artwork analysis
garment analysis

1785 – Marie-Victoire Lemoine, Portrait of a Youth in an Embroidered Vest

1780-1789, 18th century, artwork analysis, BIPOC

The young man in this portrait, dressed in formal French aristocratic style, represents the final flourish (or last gasp?) of the ancien régime in the last years before the French Revolution.

1973 – Stephen Burrows, Evening Dress

1970-1979, 20th century, BIPOC, garment analysis

This color-blocked 1973 chiffon evening dress represents American designer Stephen Burrows’ original contributions to fashion as well as to the ground-breaking Battle of Versailles.

film analysis
thematic essays
year overview

1939 – Cukor, The Women / 1956 – Miller, The Opposite Sex

1930-1939, 1950-1959, film analysis

Trusting Park Avenue socialite Mary Haines (Norma Shearer) loses her husband to scheming shopgirl Crystal Allen (Joan Crawford), and can only win him back if she becomes as cunning as her so-called friends.

Gucci Strikes Red: China’s Love Affair with Gucci

2000-2009, 2010-2019, 21st century, thematic essays

Gucci has taken a thoughtful, creative approach to engaging Chinese consumers. While other brands have fallen into caricature and suffered for it, Gucci has become a beloved and dominant luxury brand in China.

1868

1860-1869, 19th century, year overview

In 1868, skirts with long trains were at the height of fashion, which resulted in noticeable cropping in images depicting this prevalent style of dress. Yet, at the same time, walking dresses became daringly short, showing off fashionable ankle boots.

1938

1930-1939, 20th century, year overview
1930

1930-1939, 20th century, year overview
1870

1870-1879, 19th century, year overview

ancient
early Middle Ages
14th century
15th century
16th century

clavus/clavi

ancient, C, term definition

Decorative vertical stripes that ran over the shoulder on the front and back of a Late Roman or Byzantine tunic.

nemes headdress

ancient, H, N, term definition
peplos

ancient, P, term definition
kohl

ancient, K, term definition
toga picta

ancient, P, T, term definition
himation

ancient, H, term definition

barbette

14th century, 15th century, B, early Middle Ages, term definition

A piece of linen which passes under the chin and is pinned at the sides, usually worn in conjunction with additional head coverings during the Middle Ages.

tablion

Byzantine, T, term definition
dalmatic tunic

Byzantine, D, T, term definition
Byzantine

Byzantine, culture overview
Early Middle Ages

decade overview, early Middle Ages

pattens

14th century, 15th century, P, term definition

Wooden-soled platform over-shoes, which were commonly worn from the 14th century to the 18th century.

poulaine

14th century, 15th century, P, term definition
doublet

14th century, 15th century, 16th century, 17th century, D, term definition
dagging

14th century, 15th century, 16th century, D, term definition
particolored

14th century, 15th century, P, term definition
1350-1399

1350-1399, 14th century, decade overview

1420-1429

1420-1429, 15th century, decade overview

The duchy of Burgundy, enriched by the wealth of its Flemish cities, was the leading center of fashion during the 1420s. The Duke of Burgundy's alliance with England supported the production of the finest woolen textiles, woven in Flanders from English yarn. Merchants used their profits from manufacture and trade to rival aristocrats as the greatest consumers of Italian silk velvets and other luxuries. Throughout Europe, men dressed in black and women with tall, horn-shaped headdresses were signs of Burgundian influence.

chaperon

15th century, C, term definition
1410-1419

1410-1419, 15th century, decade overview
1400-1409

1400-1409, 15th century, decade overview
stomacher

15th century, 16th century, 17th century, 18th century, S, term definition
Spanish farthingale

15th century, 16th century, 17th century, F, S, term definition

1592 – Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, Elizabeth I (1533-1601), Queen of England

1590-1599, 16th century, artwork analysis

Queen Elizabeth I’s striking ensemble in The Ditchley Portrait by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger embodied the height and extremity of 1590s court fashion.

17th century
18th century
19th century
20th century
21st century

1650-1659

1650-1659, 17th century, decade overview

Women's bodices elongated in the 1650s coming to a point in the front, but in general evolved only slowly from the fashions of the previous decade; whereas men's doublets shrunk radically and their breeches expanded, becoming heavily ornamented with ribbon loops. With England under Cromwell's control, France takes the lead in fashion.

1762 – Juan Patricio Morlete Ruiz, Portrait of Doña Maria Tomasa Durán López de Cárdenas

1760-1769, 18th century, artwork analysis

The black fabric that tones down Doña Maria Tomasa Durán López de Cárdenas' extravagant dress, along with the religious subtext of her portrait, demonstrate the subtle differences that the fashions of New Spain had with those of Europe.

caraco

18th century, C, term definition
justaucorps

17th century, 18th century, J, term definition
échelle

18th century, E, term definition
tricorne hat

18th century, H, T, term definition
spencer jacket

1790-1799, 19th century, J, S, term definition

1800-1809

1800-1809, 19th century, decade overview

The nineteenth century opened with a fashion landscape that was changing dramatically and rapidly from the styles of a generation earlier. The French Revolution brought fashions that had been emerging since the 1780s to the forefront. Neoclassicism now defined fashion as both men and women took inspiration from classical antiquity. For women, the high-waisted silhouette in lightweight muslin was the dominant style, while fashionable men looked to the tailors of Britain for a new, refined look.

1898-1981 – Ann Lowe

1950-1959, 1960-1969, 20th century, BIPOC, designer profile

No longer “society’s best kept secret” as the Saturday Evening Post called her, Ann Lowe is recognized as a pioneering African American couturier. Her pieces are preserved in renowned museum collections including the Smithsonian, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and The Museum at FIT.