100 Dresses For Every Year In The 1800s _ Cultured Elegance

In this video, we will be looking at 100 original dresses for every year in the 19th century. Beginning in 1800, neoclassical designs defined fashion for both men and women. A lightweight white cotton muslin gown with an empire waist began to become the dominant style. Women took inspiration from classical antiquity and desired to look like the ancient Romans and Dresses slowly began to see more detail work on the bodice and the skirt of the garments. As time went on as well, we see stiffer materials being used for the dresses. By the 1810s, we see additional detail developing on the dresses. The trains, which were popular in the last decade, have vanished and instead the hemline is raised. There is more detail and color to be found in this decade. Sleeves also begin to take on a puffed shape, which remains during this decade and the one after. The 1820s is known as a transitional period between the more modest 1810s to the more exuberant 1830s. As the decade rears towards the 1830s, the decoration and ornamentation on the dresses grows as well as the sleeve size. You may have also noticed that the waist is dropping towards the natural position. In the 1830s, the skirts on the dresses begin to get wider and as the decade goes on, the sleeves move towards the bottom of the garments, where the neckline is in a v-shape and is typically off the shoulder. By the end of the 1830s, the over-the-top motifs and enormous sleeves on the dresses begin to quickly fade. Now, modest and mindful dressing was fashionable. Garments in the 1840s have sparse decoration, narrow sleeves, a high neckline, and a larger skirt. The waist ended in a v-point and for evening wear, the looks were always off the shoulder. We see that by the end of the 1840s, however, the sleeves begin to widen instead of being tight when it comes to daytime looks. The 1850s saw the invention of the crinoline and the skirts began to get wider and wider and have more feminine decoration on them. In the daytime, women's dresses had high necklines and large pagoda sleeves. By the end of the 1850s, there is a shift in volume towards the back of the dress. The beginning of the 1860s is much like the 1850s, but the skirts are larger and there is more feminine ornamentation on them. This is where the skirts reach their widest point around 1863, where some measured around 15 feet in circumference. Towards the end of the 1860s, we see the complete emphasis towards the back of the dress and a flattening towards the front. Dresses at this time also featured more geometrical prints and less feminine motifs. The 1870s, however, brought back exuberant styles and tastes. It was then that the first bustle type was created, where a complete emphasis of volume was in order for the back of the dress. But quickly, an opposing style came into fashion called the princess line or the natural form line, where bustles were gotten rid of and instead a small bum pad was worn over the back of the dress. A form-fitting and snug silhouette became very popular. This silhouette continued into the early part of the 1880s, but quickly the bustle came back into fashion and it was more extreme than ever, creating a shelf-like protrusion from the back of the dress. The 1880s featured beautiful colors and details on the garments and towards the end of the decade, the bustle is completely gone away with. As we move into the 1890s, we see an A-line skirt becoming more popular and beautiful details on the dresses, but more often than not, the dresses were more plain, showing the fabric off more than the details. And it's at this time that enormous puffy sleeves become the height of fashion. And as the decade progresses, those sleeves become smaller and smaller. Tell me in the comments down below which decade of 19th century fashion is your favorite and why. Thank you so much for watching everyone. I'll see you in the next video.