Such a concept in clothes as “dress” did not initially exist, in the past, in Europe and in the East, shirts and tunics were worn, not even differing in style, but in material, finish and length. The very concept of "dress" originates in ancient Egypt, it is the female kalaziris that is the prototype of the outfit. He looked like a straight shirt with an ankle length with or without straps. Now, such outfits can only be found at the rental of historical dresses or in a costume store.
The main clothing in ancient Rome and Greece was a tunic, a universal thing for both men and women. In those days, a person’s body, rather than clothing, set fashion trends, so cloth made of fine wool or linen was simply draped around the body.
The very concept of historical dress as a female dress appeared only in the 9th century, thanks to the spread of the Christian religion, which is based on the separation of men and women, their rights, duties and status in society. If you are engaged in tracking the evolution of such an outfit as a dress, then it is better to do this according to the main historical eras.
Early medieval period
This period lasted from the 7th to the 12th century, it is characterized by a mixture of antique and Byzantine styles of outfits. The dress at this time was two tunics, they were worn on top of each other. Silk or linen were the material for the lower clothing, everything depended on the situation in society. In fact, it played the role of women's underwear. All the masters sought to make the fabric as pleasant as possible to the body and soft, so they did not decorate it with anything. When it came to the top tunic dress, it was already possible to wander fantasy, but not too much. The upper tunic had a trapezoidal shape, and among the ornaments one could note embroidery on the collar, hem and sleeves.
Such concepts as "bodice" and "skirt" did not exist in that period of time. In order to highlight the waist, belts were used. The appearance of the belt depended on the estate of the woman, ordinary peasant women dragged the waist with leather strips or braided cords, ladies richer decorated the belts with plates of gold or silver, covered with enamel or artfully engraved, encrustation with semiprecious stones was possible.
Late middle ages
The late Middle Ages lasted from the 13th to the 15th centuries; it was marked by numerous Crusades and the general development of trade with neighboring Eastern countries. It is precisely because of these factors that markets and shops have replenished the range with bright fabrics that are very expensive in cost, such as silk and muslin. Of course, when compared with modern colors, the color scheme was scarce, but at that time the true variety of colors came into the life of the aristocracy: cherry, scarlet, blue, bright green, yellow and many others.
This period was marked by the development of women's dresses, not only from the side of the fabric, but also from the cut. There were divisions on the bodice and skirt, and the richness of the dress could be judged not only by decoration or belt, but also by the amount of expensive fabric. In addition, in most countries of Europe at that time, the social status of women was also determined by the number of folds on the skirt - the more, the higher.
Age of the Renaissance
In Europe, this era (XV - XVII centuries) was marked by the return of fashion to the ideals of ancient time - the harmony of the human body and its beauty. Women's dresses during this period were supposed to show wide shoulders, small breasts, white skin and a thin waist. It was during this period that a clear division into the bodice began, which should have been necessarily tightly laced and had an oval neckline, and a long skirt.
The changes also affected the sleeves. They were made in such a way that parts of the lower white dress were visible from the armhole and on the elbows. Initially, the cuts were made vertically or in the form of an oval, rhombus, but later tailors got the hang of making more artistic options. For example, at the end of the 15th century, the sleeves themselves already ceased to be attached to the bodice and kept exclusively on thin strips of fabric or ribbons.
In the middle of the 16th century, Spain became the trendsetter, and the vision of women's ball gowns was changing under the pressure of gold from the New World. It was this country that was least committed to the ideals of antiquity, which is why fashion in Europe began to change radically. Under the influence of a new trend, the silhouette of dresses loses femininity and flexibility, spacers and corsets are added, because of which the dresses themselves become more rigid. The farther, the more absurd the outfits were, and by the end of the century they could not be called a dress, most of all it looked like a portable jewelry case, a showcase, not a dress. In addition, corsages became so tight and tough that they could compete in strength with the cuirass of the military.
The end of the century brought the long-awaited changes in fashion, the silhouettes of dresses changed again, the ideals of the Renaissance returned. This time is becoming a turning point for women's fashion, it is becoming more multifaceted and complex. It began to reflect the difference between the inhabitants of Europe, both in religion, and in class and racial affiliation. Moreover, tension is growing between countries, contradictions are intensified by numerous wars and civil strife.
Baroque
It was at this time that the birth of the famous Baroque style, which became dominant in European countries for a long 150 years, was taking place. Translated from Italian, the name can be translated as "artsy", "strange." As for the appearance of dresses in this style, the female silhouette is softened and the cut is complicated due to the numerous draperies. Light and pastel shades replace bright and rich colors, becoming a new indicator of the situation in society. Light colors play the role of a symbol of female tenderness, purity and purity, as well as coquetry.
During the reign of the Baroque style, each year the sleeves and skirts become more voluminous, and corsets emphasize the waist more and more. Over time, more and more ruffles, ruffling, are added, but the waist is always thin and elegant. In corsets were pulled all women with an estate position above the peasants.
Rococo
The heyday of this style falls on the time of accession to the throne of King Louis XV of France. Style is equated with the most luxurious and refined, being the embodiment of a person’s high culture and his desire for the pleasures of life. It was at this time that the heyday of sewing and modeling fell, which has since become equated with art.
The life of the highest aristocratic circles in Europe firmly includes silk produced at the Lyon manufactories. A distinctive feature of this material was extravagant colors. Women's historical dresses made of Lyon silk were decorated with a large number of frills, frills, ribbons, lace and flowers. The decor of precious and semiprecious materials was also welcomed. The icon of the style of this period was the royal favorite - the Marquise de Pompadour, which is interesting, she lingered on the throne of the king of France for a rather long time.
Back to the roots
The French Revolution brought not only changes in the social system, but also a change of fashion in Europe. There was another return to the ancient ideals. Among the many features of the women's dress stood out: a raised waist line, the absence of a lower skirt and corset. These are historical empire dresses. For this short time, a thin waist went out of fashion, which allowed secular fashionistas to relax.
Romantic style
The arrival of this style dates back to the 20s of the 19th century, and again the slim waist became the standard of female beauty. The skirts of the new style became shorter and expanded, they began to resemble a bell in their shape, but the length became smaller - ankle-deep. A typical representative of the sleeve of this style can be called a “lamb leg”, expanding at the shoulder and becoming completely tight at the hand.
Big breasts and its emphasis played an important role in the features of the romantic style of historical ball gowns. Deep necklines were in fashion, but it was possible to show the neckline only in the evening, in the daytime women were required to wear drape and shawls that covered their breasts.
It was during the reign of this style that the first sewing workshops appeared, which significantly increased the availability of dresses and the speed of changing fashion trends. During this period, sewing begins on patterns of historical dresses. For example, already in the 50s, skirts began to be decorated with horizontal frills, ruffles and other decorative elements made of fabric, designed to emphasize the conical silhouette of a woman's outfit. But the end of the 60s was the beginning of a decrease in crinolines, with time they were replaced by tournaments - lining on the lower back, designed to give expressiveness to the figure. This detail of women's historical dress lasted in fashion until the 80s of the XIX century.
Beautiful era
The period between the end of the XIX and the beginning of the First World War in 1914 is called just that. Why? It was then that the models came into fashion, fully emphasizing all the feminine bends of the body. Dresses were long and almost tight, men had something to admire. But it did not last long.
Already in the 20s of the last century, the bodice of the dress became such that even the most curly girl would make her flat. The changes also affected the waistline, she went down almost to the hips, making the silhouette completely feminine. This period is another significant event in the fashion world - the creation of a small black dress by Coco Chanel.
Further changes
In the most detrimental way, female models of dresses were affected by World War II. As soon as they left the school bench, the girls put on their uniforms and then for many more years they looked intuitively for something similar. The industry recovered only in the 50s of the 20th century - bright colors and magnificent skirts broke into fashion again. But the 60s pleased not only women, but also men, then they entered the female wardrobe of the mini model to the middle of the hips.
70s - the heyday of the chemical industry, which means that the women's wardrobe and not only painted with new, even brighter shades. Disco dresses and shiny materials were in fashion. It did not last long, until the end of the decade. Already in the 80s, fashion took on a more familiar look for a modern person. There was no single style, women were free to dress as they wanted. Such trends still hold, while well-known fashion designers still periodically return to traditional dresses of past centuries.
Now in the modern society themed parties are very popular, for them you can rent historical dresses for rent. Theater performances, historical skits and much more require knowledge of the fashion of past centuries.