Figure 1.--This portrait of the Bridges family was painted by English artist John Constable. He is perhaps the most acclaimed English landscape artist, often described as the father of modern landscaping. He also did some portraits, the sure way of earning lucrative commisions. This portrait of the Bridge's family in 1804 is one of those portraits and a classic representation of Empire fashions. Notice the simple, white high-wasted white dresses and the drab colors, often black, garments of the men. The boy is earing a skeleton suit. George Bridges was a wealthy banker and merchant. He is pictured with his wife Mary and their eight children. The group is shown in what was probably the drawing-room of the home Bridges built in 1790, Lawford Place, Essex.

Fashion in the new 19th century took radical turns. It was not the advent of a new century that was at play, although notably major changes occured with the advent of the 20th century as well. What occurred in the late-19th and early-20th centuries was the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. These were ground breaking events firmly breaking from centuries long established European traditions. The Enlightenment and the American Revolution laid the groundwork for the massive changes which began in France, hence the name of the era--the Empire era. This was based on Napoleon's Empire which stabilized France after the chaotic Revolutionary period. The British call it the Regency after the regency of the Prince of Wales who reigned while his father, George III, descended into periodic bouts of madness. The fashions, however were essentially the same with France the driving force of fashion even in the country's like Britain which fought both the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic forces. The Empire is notable for the era in which women's styles began to take precedence in the fashion world. Today we generally see women as girls as focusing on fashion more than men. Most people would be amazed as the attention men gave to fashion in the 18th and earlier centuries. The one instantly recognizable garment of the Empire era was the Empire dress. There were other important garments, but the Empire dress defined largely defined the era. The inspiration was the classical era of ancient Greece and Rome. The Empire dress was a radical departure from the elaborate fashions voluminous dresses of the 18th century and precious centuries. We no longer see the heavy brocades and voluminous lace as well as wigs (called periwigs) and powder of previous era. The Empire dresses were simple and made of light, largely unadorned fabric. Empire styles were virtually undress compared to what preceded them. The French Revolution was not just about the monarchy and King Louis XIV. It was about the hole edifice of feudal aristocracy. Aristocrats and even those associated with them were losing their heads in the Terror. No one in France wanted to even look like an aristocrat. The new politically correct fashion for women which adhered to classical ideals. Voluminous, elaborate dresses and tightly laced corsets were abandoned for the low-neckline, high-wasted, natural figure emblematic of the Empire Era. The Bridges girls here provide excellent examples of Empire dresses. There were also changes in men's fashions. Here there could be no return to classical fashion. Even the most ardent republican could not very well go around wearing togas. The men's version of the Empire dress was the Beau Brummel look: semi-conical hats, simple linen shirts, drab colors, and trousers (long pants). Beau Brummel was English, but the inspiration may have come from France. From this point while France continued to be the center of women's fashions, Britain became increasingly important in men's fashions. The most radical change in fashion was the beginning of children's clothes. Until the French Revolution, children were basically treated as small adults. This idea began to be challenged by important Enlightenment figures such as Roseau. People began to see childhood as a distinct period of development and that children had special needs. One aspect of that was fashion and as a result we see the first garment specifically designed for children--the skeleton suit. As strange as it may seem, it was boys who first wore long pant as part of the skeleton suit. It would take two decades for men to completely make the fashionable transition from knee breeches to long pants. Long pants existed before the Revolution, but were the unfashionable garments of the poor and the peasantry--the sans culottes. There was no comparable garment for girls. Throughout the Empire Era and later they simply wore smaller editions of the dresses their mothers were wearing. The American Revolution would have an impact politically, but in fashion terms, Americans continued to be guided by European styles. It should be emphasized that the Empire styles were the fashions of the elites. While the Industrial Revolution was widening the middle-class, most of the European population was workers and peasants who did not have the time or money for high fashion. The fashionable Empire clothing was a pan-European style. The fashions worn by the peasantry which was still the bulk of the population were often distinct local styles. This is why many of the garments that eventually emerged as national styles and now folk costumes, emerged from the peasant dress.

Political Change

Fashion in the new 19th century took radical turns launched by the French Revolution in the late 18th century. It was not the advent of a new century that was a play, although notably major changes occured with the advent of the 20th century as well. What occurred in the late-19th and early-20th centuries was the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. These were ground breaking events firmly breaking from centuries long established European traditions. The Enlightenment and the American Revolution laid the groundwork for the massive changes which began in France, hence the name of the era--the Empire era.

Social Trends

It should be emphasized that the Empire styles were the fashions of the elites. While the Industrial Revolution was widening the middle-class, most of the European population was workers and peasants who did not have the time or money for high fashion. An why the fashionable Empire clothing was a pan-European style. The fashions worn by the peasantry which was still the bulk of the population were often distinct local styles. This is why many of the garments that eventually emerged as nation styles and now folk costumes, emerged from the peasant dress. This era should not just be thought of as a matter of fashion frivolity. There as a deeper societal change involved. New ideas had been summering in Europe for a century as part of the Enlightenment. The Ancien Régime in France and other countries had prevented profound social change. The bubble began to burst with the American Revolution, but the the explosion of the French Revolution launched the creation of modern Europe. The new styles that were part of the Revolution were seen as 'natural', being something to be valued. They were in sharp contrast to the elaborate pre-Revolutionary court styles with hoops, bustles and corsets. There was a sense of simplicity along with ease and comfort. Hygiene became increasingly important. The materials was much lighter and could be changed and washed with greater frequency. Even aristocratic women wore cropped dresses in sharp contrast to the heavy dresses with long trains or hoops that made it virtually impossible to leaving home. There were historic and orientalist elements.

National Trends

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.

Fashions

While Britain and the French were again bitter enemies, a rivalry that had persisted for centuries, the fashions trends during the Empire/Regency were essentially the same. France had been the driving force of fashion even in the country's like Britain which fought the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic forces and in earlier wars. The Empire is notable for the era in which women's styles began to take precedence in the fashion world. Today we generally see women as girls as focusing on fashion more than men. Most people would be amazed as the attention men gave to fashion in the 18th and earlier centuries.

Female fashions

The one instantly recognizable garment of the Empire era was the Empire dress. There were other important garments, but the Empire dress defined largely defined the era. The inspiration was the classical era of ancient Greece and Rome. The Empire dress was a radical departure from the elaborate fashions voluminous dresses of the 18th century and precious centuries. We no longer see the heavy brocades and voluminous lace as well as wigs (called periwigs) and powder of previous era. The Empire dresses were simple and made of light, largely unadorned fabric. Empire styles were virtually undress compared to what preceded them. The French Revolution was not just about the monarchy and King Louis XIV. It was about the hole edifice of feudal aristocracy. Aristocrats and even those associated with them were losing their heads in the Terror. No one in France wanted to even look like an aristocrat. The new politically correct fashion for women which adhered to classical ideals. Voluminous, elaborate dresses and tightly laced corsets were abandoned for the low-neckline, high-waisted, natural figure emblematic of the Empire Era. The Bridges girls here provide excellent examples of Empire dresses (figure 1).

Male fashions

There were also changes in men's fashions. Here there could be no return to classical fashion. Even the most ardent republican could not very well go around wearing togas. The men's version of the Empire dress was the Beau Brummel look: semi conical hats, simple linen shirts, drab colors, and trousers (long pants). Beau Brummel was English, but the inspiration may have come from France. From this point while France continued to be the center of women's fashions, Britain became increasingly important in men's fashions.

Children

The most radical change in fashion was the beginning of children's clothes. Until the French Revolution, children were basically treated as small adults. This idea began to be challenged by important Enlightenment figures such as Roseau. People began to see childhood as a distinct period of development and that children had special needs. One aspect of that was fashion and as a result we see the first garment specifically designed for children--the skeleton suit. As strange as it may seem, it was boys who first wore long pant as part of the skeleton suit. It would take two decades for men to completely make the fashionable transition from knee breeches to long pants. Long pants existed before the Revolution, but were the unfashionable garments of the poor and the peasantry--the sans culottes. There was no comparable garment for girls. This was the case throughout the Empire Era and later they simply wore smaller editions of the dresses their mothers were wearing.

Fashion Magazines

It was during the Empire/Regency era that the modern fashion magazine and journal industry came into existence. They began to publish monthly and became very competitive. This allowed fashionable men and women to keep up with the latest fashions. [Roslyn] It also allowed fashion trends to travel great distances such as to America. Much of our understanding of period fashion comes from the drawings in these magazines.

Vintage Clothing

The 19th century in Britain can be divided into two periods. The early 19th century is the Regency Era. The mid and later 18th century is the Victorian Era. The Regency Era includes the latter part of George III's reign and the reigns of his sons George IV and William IV (1795-1837). The actual Regency ended with the death of George III (1820), but the longer period until the the advent of Queen Victoria is more generally seen as part of the Regency era, if not the actual legal Regency. It was marked by by distinctive trends in British architecture, literature, fashions, politics, and culture. This includes Kate Greenaway or Oliver Twist fashions. The end of the Regency Era almost precisely marks the advent of photography (1839). The Regency Era is much of the Early Republic/Ante-bellum Era in America and powerfully influenced American fashion. Thus vintage clothing from the Regency is particularly valuable as photography which escalated our knowledge of fashion still did not exist. The Jane Austen Centre in Bath put these examples on display as examples of Regency children's clothes (figure 1). We believe that they are replicas, probably of items in their collection. They do not mention that the skeleton suit was the first distinctive child's outfit. It took longer for girls' to have distinctive styles. They provide this explanation of the outfits. "The Regency Boy and Girl: The boy's costume here is a 'Skeleton Suit' which would have been worn up to age 8 or 9. Boys were put in to a skeleton suit at about 3 or 4 years old. Before that they wore a frock which would sometimes make it difficult to distinguish them from their sisters in portraits. The girl's gown is made from white cotton muslin, the perennial favorite of this period. The model here is wearing a pair of cotton lawn pantaloons [HBC uses the term pantalettes because pantaloons can have various meanings], frilled with voile at the legs attached to a small bodice. They are buttoned down the back and open between the legs. Very practical!" The boy's skeleton suit here is shown with an open collar blouse. In fact this varied over time. Unfortunately there id no chronological dating of the outfits. The skeleton suit fashion is most notable because ot was the first fashionable appearance of long pants and it was for boys. It was well into the Regency that men began wearing long pants as well. And it was only after the Regency in the early Victorian era that boys began wearing shortened-length pants.

Sources

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)..

Low, Betty-Bright P. "Of Muslins and Merveilleuses," Winterthur Portfolio, vol 9 (1974), pp. 29–75.

Roslyn, Elizabeth. "Women's fashion: Fashion plates, illustrations, and watercolours from 1790s to 1810s". 4.

Created: 11:37 PM 12/12/2017
Spell checked: 2:51 AM 9/26/2021
Last edited: 12:46 AM 9/26/2021