18th Century

Topics: Dress, 18th century, Gown Pages: 6 (2372 words) Published: October 21, 2013
Styles of the 18th century, reflected the increasing European trade with the Far East. Specific clothing were men’s dressing gowns and the mantua-cut for women’s dresses. Some of the textiles were oriental silk, brocades, damasks, and Indian Chintz, Calico, and muslin fabrics. The last quarter of the century, English styles for both men and women had an impact on Parisian fashion. As seen on vogue for simpler styles were women’s clothes were redingotes, a coat-dress that came from English men’s riding coats.

The costume for men in the Early 18th century consisted of undergarments, a shirt, waistcoat, an outer coat, knee-length breeches, hose, and shoes. Hats and wigs were worn on appropriate occasions. Drawers were worn next to the skin beneath breeches, closed at the waist with drawstrings or buttons, made of white cotton or wool, ending at the knee. The shirts had a ruffled frill at the front of the neck and the sleeves. Undervests or under waistcoats worn during cold weather, worn over a shirt, sometimes made with a collar that was visible. Others were only utilitarian and hidden from view. Collars and cravat were generally made of white cotton or linen. The first half of the century the collar gathered at the neck band with neck cloths or cavarts wound around the neck and knotted under the chin, concealing the collar. The second half of the century, the neck bands lengthened, evolving into a collar that was sewn to the shirt.

Costume components for Men were dress coats, breeches, and waistcoats were made from less decorative fabrics full dress garments were made of brocades and trimmed with handsome embroidery and lace. The coats had extra fullness that was added to the straighter cut ending at the knee, coats buttoned to the hem until 1720, and to the waist after 1720. The sleeves end in a large full attached cuffs that either closed all arpound or open at the back. Cuffs that reached the elbow were called boot cuffs. Edged with flaps and scallop edges, pockets were positioned at the hip level. Waistcoats ended close to the knee, made with and without sleeves usually matched the outer coat in color and fabric. Breeches were cut maderately full and gathered to a waistband that rode, loosely fitted, below the waist. Breeches ended at the knee, closed at the front with buttons, or after 1730, with a fall, square, central flap that buttoned to the waistline. The cut of the frock coat was looser and shorter than the dress and they had flat, turned-down collars. After 1730, they were accepted for more formal wear as well. Ditto suit was the suit made of the same fabric. The smock frock was a loose-fitting riding coat used by the English agricultural workers.

The changes in Men’s Costume after the mid-18th century, the coats decreased, side pleats were gone, and the front of the coat curved toward the side. By the 1760, a narrow stand-up collar showed. The silhouette narrowed, as did the sleeves which were longer and generally cuffed. The waistcoats were sleeveless and shorter, both single and double-breasted. The coats were worn open, the fabric became a center of attention and more brocades, or elaborately embroidered silks were used. Breeches fit more closely; the fall or flap closing, predominated. The outdoor dress consisted of capes or cloaks were cut full and gathered at the neck under a flat collar. The full wide skirted greatcoats or surtouts ended below the knee. Sleeves were cuffed. Some coats had three broad, falling, capelike collars, each shorter than the one below. The banyan/nightgowns/morning gowns/drssing gowns/ Indian gowns are comfortable losely fitted garments.

Most men who could wore wigs. The elevated roll called French toupee or foretop. Other wigs were queues a lock or pigtail at the back, and club wigs or catogans are queues doubled up and tied at the middle to form a loop of hair. Do to the widespread use of wigs, hats were less impoirtant. The most common hat were 3 cornered hats or...
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