Category: 1850-1859

Overview

1850-1859

1850-1859, 19th century, decade overview

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1856 – Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Madame Moitessier

1850-1859, 19th century, artwork analysis

In Ingres’s 1856 portrait, Madame Moitessier wears a fashionable off-the-shoulder dress with a bertha collar trimmed with tassels. The evening dress reflects her elegant taste and features the essential elements of 1850s fashion–from its floral silk brocade fabric to its Renaissance-revival jewelry.

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1855 – Franz-Xaver Winterhalter, The Empress Eugénie Surrounded by her Ladies-in-Waiting

1850-1859, 19th century, artwork analysis

Well-known in the 19th century for his skill at portraiture, Wintherhalter created iconic mannered poses and captured ravishingly elegant dresses, like those in this portrait of the Empress Eugénie and her ladies in waiting, who dress in the most fashionable styles of day.

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1856

1850-1859, 19th century, year overview

In 1856, women’s dresses were made mostly in silk, cotton, and velvet, and their silhouettes consisted of bodices fitted to the waist and full bell skirts that were accessorized with flounces, stripes, trims, and flowers.

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1855

1850-1859, 19th century, year overview

Women’s fashion was ornate above all else in 1855, with the hoop skirt reigning prominently in conjunction with brightly colored silks and satins accessorized with all varieties of tasteful trimmings.

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1859 – Gold silk day dress with floral brocade

1850-1859, 19th century, garment analysis

While the silhouette of this day dress, its floral brocade, and its use of fringe were fashionable for 1859, its choice of gold silk fabric and naturalistic coloring for the flowers was less so.

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The 1770s was a time of transition in men and wome

The 1770s was a time of transition in men and women’s dress, particularly for daywear. Informal styles grew in popularity, leading to new fashions that exemplified a ‘casual’ aesthetic. The robe à la française, or sack, ceded its decades-long dominance to other styles and was primarily worn for formal wear. This gave way to a new prominent garment, the robe à l’anglaise, which was worn in England throughout the 18th century as an informal gown alternative. Although a separation formed between formal and informal attire, stiff understructures such as panniers and boned corsets were still utilized under clothing to showcase the proper silhouette of the 18th century. Read more about this decade at the link in bio!

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Using wings from the elytra beetle in embroidery i

Using wings from the elytra beetle in embroidery is a technique that has roots in Mughal India. The practice was appropriated by Europeans in the 19th century, when white muslin gowns were occasionally spotted with these iridescent green wings. This form of embroidered decoration is inextricably linked to colonialism and it has been an item of fantasy and exoticism for more than two hundred years. Read more about the history of this technique at the link in bio!

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In the 1740s, Rococo fashion was all the rage alon

In the 1740s, Rococo fashion was all the rage along with the robe à la française, which was worn as the primary gown for both formal and informal occasions. At the same time, men’s fashion remained just as full as the 1730s. Read more about this decade at the link in bio!

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Between the fifth century and tenth century, the C

Between the fifth century and tenth century, the Coclé people inhabited an area in Central America known as Gran Coclé located in modern-day Panama. A remarkable necropolis titled Sitio Conte there contains many precious objects that express social status, political power, and religious beliefs, while also demonstrating expert metal-smithing in the luxurious ornamentation of rulers and depictions of gods. Read more at the link in bio!

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In the 1730s the silhouette of both womenswear and

In the 1730s the silhouette of both womenswear and menswear emphasized shape. At the same time, social events captured by famed artists allowed for the wealthy to display their sense of style and affluence. Read more about the 1730s at the link in bio!

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Famous designer Elsa Schiaparelli, best known for

Famous designer Elsa Schiaparelli, best known for her collaborations with other Surrealists, created this dress in 1938 as part of her Circus Collection. Schiaparelli was one of the first to pioneer the idea of conceptual collections and the use of innovative materials such as plastic. This dress, which she made in collaboration with Salvador Dalí, holds similarities to one of the figures in his painting Three Young Surrealist Women Holding in their Arms the Skins of an Orchestra from 1936. Read more about the work of Schiaparelli at the link in the bio!

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The 1760s mark the last decade during which the ro

The 1760s mark the last decade during which the robe à la française dominated women’s wardrobes since its introduction in the 1720s. In the last three decades of the 18th century, other, more informal styles became fashionable for daywear and the robe à la française was increasingly worn for evening. For men, the distinction between the subdued informality of Englishmen’s dress and the colorful formality of Continental styles (particularly those of France and Italy) remained pronounced. Read more about this decade at the link in bio!

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During the 1460s the differences between the fashi

During the 1460s the differences between the fashions of Italy and those of northern Europe deepened. At the courts of Burgundy and France, silhouettes were elongated and angular, from the tops of women’s conical headdresses to the points of men’s poulaine shoes. In Italy, inspired by the art and dress of antiquity, more naturalistic proportions and flowing drapery prevailed. Read more at the link in bio!

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Since the mid-20th century, relations between Afri

Since the mid-20th century, relations between Africa and China have grown stronger, leading to the adaptation of fashion between cultures. Local African dress styles have absorbed elements of Chinese fashion, leading to an individualistic Sino-African look. Designers like Ladunni Lambo and Marianne Fassler feature the intercultural meshing of traditional garments and motifs in their work. Read more at the link in bio!

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