One thing that has always seemed to make a statement is clothing such as women clothing. Women have always been judged by the clothing they wear. Apparel speaks volumes such as their personality, their social class and even their income. That still remains true and the only change is in the designs worn.
In the 17th Century, the common woman only had a couple of different dresses they could wear. It was very rare to find a commoner with more than this due to their limited income. However nobility and the wives of merchants were much more likely to have a large number of changes so they were never seen in the same dress by others of the same stature.
Many of the women apparel in the 16th and 17th Centuries were made of silk and were very heavy. By the 18th Century muslin was introduced along with ruffles, big hats and large colored plumes. Layers of clothes were worn which included pantaloons and petticoats beneath the overdress. Large hats with giant dyed plumes to match the dress accented the overdress.
The low necklines, tightly fitting corsets and skirts long enough to trip over became a sore subject by the late 18th Century. However male designers won the fight to retain many of the revealing and shape forming features of the clothing. This made the subject even touchier in the following decades.
After decades of cleaning the city streets with their skirts, women of the 19th Century finally got their wish and skirt lengths were shortened. Although they still covered the ankles they were shortened so they would not drag the ground. Pressure from male designers ceased the changes there and continued using bustles and corsets to make women shapelier. As the decades passed, skirts got shorter and towards the end of the century bustles were removed in an attempt to allow women to fill their clothing naturally.
As time passed, more masculine apparel began to become popular. Sewing machines began to be a common fixture in homes and women began designing and making their own clothes. These were much more practical than the ones they once had to endure.
In the beginning of the 20th Century women won the fight against the hot, long skirts and began making shorter skirts that revealed their ankles. The lengths of the skirts were experimented with and corsets and bustles were removed. The first decade of the century saw even straighter lines of skirts with a short train.
Within ten years, women's clothing moved into a new era and introduced pants and shorts. These were the most revealing clothing ever made. These were common dress for ladies who used servants and did not have to perform chores.
Once WWII began, the focus turned towards more practical and drab fashions. The rationing of material and fasteners such as buttons required women to use more belts and sashes. The later decades of the 20th Century brought a vast array of fashions from miniskirts, halter tops, bikini bathing suits and short-shorts. Much of the clothing such as women clothing, has changed drastically over the centuries in an effort to liberate women from the once constricting and restricting fashions of our ancestors.
It's a solid fact that clothing can tell a lot about an individual including his or her personality, style, income and social class. Check out our online Women's clothing overview for more info on attire.
