabric for soldiers during war :D

I ancient egipt, the richest women weared the thinest tisues. Cleopatra's dresses were completely transparent :)

It was little by little that skirts were shorter.

Thank you Aunt Messy. I had a feeling the style reminded me of something. That's it!

Womenwore pants in the 60s too. I’m confused as to why they didn’t include this.

Only up until WWI. After that, the fabrics might have been more practical, and some of the designs shown here were "Sunday best" or special event wear. But I have many photos of my great-grandmothers, grandmothers, and mother all dressed in similar 20th century styles. (My mother just passed at 80 years of age.) Both my grandfathers were carpenters and all the women worked outside the home as well. Most women sewed, so they could actually wear many styles fashionable garments.

They were fashion plates. Of COURSE they were aimed at rich women. Who else could afford them? You think it's different now?

It depends. Here in Catalonia it was a political issue, so women during the republique and anarchists wore pants. They began to wore men models and after they did women pants. Of course they were never seen in vogue magazines but we have photographs and writtings explaining this, as well as some people who lived this period explaining this.

Pictures of burlap bag dress's could have been entertaining 😉

Ok...but what's your point? Edit: thanks for the response :)

There was an economic downturn about then. People couldn't afford the big dresses - and don't forget Civil War. If you thought rationing was an issue in the 20th century, it was nothing compared to that. It took years for the economy to recover.

Yes, they existed long before 70's but it took time to all woman could wear them. I've never seen my grandmother wearing pants and she died in the 90's. I also remember when it was very rare to see a medium aged woman in trousers, more and old one. At first they were all tourists coming from Sweden or Germany.

Pantsuits were becoming popular in the mid to late 60's. It was a matching top and pants (like the illustration) and it did cover your bum for modesty. I remember that some men were criticising women for wearing pants. I was a child then, and we were not allowed to wear pants to school until the early 70's (jr. high), and I was in high school before you could wear jeans to school (mid 70's). The dress codes were strict.

Also, in Europe pants were worn by women in the 1900's, 1910's and specially on 1920's and 1930's. It was common in anarquist places and also in arty or intelectual circles. In Spain, during the revolte againts the fascist militars, women wore pants to fight, to work and also as a way to ask for equal rights to women and men (they were perfectly maked up, with red lips, and perfect hair dressing with all this). Women wore trousers during the ww1 and ww2, too. After, society didn't allow them to work and be independent anymore, and they had to pass from comfortable trousers to "new look" with tiny waists and big skirts that were very uncomfortable to them.

But women were wearing trousers before the 70s...maybe it wasn't mainstream fashion but I've sure seen it in movies from the 40s

How is it different today ? Can you afford any dress from a Grand Couturier ? ;) And still, it does say if a trend and, sometime, even bring it to everyone. Remember Chanel ? Without Coco you will not really wear affordable tailleur.