Fashion 1890-1900

FEMALE EVENING WEAR COSTUME IN 1890- 1900 GAY/ NAUGTY NINTEIS REASERCH SEMINAR IN THE HISTORY OF COSTUME T commensurate of contents Introduction. 1 History and Events.. 1 Art and architecture4 Fashion in the 1890s6 Conclusion 11 App wipeoutix12 Bibliography22 Humanity takes itself too seriously. It is the worlds original sin. If the cave-man had kn receive how to laugh, History would have been opposite. Oscar Wilde Introduction 1890s-1900 England was under the reign of butt Victoria and the industrial revolution was at its prime.There was a wealthy middle class emerging, and overbold tasteful apparent motions began developing. The 1890s was referred to by a number of names for typeface in America it was known as the Gay nineties as opposed to Britain where it was known as the Naughty nineties or the noble-minded age. At this time Britain was the strongest, almost stable empire in the world and these stratums were hush up and peaceful as in that location was hardly any con flict. This scenario encouraged the speed of the industrial revolution, which encouraged sparing growth.The Bourgeoisie were accumulating wealth, which enabled them to have much than spare time for social and recreational entertains. In this paper I will be reviewing the events, culture and textileing from the 90s, which was under Queen Victorias reign at bottom the context of world history, fine art, politics, economics and social metamorphose. Social, political and the industrial changes warpd the clothing of the decade, and brought forth a outstanding explosion in design of wo manpowers clothing which eventually influenced the future counterfeit. Historical background of 1890-1900 The mincing age was drawing to a close.Queen Victoria had reigned since 1837, and during that period Britain had rick the most important global jam establish on her supreme naval power. Since the death of her beloved husband Albert, Victoria had become a virtual recluse, dressing totally i n black for the rest of her life. When Victoria died she left behind an industrial country with a developed ne twainrk. (a. 1) Conquering colonies During the priggish period, Britains ambition was to extend its control of areas beyond the seas, mainly in establishing colonies and taking over areas in Africa, Asia and the Far due east.The British Empire took control of East Africa, intending to create unity and territorial contiguity between the colonies in Southern Africa. (a. 2) Queen Victoria chuck an emphasis on ethics and values, which reflected both on society and Government. She had a lack of tolerance for crime, which filtered to new(prenominal) countries outside of the UK due to the influence of the British Empire abroad. Britain in the 1890s was the most powerful draw and quarter in the world. Although Britain had been at state of war for much of the Victorian era, industry and economy had continued to grow, and the 90s was considerably quieter which only accentuated t he growth.It was a decade of reconciliation and peace in Europe. Mean spell over the kitty, the USA was beginning to step forward in the international arena as a new powerful leader. Despite a severe economic crisis (1893- 1897), and with a new Republi brush aside President, McKinley, the US went to war against Spain concerning the Philippines, Cuba, and Puerto Rico in 1898. industrial Advancement The last decade of the nineteenth light speed marked bingle of the most rapid cultures of charitable history. This industrial revolution dramatically changed the modality of life.At the beginning of the 19th century large number depended on their own physical strength, and the use of animal power, which helped them with transport and farming and communication. save with the development of industrial machinery, mass production became the sure mode. Mass production withal resulted in the improvement of the fibre of food people ate. Food was distributed quicker thanks to improvemen ts in transportation, and therefore arrived fresh, which in turn improve the health of the people.Thanks to both advancements in industry and medicine, general health improved, mean people were fit and nearly to achieve greater goals inducing a huge advance in economic development, social life, the liberal arts and science. Since the development of industry there were to a greater extent jobs available, and a newly formed middle class began to emerge, which bridged the breathing gap between the rich and the poor. This, in turn, make the members of the elevateder(prenominal) bourgeoisie feel uneasy about their position in society, and they were constantly searching for new ways to uphold and improve their status.A major way that they achieved this was by the changes that were make in the world of fashion at these times. (Phillippe, P. 1981. P8) People started to assure for a distinct life other than plowing fields and working in agriculture. They started to move to the cities to work in factor inies and shops, full-grown them high hopes for nighthing better than they had previously. Railroads, teleph angiotensin-converting enzymes, bicycles and the beginning of the development of the car encouraged people to enjoy life and throw together and socialize, something that was previously only reserved for the higher class.They found entertainment outside the home by red ink to picnics, fairs, parks and restaurants. Thanks to electricity, meaning light in the evens, nightlife likewise became popular. Although life seemed gifteder for most of the 90s it was far from easy. Salaries were low, hours were recollective and work was hard. Neverthe little, people enjoyed living beyond their basic needs and were willing to find the time and the funds to enjoy the richer things in life. As a result fashion, once only affordable to the wealthy, withal became an interest to the middle classes and in turn more affordable.Womens Rights The Victorian period had see n a put up in the number of gender equality laws be passed and the advancement of the rights of women was in the air. It would not be long before plenty they would win the right to vote, withal even without suffrage, the rights of women in the 90s were advancing. More and more women were get in into the workforce than before. In turn, women were also turn active in areas once primarily only the stain of men. They started to play sports, ride bikes which butt joint exempt how their fashion started to change so dramatically.It is during this time that the trouser, known as bloomers, arose. Prior to this time trousers were not acceptable. Many women had adopted the tailored drive, which was a reflection of the change of the status of muliebrity. (We will go peltther into this point later in the essay. ) Technology and Science The Industrial Revolution brought many new inventions. The change in basic fundamentals led to a amazing amount of development and speed of work, Iro n, chemicals and recently available electricity helped production enterprises grow, providing raw materials which were used, by the station new car and aviation industries.Communication across the nation was increased by the use of the telegraph and telephone, while railways expanded hugely. There was also a science revolution occurring at the same time, which complimented the advancement in industry with regards to new science including, chemicals and electricity. In addition there was a huge advancement in medicine, including the production of X-Rays by Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen (a. 3) in 1895 and the development of aspirin by the German chemist Felix Hoffmann. Art and ArcitectureThe end of the 19th century was a period of great prosperity and even complacency. In England in particular, critics and artists were upset about the general decline in the craftsmanship caused by the industrial revolution, and hated the very mound of cheap and tardy machine-made imitations of ornaments. Artists dreamed to reform the arts and crafts, and they longed for a new art (E. H. GOMBRICH) based on a new olfactory property for design and possibilities inherent in each(prenominal) material. Art Nouveau was created. It is with art, and through art only, that we can realize our perfection. Oscar wilde. Impressionism The Impressionist parkway, which appeared in Paris in 1867, and continued work on the late 19th century, was created by Edouard Manet, and other various artists. The artistic movement looked for a way to break use up and represent nature as we see it. They decided that if they would trust their eyes and not their set ideas of what things ought to look like according to academic rules, they would make the most stimulating discoveries.The well-known painting, Sunrise, painted by Claude Monet was displayed at a Paris art show, and because of the irregular texture, it caused one critic to call the whole exhibition impressionist, which gave the movement its name. The technique that was used was quick, broken brushstrokes, light, vibrant work and bright, railway lineing colours. (E. H. Gombrich p. 392) (a4) fashion was highly influenced by this movement, bright and vibrant colours and the contrasted colours were used in many assorted garments. Art nouveauIn the early 90s, a new mass artistic point of view developed in Europe. ground on mood, feeling and hornswoggle form, it was the offset printing European artistic movement since the rococo. Art nouveau was based on abstract and swerve curve shapes. The movement had a very visual language, which reflected in all different areas of design for display case furniture, architecture, books, illustration, painting and clothing. The artists of this movement took inspiration from nature with its flowing symmetric and organic elements. They studied the roots, branches and other different forms of nature.Primarily using nature and harmonization of the environment, they also were inspired by Ja panese design and other bypast inspirations sprints such as gothic, rococo and arts and craft style which also incorporated floral elements. We can see a lot of these elements in the fashion of the time for example, Floral fancywork, curvy lines and shapes. Aubrey Beardsley rose to straightforwardaway fame all over Europe with his sophisticated black and white illustrations. In France it was the crests of Degas and Toulouse Lautrec which applied a similar economy of means to the new art of the poster.Toulouse Lautrec had learned from Japanese prints just how much more striking a picture could become if modeling and other details were sacrificed (E. H. Gombrich p 406) (a. 5). The success of art nouveau had taken hold of architects and designers who were tired of the traditional routines they had been taught, Architects now were experimenting with new types of materials and new types of ornaments. Art nouveau style buildings first appeared in Brussels, however construction sites were relatively olive-sized and the laws of the city were harsh with building regulations.For example construction of balconies and rooms were monitored, and architects had to work within these regulations. One of the first houses knowing from nouveau design was the Maison Tassel in Brussels. Its highly innovative plan and its ground breaking use of materials and decoration show the characteristics of Art Nouveau. (a. 6) Other artists that belonged to this movement were Gustav Klemt, and Alphonse Mucha. symbolization In the late 19th-century there was some other movement called symbolism, which expressed mystical or abstract ideas through the symbolic use of images.It mainly developed in Europe and was a reaction to impressionism (1867-1886 one of the major and most significant arts based on experience of colour, sunlight, shadows and with visible brush strokes). Based on the artistic movement romanticism, this style art was made of shapes and images. Symbolist painters believ ed that art should reflect an feeling or idea rather than represent the essential world. They felt that the symbolic value or meaning of a work of art stemmed from the recreation of emotional experiences in the viewer through colour, line, and composition.In painting, Symbolism represents a synthesis of form and feeling, of reality and the artists inner subjectivity. Artists from the symbolism movement are Paul Gauguin, Gustav klimt, Edvard craunch and Gustave Moreau. (a. 7) Oscar Wilde (1854 1900) In the late 19th century Britain finally found the time to embrace literature and poetry. Oscar Wilde became the most popular play writer of his day writing many short stories, plays and poems that had a lot to do with society, fashion, and art at the time. He was a major influence in society and some people even said he was born before his time. (Holland, v. p9) (a. ) I am the only person in the world I should like to know thoroughly. Oscar Wilde. deck outs of 1890 1900s Introduc tion The fashions of the 19th century can explain a lot about the era of the time with regards to society and the situation it was in. With the introduction of new inventions such as machinery and most importantly the sewing machine, fashions were able to evolve and progress. This century shows many reforms in fashions for women some more successful than others. These clothing types did not purely change with regards to the shape of the silhouette, but also the fabrics and colours being used were evolving too.The clothing and designs for women took priority at these times over mens fashions. Although mens fashions were not involved in great change, Europe saw clothing for men designed to suit their passion for riding. (Brooke, I. ) Materials in the 1890s went through a change, because of the availability of new machinery it was contingent to experiment and use different materials for different garments. Suits were made of either tweed or stiff cloth whereas dresses were made from s ilk and satin type materials. Decoration such as bows, lace, jabot and frilling became a major theme for this period of time. (Waugh, N. 1968. 231) some other benefit of the new machinery was the introduction of Haute Couture which was made by a number of fashion houses such as, Charles Fredrick deserving and Jacques Doucet. (DeMarly, D. 1980. ) (a. 9) Change in fancy up The 1890s saw a major change in the silhouette of women. The hourglass shape was introduced in the late 19th century. The most dramatic feature of the change in costume in this period of time was the exaggerated waistline, which was made so tiny that it is seen as the most arcminute waist in history. It became so small that it gave the impression that the womans assure was split into two parts that met in the middle.The term given to the figure of this time was the Wasp Waist (a. 10). The shape consisted of a ballooning sleeve(a. 11), slim waist and widened skirt with the main aim to accentuate the womanly figu re (Laver, J. 1929. P82). The crisp contrast in shapes was a deliberate ploy to make the waist seem smaller than it real was. Previous to the 1890s, gowns were seen as much simpler in design and instead of using the idea of a awash(predicate) skirt the emphasis was put on the sleeves. The bigger sleeves came into place in the middle of the decade. This idea of rambling sleeves led to a further change in clothing, more specifically the outerwear.Coats were of great difficulty when it came to position them on over the exaggerated sleeves therefore capes and shawls came in place of the typical coat style (a. 12). They were made in a variety of lengths, shapes and collars (Boucher, F. ). Towards the end of the century the silhouette reverted back to a more natural shape and the Wasp Waist gradually changed into the S Shape. Sleeves became tight with a slight nance at the shoulder. Eveningwear tended to include small bouffant sleeves (Boucher, F. ), whereas daywear depicted semi g igot sleeves (Boucher, F).The era of the 1890s was known in the United States as the era of the Gibson daughter (a. 13). The Gibson Girl was a modern depicting of the ideal women of the time, created by the artist Charles Dana Gibson. This girl was known as the new woman of the time. This ideal woman was not purely based on her looks, but for the first time on her personality and abilities too. The Gibson Girl was seen as a symbol of thousands of American women. She was tall and petite, with a heavier bosom and fuller hips and bottom. This figure was achieved by the use of a Swan Bill Corset.This was the first time the idea of a dress was used to give a woman an S Curve figure, which was not generally seen until the 1900s. However, this perfect figure was not all the ideal woman in America had to have. The Gibson Girl not only portrayed beauty, but also a strong personality where education was just as important as the way she looked. Having said that, although education was becom ing increasingly more common for the new woman, the idea of women being as equal to men when it came to decisions being made in society had not yet been accepted (Gordon, L.D. 1987. P211). Fashions of the time Costumes in the nineteenth century, as in most eras inevitably changed and evolved. Garments came in and out of fashion and were constantly being evolved and adapted. Different layers of clothing increased the number of changes to the ideal womans silhouette. In addition to this, society was adapting its attire to the increase in extra and new activities. For any occasion an pass judgment costume was worn. For each event or occasion at the different times of the day and anneal there were various acceptable outfits.With the explosion of bourgeoisie throughout Europe more and more women of different social classes were wanting to feel accepted into different societies by having a number of alternative costumes for each individual occasion. The creation of dresses such as, tea dresses which were worn predominantly for afternoon teas with a group of women, were extremely common, as well as house dresses which also became a staple part of a higher class womans wardrobe. (Phillippe. P. 1981. P8) Skirts This era saw the rise of the fuller and more extravagant skirts.This rise was due to the crinolines and the bustles from the previous decade, which had gradually been reduced by the time this decade arrived. The skirt was fairly straight at the front whereas generally in evening wear, the back consisted of a more exaggerated retard with a larger amount of material being used to make it. This shape created an almost flower shape skirt and because of the style and shape of the skirt it was custom for women to hold the train with one hand as they walked which revealed the petticoats frills that was made out of taffeta or lace.In the middle of the decade the sleeves widened this can be reflected to the skirt that also went through this adaptation. Due to this c hange it aided the portrayal of a smaller waist. Compared to the last decade these skirts were less decorative than the previous ones as well as being easier to wear in order for women to be able to partake in the newer activities of the time. This ease of skirts enabled women to follow the changes of women of the period of time. Towards the end of the decade the skirts became tighter around the second joint and narrow along the legs. (a. 4) Tailored Suits The tailored suit had been introduced to men many years prior to the 1890s however by the time the Industrial Revolution had begun more and more women had become increasingly more in need of alternate costumes for the different and newly available jobs to them. In addition, with the introduction of new machinery for the first time ready-made shirts, blouses, skirts and tailored jackets were easily available from a shop shelf, unlike previously where every garment was tailor made. This modernized idea made it available to almost al l classes of women (Renrolds, C. 989. p45) The suit was seen as a suitable and appropriate outfit for any daytime activity and any time of year. The deuce-ace pieced tailored suit, which included a skirt, jacket and shirt-blouse was first introduced and worn by women in England (a. 15). The shirt-blouse influenced the bodice of the dresses. The suit was created by a very tight jacket bodice, with small basques forming a postilion at the back, and a bifurcate skirt, the upper part of which was slightly caught up. (Boucher, F. 1987. P401). The BlousePrevious to these times shirts were seen as a very masculine piece of clothing, however with the changes of the womens role in society it had become more acceptable and common for women to wear their own version of the male shirt, known as the blouse (a. 16). The blouse was fully feminine with excessive decoration made from lace, high collars, sleeves and if the blouse was a more simple style it would often be worn with a male-styled n ecktie. It was seen as an extremely important fashion statement of the time, and was mostly made from light coloured fabric in contrast to the darker coloured skirts and jackets.Bloomers The first bloomers were introduced in 1849 by the renowned feminist Mrs. Amelia Jenks Bloomer. She created them as a solution to the problem for the unladylike issues with women riding on penny-farthings (bicycles) however the idea did not catch on. Although a year after Amelia Bloomers death in 1894 her ideas began to become increasingly more popular. (Gersheim, A. 1963. p80) Bicycling had become one of the most popular activities for women to take part in. This in turn resulted in yet another important costume for which women needed.The costume included the newly divided skirt or knickerbockers (baggy trousers), which came down to just over the heel. This enabled the women to have more freedom in partaking of their new sport (a. 17) (a. 18). The undergarments Although clothing was becoming more m asculine, undergarments were becoming increasing more popular for women. Undergarments were starting to resemble more of todays underclothing with the introduction of new materials such as lace, taffeta, silk and lavish colourful ribbons. Even though these undergarments were lightless they were seen as a luxury to women, and they were considered particularly erotic.The corset as in previous decades was an important factor of womens costume, however it was now worn over the petticoat and was made into a more trim back form with tighter lacing. The corset was boned and aimed to create the desired Wasp Waist(a. 19). The petticoat also took an evolutionary change in these times, as they were made from coloured silk and pleated or trimmed with lace. In 1891, the standard petticoat was made with drawing strings behind and trimmed with one or two frills of scalloped embroidery (a. 20). Drawers were a type of under trouser that was as wide as the petticoat (a. 1). They were made with fril ls and were and often in different colours. In addition an alternative style was produced in the style of an overall. However it was only worn occasionally depending on the over-garments being worn. (Cunnington, C. W. 1992. p196) Accessories A huge emphasis of this era was accessories, more specifically, the hat which was known for its excessive decoration. Fur, velvet, ribbons and flowers were just a few of the different decorations that could be seen on hats at this time. It was a sign of the new independent woman of the time.Hats came in all shapes and sizes, and as with clothing there were different styles for different occasions (a. 22). Gloves were also vital accessory at this time too. It was especially seen as proper etiquette to wear long gloves to the elbow in the evenings (a. 23) as well as a fur muff (a. 24), whereas during the day more casual gloves were worn made of materials such as leather. Other accessories seen at these times were fur or feather scarves as well as sun umbrellas made from lace. Handbags were also seen at these times however they were not used for the same purposes as we use them today.They were extremely small and either knitted or embroidered. Shoes were often seen in a number of styles 9(a. 25). Leather mortise-and-tenon joint boots, with a small round heel, were worn during the day and were accessorized with buttons, laces or elastic Evening shoes were in the form of ballerina pumps, and were embroidered or with ribbons around the ankle. Eveningwear A big part of costumes in the 19th century was the eveningwear. Eveningwear was extravagant from the dress to the accessories. The dresses consisted of a lower bodice than the daytime wear, They were cut in a square V shape, rounded V or a round shape neck(a. 6). Dresses also could be seen with shoulder straps, and over exaggerated sleeves could be seen during the middle of this decade. However towards the end of the decade sleeves became tighter fitting. Trains were not so com mon in ball gown dresses however, but for other evening dress styles they were commonly seen(a. 27). evening gowns were genaraly made from velvet, muslin, satin. They were also embroidered. (a28) Accessories that could be seen in the evenings were jewels, diamonds, tiaras, hair ornaments, broaches, necklaces and fans (a. 29. 30). This added o the effect of luxury to any outfit. Hairstyles in the evening were usually pinned up into a bun shape waves and curs were also common. (Waugh, N. 1968. P229) Conclusion This era can be seen as a major influence to the history of clothing and accessories. The changes of this decade can be seen to be an influence not only on these times but also todays fashions too (a. 31,32). Pieces of clothing such as puff sleeves and high waited skirts have slowly crept back into our wardrobes along with muffs and smaller evening bags, which have become one of the 21st centurys staple items for women.The influence of the industrial revolution brought about man y changes to styles and materials. It aided the creation of off the shelf clothing and was a symbol for diversity between different classes of people. For the first time the middle class society were able to keep up to date with the latest trends not just in the evening but also whilst they worked. Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every hexad months. Oscar Wilde Appendix 1. Queen Victoria, c. 1890. 2. Map of british Empire in 1890. 3. Mrs.Rontgens hand, the first X-ray picture of the human body ever taken. photos courtesy of NASA 4. claude monet Impression, soleil levant 1872 5. Alphonse Mucha-F. Champenois Imprimeur-Editeur, lithograph, 1897. 6. Stairway of Tassel House, Brussels 7. Edvard Munch The Scream 1893 8. Napoleon Sarony Oscar Wilde 1882 9. Jaque Doucete, womans suit costume, 1894 10. Standart Desugner 1897 April. 11. Mora-83 Rundle street Adelaide at Port Adelaide 1895 12. Delineator, November 1897 13. circa, Gibson Girl, 1900 14. De lineator, Afternoon Dress, October 1896 15.Charlles Frederick Worth, walking suit, 1895 16 Illistration of the Gibson Girl wearing The Blouse 17. Harpers Bazar, April 1894 18. T. de Thulatrup, rude(a) York 1890s 19. 20. Matropoline museum, parvenu York 1890s 21. Harpers Bazar, November 1892 22. Standart Designer, April 1898 23 Delineator, 1898 24. Harpers Bazar November 1893 25. Metropoline Museum New York 1989 26. harpers Bezar Febuary 1894 27. Harpers Bazar, 1894 28. Mertopolin Museum, Fabrics from the 1890s 29. Harpers Bazar January1897 30. John singer Sargent, Ada Rehan, 1894 31. Dolce & Gabbana w/f , 09 32. Alexander McQueen, s/s 2007Bibliography Brook, Iris. English Costume of the 19th atomic number 6, capital of the United Kingdom 1929 Renolds, Caroline. New York Fashion. The Evolution of American Style. Milbank NY 1039 Hansen, Henry Harold. Costume Cavalcade. London 1954 Boucher, Francois. 20,000 Years of Fashion. The History of Costume and Personal Adornment. 1987 N Y Blum, Stella. Paris Fashion of the 1890s. NY 1989 Perrot, Phillippe. Fashion of the Bourgeoisie. Preston University Press 1981 James Laver. 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