Spangled Velvet Bathing Costume, 1924
Designed by Lanvin
Worn to an evening pool party thrown by Marie-Laure de Noailles.
via Palais Galliera
Polished Cotton Cocktail Dress, ca. 1950s
Tabak Ca
via Mill Street Vintage
Printed Silk Crepe Cocktail Dress, ca. 1950s
We're almost at the weekend, so you know what that means- time for FRIDAY FASHION FACT! Today we're covering one of the most basic, practical, and common pieces of fashion history. Gather up your girls, because we are finally covering the history of bras. Love 'em or hate 'em, bras have been worn by about half the population for the past hundred years. They come in countless style, and arguably still have yet to be perfected. Whether worn to be seen, or intended for purely practical purposes, never to see the light of day, bras literally are the core that shapes modern fashion. So where did they come from? Women have been binding their breasts since the beginning of mankind. Anyone with an even moderately sizeable pair will tell you this was clearly not for style, but for practicality purposes. Throughout much of history, in many cultures, this was as simple as wrapping fabric around one's body. By the Renaissance, though, stays and corsets were the primary "tool" used in western cultures. I've written about the history of the corset before (here) so I won't go into that again, but the first bra-like garments first came into style during the late very late 18th century through early 19th century when corsets took a brief hiatus. This was the time after the French Revolution when the neoclassical style came into being. The stiff look of the corset did not fit with the soft, natural from of neoclassicism, and so were discarded. But, of course, some form of support and control was required. Many women wore a bodice piece much like a corset, but with minimal boning. Since the style was so figure hugging and women wished to show off all their curves, cup-like insets were put into these bodices. Yet with the popular empire waistline, there was no need for a cinched waist, and so the under-bust was reduced to essentially a band. Once more structured garments came back into fashion, bringing the corset along with it, those insets did not disappear completely. There were countless corset designs throughout the 19th century, and a couple do feature cup-like forms. By the end of the century, though, as it slowly became more acceptable for a woman to be more physically active, corsets commonly shortened to waist cinchers, which allowed for more movement. These were paired with a chemise-like upper bodice piece which had admittedly minimal support. Pair this with many critics of the corset emerging, and there were soon many predecessors to the bra being invented at this time, each with varying levels of success. The official title of "inventor of the bra" is often given to Herminie Cadolle (though there are others who claim the title), who in 1889 created a two-piece corset with a waist piece and upper bodice piece with shoulder straps. Later in her career, she would be the first to use elastic in a brassiere. Yet it was a 19 year old socialite named Mary Phelps Jacob who, in 1910, truly launched the modern bra. Frustrated that her corset could be seen poking through her delicate evening gown, she and her lady's maid fashioned a support garment out of two handkerchiefs and some ribbon. At the debutante ball that evening, everyone was fascinated by her creation and requested one for themselves. Though her business never became a big success, in 1914 she created the patent which all bra designs for the next several years were based upon. It was in 1917, during World War I, that the government asked women to stop wearing corsets and switch exclusively to bras, since the steel used to create corsets was needed for the war effort. They claimed that two battleships could be made out of the steel saved from the corset industry. From then on, the bra reigned supreme. Designers across the globe continued to develop and reshape the bra, always changing with the ideal body shape du jour or the newest advances in technology. And they still do to this day! Have a question about fashion history that you want answered in the next FRIDAY FASHION FACT? Just click the ASK button at the top of the page!
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Hello fabulous followers! I am thrilled to announce that Ephemeral Elegance has officially expanded to Instagram! I always talk about how much significance fashion holds, and that is exactly what the Instagram page will focus on. But I want this page to be personal, so I’m calling on you for your help! Do you have a piece of clothing that means the world to you? Has every woman in your family worn the same wedding gown for generations? Is there a band t-shirt that helped you connect with a new friend at a time when you felt alone? Did your great great grandfather travel across the globe with just the clothes on his back, and he held on to those clothes as he launched a new life in a new world? I want to hear about it! Whether a simple pair of jeans or a gorgeous ball gown, a photo of you or a portrait of your ancestors, if there is a story about how clothes have been meaningful to you or someone you know, I would be honored to share your personal fashion history with the world.
Send your photos and stories to [email protected], and check out the brand new Ephemeral Elegance Instagram for all the stories! Just visit https://www.instagram.com/ephemeral.elegance/
And don’t worry, I will still share plenty of gorgeous historical fashions there, here, and on my Twitter (https://twitter.com/drapedinhistory)
I can’t wait to read your stories, and as always, thank you for your support!
Velvet Sheath Dress and Faille de Chine Coat, fall/winter 1983
Yves Saint Laurent
Modeled by Carla Bruni at the YSL show in Paris
via The Met and Denver Art Museum
Cutwork Velvet and Satin Evening Dress, ca. 1980s
Designed by Arnold Scaasi
Worn by Gayfryd Steinberg
via MFA
It's FRIDAY FASHION FACT! If you have been reading this blog for a while, you'll know that one of my favorite aspects of fashion history is the influence of society on dress. I can't believe I haven't written about today's topic yet, since it is one of the best examples of this! We're talking tea gowns!
Tea gowns rose to popularity in the late 1870s, reaching widespread popularity throughout the late 19th to early 20th centuries. To put it simply, a tea gown is an informal garment worn in the house- you guessed it- at tea time, though later they were worn at dinnertime as well. What is so interesting about tea gowns is that their creation was a direct result of the rapidly changing society of the time.
The Industrial Revolution led to a dramatic rise in urbanization. Naturally, this congested setting shifted social customs. Increased social circles meant increased social obligations. Visiting a friend or acquaintance for tea quickly became one of the most popular social calls, namely because it was the shortest. Custom dictated that one would not stay for more than half an hour for tea. The short time frame meant a less formal atmosphere.
On a different note, during this same time, there was a strong Asian influence on design. Due to the 1868 Meiji Restoration, trade lines between Japan and Europe opened up, bringing a steady stream of Japanese goods to the Western world. Using these pieces, homes were decorated in the exotic style. Kimonos also held a fascination among the Victorians, many adopting them as dressing gowns. Women would commonly host members of their wide social circles in their homes (particularly the parlors) to show off their creative interpretation of Asian and exotic inspired design. So how does this all connect to the tea gown?
To begin with, women desired a specific garment for these new abridged social calls- something relatively informal, yet still fashionable. Tea gowns have been described as a blend between a dressing gown and an evening gown. They were a far more relaxed style than the majority of fashions at the time. They were often loose fitting, and were often worn without the usual restrictive shapewear- namely bustles and (gasp!) corsets. Naturally, this meant that tea gowns were a very controversial garment, with many condemning them as lewd and immoral. Of course, many women who were so accustomed to wearing corsets still wore them with tea gowns, but disguised it with a loose bodice. Since they were so relaxed, though, a lady would never leave the house in a tea gown. As a result, only the hostess would wear one, while guests would wear afternoon or visiting gowns.
One of the biggest appeals of the loose tea gown was that they were so easy to put on, and a lady could dress herself without the help of a lady's maid. While the structure of tea gowns were simple, though, their design was anything but. Women pulled inspiration from the exotic into their gowns, often aiming to match the design of their parlors. There was also a strong historical influence in many tea gowns. Watteau pleats, the cape/train-like pleats used in 18th century robes a la française, were a popular design element. Some tea gowns would be made to look like two garments, a faux-robe over a dress. As with all fashions of the day, ladies would show off their wealth through their tea gowns, using rich fabrics, lace trims, ruffles, and other embellishments.
As fashion developed, so did the tea gown. By the Edwardian Age, the popular tea gown style was incorporated into other forms of afternoon dress, to the point that tea gowns became difficult to distinguish from other styles of dress. As society changed throughout the 1920s and ‘30s and the custom of calling for tea time shifted, the tea dress slowly faded from popularity, vanishing altogether by World War II. It just goes to show how the life and death of a fashion can all be directly related to shifts in society!
Have a question about fashion history that you want answered in the next FRIDAY FASHION FACT? Just click the ASK button at the top of the page!
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Happy FRIDAY FASHION FACT! Today I’m going more modern than I’ve ever gone before in these posts. And what better topic to go modern with than one that is named for the term? That’s right, we’re talking mod! Specifically, we are talking about the one piece of fashion that arguably epitomized the mod culture: the paper dress.
I’ve spoken about dresses made out of unusual materials before (see: the glass dress) but what is so interesting about the paper dress is how popular it was, albeit for a short time. In 1966, the Scott Paper Company released a marketing campaign where it would ship customers a dress made out of “Dura-Weve” paper for just $1.25 (a dollar for the dress and 25 cents handling.) The material was essentially a cellulose paper mixed with traces of rayon. This gave the dress more durability and flexibility as compared to standard paper. The original Scott Company paper dress was sold in two patterns, a black and white geometric “op-art” print, and a red paisley “bandana” print. Both the simplistic cut and bold patterns of the dress were clearly aimed at capturing the attention of the booming mod culture.
The typically young crowd who followed the mod lifestyle were known to strive for the next, newest, and even most futuristic styles, whether it be music, art, or clothes. They were bold and sleek, and broke away from all things traditional. In essence, they were the opposite of the World War II “Greatest Generation” which preceded them. So how does the paper dress fit into this? The disposable nature of the paper dress was highly appealing to the mod generation. Many believed paper was the fabric of the future, and that one day all clothing would be made out of the material. It was fast-fashion at it’s fastest. The ephemeral nature of the dresses meant that you could consistently (and affordably) purchase new clothing. It also blended well with the art of the day. This was peak Warhol era, and his pop art prints were perfect to adorn the simple shift dresses, as were the colorful psychedelic prints of the time. Paper dresses made it easy to always wear the newest patterns and art.
Several companies quickly followed Scott’s lead, and soon paper dresses were everywhere, as well as other styles of paper clothing, including menswear. Within a year, though, the novelty faded, and the realization of the impracticality outweighed the idealistic image of paper clothing. The fad disappeared as quickly as it began. Yet paper clothing hasn’t vanished completely. Instead, it found it’s niche in hospitals, where it’s affordable and disposable nature is perfect for sanitary purposes. So in a way, the mod’s were right, paper was the fabric of the future, just not in the way they expected.
Have a question about fashion history that you want answered in the next FRIDAY FASHION FACT? Just click the ASK button at the top of the page!
Pleated Silk Dress, ca. 1927
Madeleine Vionnet
via Musée Galliera