Here’s How Small Changes In Women’s Fashion From 1784 To 1970 Ended Up Creating A Big Difference
Back in the days before the camera was king, fashion trends were portrayed to the masses through artfully illustrated drawings. Somebody has collected a series of these beautiful sketches, documenting the changes in western women’s fashion all the way from 1784 to 1970, when the artform finally became obsolete.
The history timeline presents the trendy clothes from each and every year, reflecting the social-economic conditions of what was sure to be the higher classes of society. Beginning with elaborate, puffy dresses with a hoop in the bottom to completely hide the legs, we slowly make our way through the 19th century where things had slimmed down considerably, before billowing out again, even bigger than before. The hat was a staple of vintage fashion all the way up to the 1950s, where it gave way to shorter skirts and finally, pants.
While the art of fashion illustration has fallen out of the mainstream, there are some dedicated specialists that keep it alive. Scroll down to see the illustrated vintage dresses for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments!
(h/t: My Modern Met)
I'm sure women in the 1700s were happy they didn't have to be all trussed up, complete with neck ruffs, like their great-grandmothers in the 1640s. I've seen some of those videos on what went into getting dressed in those days, and crinoline came in the mid 1800s. The 1700s gowns were of two or three pieces. Underneath the skirt was stuffed hip pads/rolls tied on at the waist, then a tie on overskirt for the layered effect, and a jacket went on top of the corset that was buttoned on. Under all this was a long linen chemise, and silk stockings tied at the knees with a bit of ribbon. No bras, no knickers. Overall, much lighter-weight outfits than we'd imagine from watching movies. The Victorians were the disaster, what with massive steel hoops and whalebone-ribbed corsets AND crinolines covered with horsehair, AND then combined with huge bustles in the 1870s and 80s AND so. much. fabric! How did all the women not catch on fire? Give me Regency dresses any day. So comfy-looking!
Have you ever been laced into a real, serious corset? I've tried it. Those ladies were a LONG way from comfortable, and those dresses weighed a ton. Not to mention the smell. Some of those ladies went literally years without bathing...and bragged about it. Apparently even Queen Victoria had body odour that could knock down a horse!
That is so gross. And they looked so pretty back then its sad to think how uncomfortable it must have been for them and also for the people who were around them and had to endure the smell. Maybe they were used to it.
Yes, apparently the bathing thing was rooted in the belief that water carried diseases into the body. Don't ask me what they drank. Beer probably gave them beer nostrils.
I have no idea what all this thread is about as my fashion dense is a jean a whatever my hand picks from my closet, BUT I did study in one of Art and History classes the medieval times, the fact is that yes, people smelled awful, but also the streets, the buildings and anything in the city. They had no aqueduct system, so all the filth to the streets (from kitchen scraps, vegetables to meat, to the potties) that's also why most cities tried to construct the architecture on a slope, so everything... Went down.... Another fun fact is that they placed their deceased loved ones in their dining tables, and had them there for days before burial... So yeah, everything smelled... BAD
And before the age of air conditioning! The B O must've drov peopme to smoke to cover the stench! And no offense to woman as both sexes in those days wore way too much. How was hot places in the South ever settled? I would've kept moving through the first long, hot, summer! Yuck
They wore corsets in the Regency period, too. I used to wear a corset, it's definitely an art. I think the Victorians wore so many heavy layers. I remember the scene in Orlando when she was moving into the 19th century and compared to the 18th which was lighter and more airy.
Oh heck, MEN used to wear corsets. I'd have to look it up, but they were all the rage for men in the 18th century, and they started corseting children when they were toddlers.
How old are you, Grumble? 😨 "i used to wear a corset"
The regency corsets were much looser and were mostly for posture though.
I've worn many corsets. Hell, I have 3 steel boned corsets in my closet right now. I've worn them regularly out clubbing, to conventions, as a dancer (under bust), to ren faire, to get that one dress to fit just right for a big date.... there are plenty of women today who wear corsets regularly. Getting a decent one can cost a lot (steel boned not plastic, brocade fabrics, different hooks and latches) but is worth it. There is nothing like the feeling of power you get from wearing one, just as there is nothing like the corset-gasm at the end of the day. Seriously, where do you think the idea for Spanx and all of that came from? All they are is fabric corsets with no boning in them.
Oh, the bustles! It gave you a shelf butt. Lol
@ Mangos - Ok. I'll bite. What the heck are "beer nostrils". I have never heard that before....
Some did catch on fire - dressing that way was dangerous!
Because of crinoline skirts and dresses
Much women died because of their skirts, they were as huge kites so they literally flight in a windy day!!! And then dropped or had a violent crush with whatever.
Why would they cover it in horsehair??
This comment has been deleted.
Crinolines might seem uncomfortable by our standards but were a godsend for women at the time. Before then they had to wear layers of hot and heavy petticoats for the same effect.
You can't forget about the bag they usually put under their skirts
And every new generation hated the fashion of the previous one.
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.
It's interesting how there was a brief period of comfortable clothing between about 1795 and 1818, and then just shy of 100 years of torture, before coming back to being comfortable again.
I'm sure women in the 1700s were happy they didn't have to be all trussed up, complete with neck ruffs, like their great-grandmothers in the 1640s. I've seen some of those videos on what went into getting dressed in those days, and crinoline came in the mid 1800s. The 1700s gowns were of two or three pieces. Underneath the skirt was stuffed hip pads/rolls tied on at the waist, then a tie on overskirt for the layered effect, and a jacket went on top of the corset that was buttoned on. Under all this was a long linen chemise, and silk stockings tied at the knees with a bit of ribbon. No bras, no knickers. Overall, much lighter-weight outfits than we'd imagine from watching movies. The Victorians were the disaster, what with massive steel hoops and whalebone-ribbed corsets AND crinolines covered with horsehair, AND then combined with huge bustles in the 1870s and 80s AND so. much. fabric! How did all the women not catch on fire? Give me Regency dresses any day. So comfy-looking!
Have you ever been laced into a real, serious corset? I've tried it. Those ladies were a LONG way from comfortable, and those dresses weighed a ton. Not to mention the smell. Some of those ladies went literally years without bathing...and bragged about it. Apparently even Queen Victoria had body odour that could knock down a horse!
That is so gross. And they looked so pretty back then its sad to think how uncomfortable it must have been for them and also for the people who were around them and had to endure the smell. Maybe they were used to it.
Yes, apparently the bathing thing was rooted in the belief that water carried diseases into the body. Don't ask me what they drank. Beer probably gave them beer nostrils.
I have no idea what all this thread is about as my fashion dense is a jean a whatever my hand picks from my closet, BUT I did study in one of Art and History classes the medieval times, the fact is that yes, people smelled awful, but also the streets, the buildings and anything in the city. They had no aqueduct system, so all the filth to the streets (from kitchen scraps, vegetables to meat, to the potties) that's also why most cities tried to construct the architecture on a slope, so everything... Went down.... Another fun fact is that they placed their deceased loved ones in their dining tables, and had them there for days before burial... So yeah, everything smelled... BAD
And before the age of air conditioning! The B O must've drov peopme to smoke to cover the stench! And no offense to woman as both sexes in those days wore way too much. How was hot places in the South ever settled? I would've kept moving through the first long, hot, summer! Yuck
They wore corsets in the Regency period, too. I used to wear a corset, it's definitely an art. I think the Victorians wore so many heavy layers. I remember the scene in Orlando when she was moving into the 19th century and compared to the 18th which was lighter and more airy.
Oh heck, MEN used to wear corsets. I'd have to look it up, but they were all the rage for men in the 18th century, and they started corseting children when they were toddlers.
How old are you, Grumble? 😨 "i used to wear a corset"
The regency corsets were much looser and were mostly for posture though.
I've worn many corsets. Hell, I have 3 steel boned corsets in my closet right now. I've worn them regularly out clubbing, to conventions, as a dancer (under bust), to ren faire, to get that one dress to fit just right for a big date.... there are plenty of women today who wear corsets regularly. Getting a decent one can cost a lot (steel boned not plastic, brocade fabrics, different hooks and latches) but is worth it. There is nothing like the feeling of power you get from wearing one, just as there is nothing like the corset-gasm at the end of the day. Seriously, where do you think the idea for Spanx and all of that came from? All they are is fabric corsets with no boning in them.
Oh, the bustles! It gave you a shelf butt. Lol
@ Mangos - Ok. I'll bite. What the heck are "beer nostrils". I have never heard that before....
Some did catch on fire - dressing that way was dangerous!
Because of crinoline skirts and dresses
Much women died because of their skirts, they were as huge kites so they literally flight in a windy day!!! And then dropped or had a violent crush with whatever.
Why would they cover it in horsehair??
This comment has been deleted.
Crinolines might seem uncomfortable by our standards but were a godsend for women at the time. Before then they had to wear layers of hot and heavy petticoats for the same effect.
You can't forget about the bag they usually put under their skirts
And every new generation hated the fashion of the previous one.
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.
It's interesting how there was a brief period of comfortable clothing between about 1795 and 1818, and then just shy of 100 years of torture, before coming back to being comfortable again.