|
Huge fashion changes occurred in the late-18th and early 19h century in Western Europe, set in motion by the French Revolution. They were called by different names in various countries and there were differences from country to country. The two most important were Empire and Regency styles. They were very similar, but not identical. The impetus for both was the French Revolution (1789), but interestingly the fashion changes reverberated in the countries that opposed France--especially England. The overall impact was dominant French influence in woman's fashions, but the important British influence in male fashion. The period id best known for the French high-wasted chemise dress and the English Spencer jacket. For children there was a truly revolutionary development--dedicated children's styles. This was the skeleton suit which in the 19h centutry were done with and long pants. We do not fully understanbd ewhy this took plsce, only that it did. At the timed, this was a huge fashion jump. And boys began wearing long pants two decades before men.
Empire fashions actually date from the French Revolution, but 'Empire' relates to Napoleon's Empire which stabilized France after the chaotic Revolutionary period. It was triumph of Revolutionary 'undress' meaning informal styles over the formal and elaborate brocades, lace, periwigs and powder of the 18th century. This all occurred in the aftermath of the French Revolution. Suddenly people did not want to appear to be an aristocrats. People had lost their heads for looking too aristocratic. Rather people began to dress as a form of individual expression. And they began to think that one's own self was the purist indication of social status. [Aaslestad] This meant that the fashion changes provided the ability create new public identities that showed insights into their character and identity. One fashion historian explains how "fashion, embodying new social values, emerged as a key site of confrontation between tradition and change." [Aaslestad, p. 283.] This was first enabled by the French Revolution which swept the Ancien Régime away. The British monarchy was not swept away, but British society was not as possible as French society had been. The classic French contribution was the Empire dress. These dresses were characteristically fitted to the torso just under the bust. This meant a classic high waist chemise dress. From this high waist the fabric fell loosely below. This took attention away from the natural waist. This meant the tight 'wasp-waist' corseting commonly employed in other periods was discarded. Chemise dresses displayed what might be called long line of the body and the seductive curves of the female torso.
The term for Empire fashions in England was the Regency. A major shift in the fashion world occurred during the Empire/Regency period. Previously France dominated the fashion world, but for the first time there was a radical split in the Fashion world. The French continued to dominate women's fashion, but for the first time the English emerged as a force in the male fashion world. In this regard Beau Brummel became the epitome of male fashion. There is no comparable French figure. And England after the Empire/Regency era continued as an especially important influence in male fashion. In the era before photography, art is the most important source of fashion information. The Constable portrait on the previous page is agood example. Relevant John Constable works, however, are limited because of his focus on landscape art. One of the most mportant bartists depicvting Regency fashions is Thomas Beechy. Another artist was Frederick Yeates Hurlstone, although only part of his work was portraits. During this period, despite their hatred of the Revolution and Napoleon, the English adopted French women's fashions, especially the high wasted sheer Empire dress. The principal British contribution was the Spencer jacket. The Regency refers to the regency of the Prince of Wales who reigned while his father, George III, descended into periodic bouts of madness. Americans think of George III as the Revolutionary War king (1776-83). But although George was subsequently ill for extended periods, he lived until 1820, 5 years after Napoleon was expelled to St. Helens. Thus the Prince of Wales official Regency lasted longer than the Empire well into the 19th century. In fashion and cultural terms extends to the reign of George's two sons George IV and William IV.
The Germany, republican-oriented city-states had fashions of modest and practical garments. The began to adopt French fashion trends of short-sleeved chemise dresses and the English Spencer jacket.
The American Revolution would have an impact politically, but in fashion terms, Americans continued to be guided by European styles. The United States gained its independence (1783). A constitution was approved (1789). That was the sane year that the France exploded in Revolution launching the new fashion trends. There era is known as Early Republican period. American fashions was dominated by French and English fashion. America was still a small, isolated outpost of European civilization. One source suggests that that American fashions were 'toned-down' version employing shawls and tunics to modestly cover the sheerness of the chemise.[Low] As it applies to men and boys there seems to be littler difference, sat least in fashionable cities. The Frontier is a different matter. It should also be remembered that the vast bulk of the American population, over 90 percent lived in rural areas. Where city fashions were of little import.
Fashion in Scotland basically followed English fashions. In fact we do not see a lot of Scottish national dress. This followed the English suppression of the Scottish national interests following the Jacobin Uprising (1745-46). This only began to change in the last years of the Regency, most prominently displayed with King George IV's visit to Edinburgh (1824). We have a rich artistic record of the prominence of Regency fashions in Scotland. The most prominent Scottish portraitist of the day was the prolific Sir Henry Raeburn who has left us numerous portraits of Scottish children, especially the landed elite.
Aaslestad, Katherine B. "Sitten und Mode: Fashion, Gender, and Public Identities in Hamburg at the Turn of the Nineteenth Century, Gender in Transition: Discourse and Practice in German-Speaking Europe (University of Michigan Press: 2006).
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main Empite/Regency style page]
[Return to the Main garment style page]
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Countries]
[Garment styles]
[Photography]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
