The evolution of women’s fashion and lifestyle shows us significant changes in the shape of clothes and silhouettes. Through earlier epochs, we can notice big differences in the shapes of female bodies. That was conditioned by each new time that occurred, but we should also not omit spatial conditions. Women very skillfully followed all the changes and innovations, even regardless of their body transformation, posture, and even character. We all know (at least from historical films) that women suffered severe body deformities, to the point that I would have difficulty breathing due to various corsets and armature.
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That clothing is “socially coded” is shown by the fact that society has influenced the correction of individual external expression, primarily through clothing. “Fear of nudity was the main creator, accompanied by moral norms.” The role of women was clearly defined and meant to be a good wife, mother, and above all, to be the guardian of the family tradition’s morals. In terms of class differences, the role of women varied somewhat. Women who belonged to the high class played the role of “Doll,” who was passive, perfect, always smiling, and a status symbol of her husband. Her task was to emphasize luxury, And through that, she very openly shows her statute. In the 19th century, where male dominance was pronounced, women wore dresses that emphasized their sexuality. The main symbol of seriousness was a male blue suit for men, which also fulfilled the appropriate form. Here we come across a period when men dress more reduced, and women become the ones who follow all the fashion madness (later in history even more so).
Before the end of the 19th century, we can notice slight changes in the female silhouette, which are determined exclusively by the dresses they wear, and a slight transition to softer forms. Make-up emphasizes the eyes so that they are as big as possible, and the pale complexion because the fatal woman was pale at that time. Turbans are another fashion detail of that time, as well as pearl necklaces. Long coats were a trend, and this whole style existed in the narrow circles of the intellectual and artistic elite. The rest of the majority still followed the traditional style.
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The very end of the 19th century is slowly becoming a time of significant changes, as “artistic” and “aesthetic” misunderstandings are confronted. That implies more precisely that the female body in “artistic” vision should mean “freedom,” while aesthetics still adhere to the crinoline and waist emphasis, as the perfection of the female body shape. Paul Poiret (1879-1944) was the first fashion designer to embrace the “artistic” experience and begin a new fashion revolution. She draws inspiration from Russian ballet and thus creates an unreal and destructive woman at the beginning of the 20th century.
to be continued….
