It's time again for FRIDAY FASHION FACT! A little while ago, I spoke about one of my favorite things- pajamas (read here). Coming in a close second on my list of most awesome things, as I'm sure many of you will agree, is lounge wear. Nowadays that typically means sweats or yoga pants (which I'm definitely not wearing right now, I don't know what you're talking about!) but in the 18th century, it was all about banyans!
What is a banyan? Short answer: it was a (typically silk) men's robe. Longer answer? It was the first common form of lounge wear in Western societies. The style was derived from the robes worn by the upper class in the West Indies, as well as kimonos, Turkish robes, and other forms of Eastern dress. Colonists adopted the style and brought it back to England and France. While in the hot climates of the East, banyans were made out of lightweight cottons, in the West they were created out of rich silk brocades. In the comfort of their own homes, men would wear these loose garments over their shirts and breeches in lieu of their restrictive, tailored coats and waistcoats. They often paired the garments with Turkish inspired turbans.
Also known as a morning robe or robe de chambre, banyans became very symbolic for the upper class. It was only men of a certain means who would have the luxury of lounging about their home, not to mention having the ability to purchase such a frivolous garment. It also came to be associated with educated men, similar to academic robes. These learned men were "too busy" focusing on their studies to be bothered with fashion. It is because of these associations that posing in banyans became a popular theme in 18th century portraiture.
By the 19th century, various styles of banyans had been developed, including one that was quite structured, sort of going against it's original intention. They were often made with matching waistcoats, for a more complete ensemble. Women naturally drew inspiration from banyans, creating their own forms of lounge wear. That, however, is a topic for another day.
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