A Closer Look: An Overview of 19th Century Fashion | Cultured Elegance

In this video, we will be discussing the changing times in the 19th century and how to tell the difference between the different decades of fashion. In the 1700s, we saw great opulence and ornamentation reflected in the fashion of that time. Later, the French Revolution would cause the changing and simplified dress styles of the 1780s to come to the forefront of mainstream style. The grand interest in classical antiquity began at the latter part of the 18th century. Such revivals appeared not only in fashion but in architecture, interiors, and various fine arts. Women desired to dress like those of their ancestors during this time period, and so they tried to emulate them. They constantly sought to reproduce the supposed fashions of Rome and Garments were mostly made of fine cotton muslin. This fabric achieved a lightweight drape upon the body that could not be accomplished by wool or of silk. The waist was extraordinarily high directly under the bust. This waist, of course, is known as the empire waist, and it comes directly from this time period. The dresses also often featured long trains, which were common both for day wear and evening wear, but by 1807, we see that these trains begin to gradually disappear. In addition, the silhouette of the 1800s compared to the 1810s is a little wider and not as slim as the 1810s. Dresses were also often white in color because it was thought at the time that ancient Greek and Roman women only wore white dresses. Here are a few takeaways from these 1800s garments. Firstly, they are floor length. They have an empire waist. There is typically a train. There are only slight details on the bodice, but nothing too extraordinary. There is often no ornamentation that interrupts the bodice, but there is only a cohesion of the pattern altogether, and the signature dress of the day would have been a white cotton muslin gown. During the 1810s, we see that vertical emphasis of the silhouette still remains in fashion. However, more ornamentation and detail covers the dresses during this time, and the dress's silhouette comes closer to the body. There is more use of color and less exaggeration on the white Grecian gown. Textiles also became more diverse during this decade, where firmer cottons and silks were the norm compared to the fine draping muslin of the previous decade. Hairstyles also continued to show classical influence, but now they were pretty much primarily parted down the center. Now here are the takeaways from the 1810s. We see little fluidity in the dresses compared to the 1800s. We see the same empire waist. We see increased ornamentation on the dresses. There is more use of color and more use of various firmer textiles. The 1820s were defined as a transitional period, where we see the last remnants of the neoclassical and empire style and silhouettes, and instead the influences became a new romantic movement. The 1820s were a time that emphasized imagination, femininity, individualism, and emotion. The silhouette of the day underwent critical and important changes during this time, but in the first portion of the decade, the style was very similar to the 1810s. We see the waistline below the bust and a skirt that is slightly flared out. Sleeves were also puffed at the shoulder. Year by year, the waistline dramatically fell into the natural level by 1825, but as the waistline dropped, the skirts and sleeves began to get bigger and bigger. Three-dimensional trim and decoration was very popular along the hem of the dress. Hemlines also were shortened above the floor and were padded with cotton or wool to create a trapezoidal frame. Sleeves, as they grew, began to be elaborately decorated as well. The dresses often borrowed elements from the past several hundred years, ranging from the medieval period through to the 18th century, and the Renaissance era was particularly favored. Now let's talk about the key takeaways from the 1820s. We know this time to be a transitional period where the hemline is lifted above the ground. The skirts are a little wider. We see that the waistline has dropped to about the natural waist. We see the decoration and ornamentation of the garments to be overly exaggerated and increasing during this time, and the largeness and puffiness of the sleeves begin to grow. The 1830s was defined by exuberant and dramatic dressing. There was an influence not only in Romanticism but also in interpretations of the 17th century. The wide collars, puffed sleeves, and curled hairstyles were in vogue. In the early 1830s, the silhouette consisted of a nipped-in waist that fell just above the natural waistline. There was extraordinarily wide sleeves and skirts that ended just above the ankle. There was high levels of ornamentation and extreme exuberance within the whole garment. Everything was over the top and very extreme, but in the latter portion of the decade, when Queen Victoria was crowned and throwned in 1837, the fashionable woman was no longer one of great excess but of mild and modest form. The buoyant fashions of the early 1830s quickly collapsed, and the large sleeves fell from the top of the shoulder and throughout to the bottom of the arm. The key takeaways from this period are exuberance, excess, and tons of ornamentation. Sleeves are the largest during the 1830s, and the waist is quite nipped in just above the natural waistline. The period is also marked by romantic motifs and motifs from the 17th century styles. The 1840s marked the last years of the Romantic era. Now, a Gothic revival had emerged where demure, understated style was in fashion. There was also a great emphasis on modesty, and during this time period, women covered more skin than in previous decades. The silhouette of this time period consisted of a long-waisted bodice and tight, narrow sleeves. The skirt also happened to be full, skimming the floor, and was of a dome shape. Bodices overall in the 1840s featured a V-shape effect, which emphasized the long, small waist and narrow-sloped shoulders. The neckline was commonly found in the V form during the daytime, but the day were typically comprised of the entire body being covered up except for the neck and head. Collars were very common during the day and added an extra level of ornamentation while still being modest. Bonnets, when going out, were also very much in vogue. One could also accompany their ensemble with a shawl, both for evening wear and for day wear. Evening dresses often featured a bare neck and bare arms except for small sleeves. Now let us discuss the key takeaways and elements from the 1840s. We see the end of the Romantic period and a shift to demure modesty instead. There was a general lack of ornamentation and a lack of trim amongst the bottom of the dress. There was a gathering at the waist in a V form, and shoulders sloped dramatically. Day wear also often featured the whole entire body all covered up except for the neck and head. And the skirt is of medium fullness, not as small as the decade prior, but not as large as a decade later. The 1850s was marked by exuberant, feminine, and colorful dressing. The fashionable silhouette of the day was defined by sloping shoulders, a small waist, and a large, voluminous skirt. The large skirt was made possible through the patenting and invention of the crinoline. One of the main characteristics of the 1850s fashion was the dome-shaped skirt and its fullness being evenly distributed. The skirt was supported underneath by multiple petticoats, sometimes up to seven at once. Compared to the 1840s, the waist was now at its natural position. Daytime dresses also typically featured high necklines and the entirety of the body being completely covered up. The narrow fitting sleeves of the 1840s began to lessen. Sleeves became wide and open, expanding either from the shoulder or from the elbow. Pagoda sleeves were also very common and sometimes worn with removable white undersleeves. Sleeves could also be trimmed with ribbons, fringe, and tassels. Evening dresses typically comprised of very short sleeves bearing one's chest and shoulders, where the waistline would typically end in a point. For outerwear, women accompanied their dresses with shawls and bonnets. Now, let us discuss the key takeaways from this decade. There is an emphasis on femininity and colorful, exuberant dressing. The skirts of the dresses are very wide and the fullness of the skirt is the same around the entire circumference. The skirts also often featured multiple layers and the crinoline was in use. For daytime, the sleeves were wide and mostly the whole body was covered up. For evening wear, the sleeves were off the shoulder and the chest and neck were exposed. The waist was also at its natural position. By the 1860s, we see the skirts become the widest that they have been and by 1862, the cage crinoline begins to swing towards the back. In 1868, we see a flattening of the front of the garment and an emphasis completely towards the back of the dress. During this time, this shape of the dress was helped by a crinolette, which was a series of half hoops only supporting the volume towards the back. At the beginning of the decade, women's skirts were humongous, being 12 to 15 feet in circumference and of course being that dome shape. There was a fitted bodice and a variety of sleeve lengths. The bell-shaped pagoda sleeves of the 1850s still continued to be popular, but more frequently we saw in the 1860s that the sleeves began to close at the wrist. During the daytime, women often paired their skirts with blouses or shirt waists and still the entire body would be covered, but in the evening, the neckline of the garments would be dropped to off the shoulder. The key takeaways from this decade are as follows. There was an emphasis at the back of the dress, which increased as the decade went on. Skirts were also at their widest point in the early 1860s. We see that in the daytime, the whole body is covered up and women often wore shirt waists and blouses pairing with their skirts. And evening wear, the dresses are typically off the shoulder. The waist climbs up a bit above the natural waist level. At the beginning of the decade, bodices are more plain and there's more emphasis on geometrical details, but towards the end of the decade, we see more details and elements on the dresses arising. It is also important to note that in the 1860s, we see the rise of the famous designer Charles Frederick Worth, who was celebrated as the father of haute couture. In the 1870s, we see women's clothing become increasingly colorful, complex, and restrictive. In the first part of the decade, we see a silhouette that has lower sloped shoulders, a raised waistline, a layered and heavily pleated skirt, where bodices were just as decorated as the skirts. The bodices also featured high necklines, but it was at this time that they were allowed for a v-neck or a squared neckline during the day. And these necklines were almost always trimmed with ribbons, lace, ruffles, or braided materials. There was typically an underskirt and an overskirt, and the overskirt allowed for the emphasis at the back of the dress to be even greater, and underneath, which would have been, of course, the bustle. Around 1876, the bustle collapsed into what is known as the princess line, also called the natural form era, which only lasted for a few years. The skirts became very narrow and a long train was added to the back of the dress. At this time, the waistline dropped to the natural waist in the princess looks, and the shoulders began to creep slowly upwards as the sleeves tightened, accentuating the long slim line of the dress. In previous decades, women often wore shawls and capes for outerwear, but during this time, women opted for coats and jackets. The 1870s was very influenced by 18th century styles. The femininity, lace, and over-the-top designs were very much in vogue. Now, let's discuss the key takeaways from this time period. We see increasingly colorful, complex, and slightly restrictive garments. We see that there are bustles now, and the emphasis of the skirt is in the back, and in the beginning of the decade, we saw women wear double skirts, while later the princess line would become popular. Jackets and coats would begin to be worn for outerwear, and small hats were used instead of bonnets. Garments had increasingly extraordinary details all over, not only on the skirt, but on the bodice as well, and the main influence of this time period was from the 18th century. The 1880s was marked by an abundance of decoration and a rigidly structured bustle shape. Though there was heavy decoration, the silhouette was slender and angular. Through the entirety of the decade, the design was concentrated at the back of the dress. The soft, sloping bustle of the 1870s quickly faded into a bustle, which was very angular along the back of the dress. During the daytime, dresses featured high, narrow shoulders, which descended into very tight sleeves. Collars were often fitted and tall, and often boned for shaping. Hemlines were usually just above the floor, and skirts often had many over skirts that were swagged and tucked up in a variety of locations to reveal more details on the dresses. Jackets of this time period were just cut above the bustle, but were very common and very ornately decorated. The materials were plentiful and beautiful. Silks, ribbons, ruffles, flounces, stirrings, bows, lace, and all kinds of decoration covered the dresses of this decade. The key takeaways from this time were high ornamentation, colorful dresses, shelf-like protruding bustles, and an emphasis at the back of the dress. By the 1890s, the protruding bustle began to quickly disappear, and instead there was an emphasis on the sleeves. The puffy sleeves grew in size until 1895, and afterwards quickly descended. The skirts were also fuller in shape, which were a line in effect. The popular silhouette of the day featured a very small waist, which was pretty much at its natural position, and at the beginning of the decade, we see the large sleeves, and then as time goes on, they quickly decline, where the skirt is seen a little slimmer at the beginning of the decade, and quickly expands throughout the decade. As time went on, the dresses began to feature less detail and became more plain and utilitarian for working conditions. Angular sleeves were also very popular, either at the beginning of the decade or at the end of the decade, when the large puff was very decreased. Most day bodices covered the entirety of the neck and arms, but this wasn't always the case. Evening looks were extremely fabulous. Satins and silks were the main materials that were used. Dresses were elaborately done, but were less over-the-top than the 1880s. The key takeaways from this time period are larger skirts that don't hug the body, an increase in sleeve size, but a decline starting in 1895. The fabrics of this time are absolutely beautiful, but there is less emphasis on appliqués, which are applied to the skirts, and instead there is a focus on the material at hand. Thank you so much for watching Cultured Elegance. Make sure to tell me in the comments which decade was your favorite and why. I'll see you in the next video.