Dress of the 19th century (photo). How women dressed in the 19th century

Women's dress - one of the most successful inventions of mankind, because only it is able to give its owner charm, which has a special grace and mystery. Beginning with the story of what a dress of the 19th century is, it should be noted that its length never rose above the ankles. To shorten this garment was already in the rapid 20th century.

What was the dress in the early 19 th century

The history of clothing is closely associated with the styles that prevailed in the art of a particular pore. The beginning of the XIX century is marked by the appearance in Europe of the Empire style. This name comes from the French word "empire" and appeals to the military successes of Napoleon, whom the bourgeoisie adored. From the classicism that goes back to history, the empire was more solemn and pompous.

Instead of gentle color overflows, he proposed expressive contrasts. And the costume lines resembled high, slender columns. To make the resemblance the most complete, in the manufacture of dresses used solid monophonic fabrics with symmetrical patterns in the decoration. Streaming silhouette allowed to create thin fabrics - gas, muslin, cambric, with which the dense foundation of the attire was clad. The proportions remained the same as in the XVIII century - high waist and straight skirt in the ratio 1: 6. But the decorative details were much more: ruffles and frills, lace and embroidery. The dress of the 19th century (beginning) had a low neckline and a sleeve-flashlight on the cuff. Often it was decorated with a train. The complement of the attire could be a shawl - silk or woolen, with a fringe or a border in the form of an ornament.

How did the style change

By the early thirties of the 19th century, the high waist began to return to its rightful place. Tsariluvshy in art romanticism glorified sensuality and "unearthly" worlds, and in the style of clothing demanded that the figure seemed refined and fragile. Instead of a slender and impregnable ancient goddess, the woman now resembled a light, refined statuette. Fashion included narrow corsets, the dress was supposed to emphasize the subtlety of the waist of its owner. To visually enhance this effect, the designers expanded the skirts that resembled the bell, and reduced their length. The dress of the 19th century opened elegant female ankles and required an elegant stocking as an accessory. The highlight of the new style was a special sleeve cut - the so-called gigot ("lamb leg"). The sleeve was very wide at the shoulder, and narrowed severely from the elbow line to the cuff. Decollete was intended for evening outings in the light, in the afternoon the same ladies covered him with kerchiefs, shawls or pelerines. The dress was generously decorated with ribbons and lace.

Dress of the 19th century: the forties and fifties

During this period, the corsets tightened the waist even more tightly, and the skirts expanded due to the abundance of the lower layers. The lowest skirt was made from horsehair and dense flax, so the term "crinoline" was born. The length of the dresses returned to the old one, the silhouette of the sleeves became less fanciful than a decade ago. Ornaments on clothes also became more restrained. In the 50's, crinolines were made from whalebone or even steel wire. They were large and very much like a round bird cage. The skirts were incredibly wide. The horizontal shuttlecocks in several rows decorated them below. The white collar and cuffs came into fashion. Shining silk from Lyon was the most sought-after material, from which was sewn and a ball dress of the 19th century, and an exquisite outfit for a summer walk. True, the first were supplemented with luxury decorations.

Tinnery and fag

By the end of the sixties the silhouettes of the dresses had changed.

At the back they were voluminous and magnificent, but in front and on the sides they became narrow and flat. This effect was achieved due to the use of overhead elements - burrs, which were placed behind the waistline. The volume of the lower part of the dress was emphasized by the folds of the fabric on the back. In the front, the lower part of the dress was decorated with embroidery, bows, lace or pleating. The silhouette seemed slender and fantastically elegant. The abundance of decorative elements distinguishes women's dresses of the 19th century 70-80-ies. The more complex and inventive the decoration, the better. Flounces, festons, embroidered pearls patterns, etc., concealed from the eyes the natural figure of the lady. Only one style exception to the rule became the so-called dress "princess", it was all-rooted and opened the gaze to the natural outlines of the figure.

Transitional time

The end of the 19th century and the beginning of the new century passed under the banner of Art Nouveau. The aesthetics of artificiality in the fashion of the past gave way to pragmatic-natural silhouettes. Tournament was replaced by a train - a long, assembled assembly, a cloth behind. The bodice became more tight and narrow. The dress in the style of the 19th century (end) had a characteristic S-shaped silhouette: the "pigeon breast" was balanced with a magnificent back part. Gradually, the skirts acquired a simpler, gluten-like shape, the garter of the dress became tall and closed. The flushed fashion of the past on the sleeves of the "ram's leg" quickly faded, giving way to simple contours.

French flavor

The legislator of the modes, as in the previous century, France remained. The Parisian style unhindered "stepped" from country to country, without even passing orthodox Japan. Designer developments of Gallic fashion designers defined the look of the dress of the 19th century (photo). England responded with more restrained models in terms of open parts of the body, Russia strictly adhered to the prescribed forms. Germany made adjustments to the proposed samples, consistent with its somewhat straightforward attitude to reality.

Ballroom dress of the 19th century

Contemporaries recalled that the balls of that time could be admired as antique bas-reliefs or Etruscan vases. So wonderful and amusing were women's outfits. The obligatory element was a decollete: deep - for married ladies, and less provocative - for unmarried women. Long, gloves of white or ivory color, lavish fan, shoes on a steady and low heel - details of a female ball suit, passing over a line of elbows. Age determined the style of the attire. Young people flaunted in elegant, faded light-colored dresses, while older women demonstrated the magnificence of designer delights in all their might. But in both cases the woman at the ball of the 19th century was like an exquisitely cooked biscuit cake with cream and cream.