History of Fashion
Fashion has existed as long as humans have been wearing clothes. The documents below each have a set of photographs from different periods in history. Have a look at the pictures and see what they have in common - look ath e necklines, the bodice construction, the waist lines, the shoulder and bust lines, types of sleeves and how they're attached, the length and styles of skirts, the fabrics, the embellishments... If you can see what the pictures have in common, you will easily be able to write a description of an individual piece, and be able to look for similar feartures in a modern garment.
So far all I've done is the documents below. Over the next couple of months, I will add links to the best sites discussing each period. Please use these links rather than google as there is ALOT of garbage about fashion history which has been very badly researched, or well-researched but based on wrong information.
Be aware that cameras were only invented in the late 1800s. This means that primary sources from earlier times will mostly be drawings or paintings. Many of the pictures in the documents are reliable reconstructions based on these paintings and drawings, but they are not primary sources.
So far all I've done is the documents below. Over the next couple of months, I will add links to the best sites discussing each period. Please use these links rather than google as there is ALOT of garbage about fashion history which has been very badly researched, or well-researched but based on wrong information.
Be aware that cameras were only invented in the late 1800s. This means that primary sources from earlier times will mostly be drawings or paintings. Many of the pictures in the documents are reliable reconstructions based on these paintings and drawings, but they are not primary sources.
1400s: Medieval French Fashion
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1500s: Early Renaissance
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1600s: Late Renaissance
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1700s: Georgian Era
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1800s (just pick one decade and make sure you say which one on your timeline)
1810s: Regency period
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1830s: Romantic Period
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1860s: Victorian Perio6
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1880s Bustle period
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1900s
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1910s
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1920s
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1930s
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Some useful sources for historical fashion are vintage clothign stores and reenactors who have put serious research into their costumes. These sites often features blogs and photo archives showing the details of each costume and how or why decisions about fabrics and seams were made.
Coathardies were worn in the 1200-1300s. Karrine's Pintrest page shows lots of accurate reconstructions of Coathardies [http://www.pinterest.com/misskrin/cotehardieGFD-class-inspiration-board]
This website has an intersting diagram of the changes in the silloutette of women's fashion from 1870s -1890s
Coathardies were worn in the 1200-1300s. Karrine's Pintrest page shows lots of accurate reconstructions of Coathardies [http://www.pinterest.com/misskrin/cotehardieGFD-class-inspiration-board]
This website has an intersting diagram of the changes in the silloutette of women's fashion from 1870s -1890s
Twentieth Century fashions can be traced through the media. Have a look at the fashions represented in these archives:
British Pathe's fashion channel [http://www.youtube.com/user/VintageFashions] has real-life footage of celebities, fashion and even makeup hints from the past.
British Pathe's fashion channel [http://www.youtube.com/user/VintageFashions] has real-life footage of celebities, fashion and even makeup hints from the past.
Modern fashions which reference (=use ideas from) historical clothing
This site shows the impact of 1920s shows like The Great Gatsby and Downton Abbey on contemporary fashion:
http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/fashion/galleries/photo/-/17125819/How-to-wear-1920s-fashion-with-a-modern-twist/17125821/
This site has modern vintage-inspired clothing http://topvintage.nl/en/vintage-retro/1920s-fedora-nautical-navy-a-line-dress/
This site shows the impact of 1920s shows like The Great Gatsby and Downton Abbey on contemporary fashion:
http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/fashion/galleries/photo/-/17125819/How-to-wear-1920s-fashion-with-a-modern-twist/17125821/
This site has modern vintage-inspired clothing http://topvintage.nl/en/vintage-retro/1920s-fedora-nautical-navy-a-line-dress/