Development of Clothing during the 17th And 18th Century

Development of Clothing during the 17th And 18th Century Name Institutional Affiliation Development of Clothing in the 17th And 18th Century Clothing and fashion during the early 17th century, the beginning of the 18th century and towards the end of the 18th century were marked by rapid change, and several factors influenced the kind of men and women’s clothing produced. The vanishing of ruff in favor of lace collars or broad linen characterized the fashion trend during the early 17th century Cavalier or the Baroque period. Within this period, waistlines for apparel in Western Europe increased for both women and men, while in other notable fashions there was a disappearance of stockings or hose in favor of breeches for men. Conversely, in the 18th century, men’s outfit were highly analogous to those worn in the 17th century. Well-to-do men put on the white cotton of linen shirts on their upper bodies, while satin knee breeches and silk horse were worn at the knee area with garters. This paper examines and reviews the differences in the development of clothing in the early 17th century and early and late 18th century. The Early 17th century The history of the fashion during the early 17th century was marked with the infamous ruff, which stood out during the beginning of the century. From the neck, it stood as a starched platter and increased to significant sizes before draping and loosening into a collar. The style was later replaced with a lace-trimmed, wide white collar for both women and men. Puffed sleeves that almost reached the wrists were paired with a shawl-like collar, and it made the shoulders to appear full and have a dropping appearance. The gowns exposed the wide bands of the neck and shoulders thus providing an essential display of jewellery. Lace-trimmed, wide white collar for both women and men Baroque fashion and clothing were marked by boisterous ornamentation, particularly when it comes to the attire worn by the middle and upper class. During the early 17th century, the English Civil war influenced male attire while women's attire portrayed wealth through ornamentation and not jewellery. France became a wealthy monarchy under Louis XIV leadership, making it Europe's cultural centre. The nobles usually defined the fashion trends, clothing was ostentatious and large, and designed to differentiate between the upper and lower classes. The preferred fabric during the baroque period was silk, and it was sometimes used with velvet. Inner layers of attires consisted of linen (Jaliao, 2018). Gowns were long dresses comprising close-fitting bodice, and women mostly wore them. Flexible stays replaced hard corsets that were common during the Renaissance period, and the silhouettes softened gradually. The low neckline was decorated with lace collars. Another fashion that was popular was virago sleeves, and they consisted of large strips of a variety of fabrics, which met at the elbow. Dark colors and elaborate patterns became famous, and a black cape was worn on top. A dark gown with lace collar and virago sleeves (Jaliao, 2018) A militaristic appearance was famous for men's clothing, and this consisted of a tight jacket referred to as a doublet. Two sides were raised while the lower centre part was pointed and the slee...