Women clothing style
seems to change more dramatically than world economics. Looking back to the
archive of fashion, we can witness the remodeling of fashion and style through
space and time.
18th century women wore mantua as formal wear. The mantua was an open-fronted silk or fine wool gown with a train that is folded up through complicated draping accompanied by loose elbow length sleeves in the bodiac. Sack back dress which became popular in the mid of 18th century was made from panels of silk and it flowed down like a full skirt worn over hoop petticoat. The richly embroidered and beautifully patterned hand-sewn silk gowns depicted the wearer’s wealth. However, their feasible clothes had a close resemblance to men’s jacket and waistcoat version which they were worn during traveling, riding, and outdoor occasion. In the early 18th century, the hair hung close to head with linen cap but towards the end of the century, the hair was combed over a padded roll or over a frame.
Princess line dress of 19th
centuryProgression into the 19th century
launched an S-shaped silhouette dress that disclosed the actual body form with a deeper waistline and tighter fit giving a bell-shaped skirt. Short puffed
sleeves and feather quilted petticoats were on fashion. Later half of 19th
century observed another style called the “princess line” dress named after
Alexander, the princess of Wales. The style depicted a dress without a waist
seam, fitted inside with long and vertical tucks to echo a slim body-conscious
look. Another elite group of women almost led a movement in favor of “artistic
dress” which were loosely fitted than conventional attire and were rather simple
with long puffed sleeves. They were made from fabric with muted colors from
natural dye and designed in needlework. Bonnets or hats were worn under raised
top knots and in later century hairstyles became smooth with central parting
finished with ringlets on either side of the face. A small bun raised on top of the head and puffed out of the face looked quite fashionable.
With the expansion of the fashion industry in 20th century and technological production of synthetic fibers, there was a constant inflow of new styles to cater the demands of fashionholic women. According to the French couturier Paul Poiret, he had emancipated women from the corset and replaced it with brassiere with his exotic range of alluring designs. He came up with eastern style trousers, hobble skirt, lampshade skirt, and Neo-classical gowns like tunics known as peplos. The changing trend reflected women independence in style statement. As women became free to choose their career and profession, they took up fashion-forward garments with confidence according to their social settings. Starting from slit skirts to shorter skirts with more ankle revealing accompanied by skin-color stockings came into fashion. Colors were heavily influenced by war and women loved military-inspired fashion colors. Mid of 20th century was the turning point where femininity returned to fashion with a tight waist and high hemlines as timeless looks.
Backless dress and halter neckline popped up in fashion. Designers played with vibrant colors and repeating patterns and came up with fashionable matching bags with dresses. The societal and cultural change was clearly expressed through clothing like A-line dresses that showed off legs and gave ladies extra height. Bell-bottom pants, mini-skirts sprung up like fancy trends. Glam rock and disco trends introduced fashion staples like satin, glitters in make-up. Baggy blazers, jelly shoes, and espadrilles were well-liked.
With the current fashion trends of 21st
century, smock tops with hotpants, skinny or high-waist jeans have popularised.
Women like to follow minimalist fashion trends with just casual ripped jeans
and t-shirts. Neon leggings, jumpsuits, asymmetric color dress, multi-color
sequin mini dress to ruffled sleeves maxi dress has captured the market. In
this era since designers have creative liberation, they can come up with
indo-western style, fusion wear which beholds the very essence of the charismatic
glam world of fashion. It’s a famous saying that what goes out of fashion,
always comes back to embrace the countless continuance of eternity.
[Credit: Debanjali Dey, Kolkata]
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