Understanding the history of fashion helps to inform a fashionista’s sartorial choices and influence her personal style. So if you are a dress person, it helps to learn about its history and evolution in order to find the style that fits you best.
Current fashion trends consistently borrows from previous fashion trends, giving them a modern update and creating new classics. The dress is one of the earliest pieces of clothing in women’s fashion, and its versatility and comfort has made it popular among women all through the ages, from the Victorian age to the 21st century.
Dresses now come in a variety of cuts, designs, fabrics, prints, hemlines, and styles, and you can easily find at least one style you like that flatters your figure. But did you know that dresses started out as menswear? Read on for more fun facts about dresses!
1. Dresses were not originally a trend amongst women.
In many cultures all over the world, dresses had been worn by men. For instance, the Scottish kilt and the toga worn by the ancient Greeks were all part of menswear. It was only later on that women appropriated dresses and men ceased to wear them.
2. In the 19th century, dresses took on a dramatic shape: the hoop-skirt and crinoline-supported styles were typically worn during the early 1800s.
Dresses came with a “day” bodice that had a high neckline and long sleeves, as well as an “evening” bodice that had a low neckline and short sleeves. During this period, there was little variety in dress length, and hemlines were either ankle-length or floor-sweeping.
3. The dress went through a major reform during the Victorian age. Also known as the rational dress movement, the Victorian dress reform took place during the middle and late Victorian era, from the 1860s to 1890s. Reformers proposed, wore, and even designed clothing that were more sensible and comfortable than what they wore during that time.
The movement’s most notable reform was in women’s undergarments, but it also influenced women to adopt more simplified garments for athletic activities like swimming or bicycling. Dresses also took on a more streamlined silhouette, particularly undergarment slips.
4. Dresses were very much influenced by the social climate of the time. In the early 1920s, they took on more masculine styles. Menswear inspired fashion was all the rage even back then, as women tried to appropriate menswear fashion to achieve equal social status. These dresses featured strong angles, and were made from sturdy materials. It was only later in the 20s that shorter, flirtier hemlines came into vogue (as below), and dresses returned to a more feminine ideal.
5. The 30s and 40s saw a notable cultural shift in attitudes towards women, who were gradually becoming more liberated within society thanks to the women’s movement. This had a significant impact on the fashion of the times, in which garments veered towards more revealing and daring styles. Women’s dresses came with lower backs, tucked in waists, and basically strove to enhance and emphasise the female silhouette, when they previously concealed.
The Great Depression and World Wars saw dress hemlines shrinking to save money, textiles, and time. This later gave rise to the mini dress of the 1960s.
6. The 60s was sartorially characterised by the mod mini dress, where hemlines shrunk and the mini shift dress was popularised by waif-thin model Twiggy and was typically paired with doll-like makeup and teased hair.
Dresses in the hippie seventies, however, went long, as loose, flowy maxi dresses came into fashion. These days, dresses are a throwback to these decades — maxi and mini dresses are popular styles given a contemporary revamp with architectural details and modern lines.
Are you a fan of dresses? What are your favourite styles?
