Category: 1440-1449

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1440-1449

1440-1449, 15th century, decade overview

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1449 – Petrus Christus, A Goldsmith in his Shop

1440-1449, 15th century, artwork analysis

Petrus Christus juxtaposes the lofty style of a wealthy couple preparing for their wedding with the more humbly dressed goldsmith and others.

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1440 – Fra Filippo Lippi, Portrait of a Woman with a Man at a Casement

1440-1449, 15th century, artwork analysis

Angiola di Bernardo Sapiti and Lorenzo di Ranieri Scolari dress in keeping with 1440s Florentine fashions.

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L’Eléphant Blanc is part of Yves Saint Laurent’s 1958 Trapèze collection for the House of Dior, which introduced the versatile trapèze silhouette to haute couture. Saint Laurent’s first collection with Dior placed him on the path to becoming one of the most well known designers of the 20th century. L’Eléphant Blanc is a heavily embellished dress hiding a boned corset and stiff horsehair understructure, which gives it its unique shape. The beads and rhinestones are attached to a layer of netting on top of the white silk. For Saint Laurent’s first collection with Dior, he needed something groundbreaking to make an impact on the world of haute couture. He created the trapèze silhouette, taking Dior’s classic 1947 A-line skirt and combining it with the waist-less silhouettes of the 1920s. The silhouette was extremely versatile, and came in afternoon dresses, cocktail dresses, and evening dresses as well. This 1958 collection was met with critical acclaim and praise; it was a milestone for Saint Laurent’s career. The trapèze dress became a predecessor to many of the silhouettes popular in the 1960s. Read more at the link in the bio!
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The year 1870 was characterized by an extensive us

The year 1870 was characterized by an extensive use of vibrant, contrasting colors and ostentatious trims, tassels, and flounces. Emphasis was now placed on individual style over following trends. By juxtaposing the desire to be fashionable for the moment with the desire to find what looks good on one’s self, society at large saw wide variety in interpretations of fashionable dress. Although the dresses were considered to be extremely loud visually, their overall size was considerably smaller than what it once was. Convenience increasingly became a factor in women’s dress. One of the most notable changes in size and silhouette was the shift from the crinoline to the bustle. In previous years dresses were often considered too long and required the wearer to lift them up so as to not drag the hem across the floor. In response, the most favorable dress length was right above the ankle. In France, high-lows became common and in America an even hem was common. A December “New York Fashions” column in Harper’s Bazar, described this as the ‘convenient walking length’. The year of 1870 was also notable for the start of the Franco-Prussian War. Because of the tragedy of the Paris siege, a number of fashion publications halted their work and focused their attention and resources on the events of the war. However, despite criticism, some journals such as La Mode Illustrée continued to produce and distribute their magazines to the world. Read more at the link in the bio!

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The bum roll was a roll of padding tied around the

The bum roll was a roll of padding tied around the hip line to hold a woman’s skirt out from the body in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Also referred to as ‘the roll farthingale’, the piece was often covered with cotton or other bombast and was sometimes wired. The roll was typically placed around the hips, allowing for a pleated skirt and layers of petticoats to fall over it. A variation of the roll began being used by 1580 and was a half roll sometimes called a demi or semi-circled farthingale. Portraits of royalty, such as Queen Elizabeth’s painting from 1592, show the effects of a bum roll which softens the line created by the farthingale. Bum rolls were also the focus of 16th-century caricatures, mocking the size and shape of the piece as they were thought ridiculous. The goal of the bum roll was to make the waist appear artificially small and the hips/bum oversized. In order to accentuate the lines of the English farthingale, the bum roll was tied around the woman’s waist in order to emphasize the structure. Worn for a short time in the early years of the seventeenth century, the use of a bum roll differed from the triangle line from years prior. Read more at the link in the bio!

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James Tissot’s 1878 painting ‘Evening’, feat

James Tissot’s 1878 painting ‘Evening’, features a young woman, possibly new to the high class social scene wearing a dress fabulous to the modern eye; however it proves to be quite out-of-step with the trends of the time. The ensemble features a yellow fitted princess-line gown with sumptuous pleats and white embroidered insets. While flounces proved a very fashionable element of the time, many other aspects of Tissot’s dress proved to be inappropriate for evening wear. For instance, the dress’ high collar and long sleeves were actually the norm for a daywear ensemble, with evening dresses being more exposed with short sleeves and a bare decolletage. In addition, a long-sleeved chemisette would never be layered under an evening dress. An element that Tissot got right for fashion at the time was the combination of multiple fabrics. The dress most likely was envisioned to have a gold silk satin, lighter yellow silk taffeta, and ivory embroidered insets. The use of 2 or 3 materials in a single dress was quite fashionable during this time. Tissot’s habit of adding his own flair to the garments in his paintings most likely stemmed from his childhood around parents who both worked with fabric and fashion. This tendency of his was both praised and criticized, and evident in many of his other works. While this dress certainly seems showstopping to modern eyes, it was quite out of place for the social context of the painting. Click the link in the bio to learn more!
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A jerkin is a close-fitting men’s jacket, often

A jerkin is a close-fitting men’s jacket, often used for warmth, and worn over a doublet in the 16th and 17th centuries. The jerkin was popular and was part of men’s general clothing during this time. It was sometimes laced or buttoned up front, and could be worn with or without sleeves. It is also probable that jerkins were worn underneath armor. The jerkin fell out of fashion in the late 17th century, but returned as a military garment in WWI by the British Army. Early 20th century jerkins were simple garments made from animal skins to provide warmth for the troops. Read more at the link in the bio!
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This 1966 ivory silk faille dress designed by Blac

This 1966 ivory silk faille dress designed by Black American designer Ann Lowe features flourishing vines and flowers also made from silk. The neckline of the dress gently scoops in the front and descends in the back, which showcases the wearer’s shoulder blades. It also features an empire waistline that swoops to the natural waist in the rear. Overall, the silhouette of the dress reflects 60s style; the narrow skirt creates a clean line from the waistline to the hem. The dress is often referred to as the American Beauty dress, as the silk flowers resemble the American Beauty variety of rose. The lifelike quality of the silk roses almost appear surreal, as if they are about to grow beyond the boundaries of the gown. Lowe had a reputation for designing deamlike, almost fairy-tale dresses, and those who worked with her during her career remarked upon the elegance of her designs. Large floral embellishments with technicolor hues ares a hallmark of many of Lowe’s creations. Her work reflects the trends of the 60s while still developing a unique dreamlike aestetic, and she was able to show her personality and imagination through embellishment and craftsmanship. Read more at the link in bio!

#DigitialHumanities #FashionHistory #1960sFashion

Bloomers are a bifurcated undergarment that were w

Bloomers are a bifurcated undergarment that were worn under dresses in the 19th century. They soon became a symbol of women’s rights because early activist Amelia Bloomer wore drawers long enough to stick out from under her dress. The suffragists preferred such a style in comparison to the fashionable dress of the period which required many heavy layers of petticoats to support it. Interestingly, Amelia did not originate the style although it is named after her and sometimes referred to as the ‘Bloomer costume’. Bloomer was a writer and lecturer on women’s rights and wrote favorably about the costume whilst also wearing it for many of her lectures; resulting in the garment taking her name. The style eventually gained acceptance as athletic wear to be worn when exercising but beyond that, it was not widely adopted. Cycling bloomers were popular when cycling became all the rage among the French upper classes in the 1880s and, especially, the 1890s. The new leisure activity had required appropriate dress that focused on comfort and practicality, with an emphasis on durability or softness as they were oftentimes made of fabrics such as jersey. Modern designers at Miu Miu and Fendi have continued to look to bloomers for inspiration. Read more at the link in the bio!

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Maija Isola was a textile designer for the Finnish

The doublet was a snug-fitted jacket shaped and fi

The doublet was a snug-fitted jacket shaped and fitted to a man’s body worn mostly in the 15th to 17th centuries. Early doublets nipped in at the waist and had short skirts below. They also provided means of keeping up the hose, and later the breeches. Doublets were typically long-sleeved with a standing neckband, and fastened at the front by lacing or buttons. Early 17th century doublets were often busked with whale bone and the front lining was stiffened with buckram or canvas. Around the 1650s, the doublet made its final appearance in the fashionable male wardrobe. During this time, doublets shortened so that there was a gap in between it and the breeches, making the undershirt visible. Sometimes the centre front and back sleeves were left unstitched, exposing the shirt underneath even further. However, some thought this look came across as untidy. Read more at the link in the bio!
#fashionhistory #digitalhumanities #16thcenturyfashion #17thcenturyfashion

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