Children’s clothing
The usual clothing for an infant would be a sort of nightgown worn over the underclothes (minishirt and the swaddling cloth). The little gown would be made of fine linen and delicately embroidered if the family was rich. A bonnet to match the outfit was also worn.
Embroideries were very complicated and expensive and the fabrics used to clothe the child were the same as for the adults. The purpose was to display the social status. The lower classes would dress their infants in a more basic way: wrappings made of materials such as flax, a very common fibre plant still used today, and cotton. Wrappings would also be made from old clothes or rags, the main objective being survival rather than display.
Boys and girls would be dressed alike until the age of five, after which time the two sexes would be treated and educated differently, following what was considered proper for each gender and social class. Children’s fashions would then pretty much follow adult fashion.
Men’s fashion
For France, the XVIIth century’s importance was marked by the ascent to the throne of Louis XIV who became not only the absolute monarch, but also the leader in fashion in France and abroad. During his reign, (1638-1715), fashion was divided into three different periods and styles:
A.
|
Regency (1638-1661)
|
B.
|
The sun King (1661-1685)
|
C.
|
The setting Sun (1685-1715)
|
A. Regency
This time was marked by austerity under the direction of Cardinal Richelieu (1585-1642), who achieved the political ruin of the Protestants and reformed the country’s finances, the army and the legislation. Being a very nationalistic minister he had forbidden all foreign imports. This was beneficial for the economy and also affected fashion. The result of this policy was the disappearance of lace (unless French made). All sorts of trinkets disappeared. Buttons were replaced by ribbons. However, silk ribbons were decorated with gold thread which made them just as expensive as buttons. Since lace and trinkets could not be used, the nobility and upper bourgeoisie showed their social status by adding more ribbons to their clothing.
After the death of Louis XIII in 1634, Queen Anne of Austria, his wife, nominated Cardinal Mazarin (1602-1661) as Prime Minister. In his efforts to curb the excessive use of precious commodities, he made the young king Louis XIV walk the streets in a simple velvet suit. The only result of this experiment was Mazarin’s new nick-name:“skinflint”.
In August 1660 King Louis XIV married his cousin Marie-Therese of Austria for political reasons, and from this moment on the fashions and the code of behavior at Court would follow the king’s directions.
Gentlemen’s fashions during the Regency were long hair curled and dressed into pigtails, wide lace collar, coat draped over one shoulder and trimmed with gold braid and buttons, fitted doublet (close fitting jacket, with or without sleeves), matching Spanish breeches (very bulky, short trousers ending at the knees), boots worn with butterfly boot leathers (butterfly-shaped broad leather bands crossing the ankles in front), spurs and clogs.
B. The Sun King
During this period Louis XIV, called “le Roi Soleil” in French, played an extremely important role in the society of his time and in the development of fashion, dictating his own taste to the Court. In 1661, after the death of Cardinal Mazarin, Louis XIV announced to the Council that he would be the only one governing France. It was the beginning of “Absolutisme” (the king would rule with absolute and unlimited powers).
The king surrounded himself with a court that he could control and would consider him the focal point for everything. He set a very quick pace for new trends in order to be constantly the center of attention.
The fashion to follow during this period for the gentleman was a small hat covered with feathers and tiny bows, wide lace-edged collar and neck-cloth, short jacket with short sleeves, full shirt gathered at waist and wrist, over-skirt decorated with looped ribbons, and hose with lace frill over the knee. Proper grooming was essential, so particular care and attention were given to personal details.
Moustaches
Men did not wear beards, but moustaches were popular. In order to keep their moustaches in shape men had to sleep with a “BigotiEre” (a special curler for moustaches) on their upper lip.
Hair
When Louis XIV began to grow bald, he started to use wigs, and so did his entourage. Men often mixed false hair with real but it was easier to shave their hair and wear a wig. At first wigs were faithful imitations of natural curled hair. Later they began to increase in size, with hair cascading down the back. The price of wigs changed according to the style and quality. Large wigs of natural human hair, fair or light brown, were the most expensive. Black wigs were the cheapest, with horse and goat hair used for them. The most popular wig was the “Allonge” with long curled hair falling over the shoulders, but this was only one of many. The king himself had many wigs. They were part of his daily wardrobe, and his personal “Coiffeur” would suggest the wig to wear during the day according to the time and the event.
Cravate
This is the original name for what became the modern neck tie, even if the original length and shape were different. According to historians, this item was worn by Croatian soldiers and consisted of a large ribbon turned around the neck several times. French officers noticed it and started to wear it. Soon the fashion spread.
Made of linen or muslin with broad edges of lace, the cravate became even more famous when the King himself began to use it. Every morning a “Cravatier” (tie maker) would bring him an assortment of cravates to choose from. According to fashion, the cravate went twice around the neck and was tied behind. A second neck-cloth was also worn, making the wrap so thick that its circumference was equal to that of the head, and the chin was buried in the neck-cloth, usually black.
Hats
They were generally made of soft felt shaped in a cone, but later they were made of leather with a broad brim and feathers.
Gloves
In the XVIIth century a pair of gloves was a customary gift at New Year. Materials used for gloves were leather and other types of fabrics such as silk and damask. Silk or velvet was also used for linings. Trimmings were made of embroidery, lace, both silver and gold, fringes, fur, silk and ribbon. Fringes were the most popular. Perfumed gloves were common use, the scents used being civet, cloves, musk, ambergris, jasmine, cinnamon, nutmeg, “benjamin” (benzoin) and floral scents. Gloves were worn, carried, or tucked into the belt.
Vest
Like the Cravate, the “Vest” was a new creation in the XVIIth century that is still in use today. At first the vest was long, reaching to the knees and having sleeves. Later it became shorter and sleeveless.
Boots and Shoes
During the first half of the XVIIth century the nobles wore boots with spurs attached, even on festive occasions. At the beginning of the century boots were narrow and came up only a little beyond the knee. Afterwards they became higher. The tops were lined with colored material, and reversed to show the material. Shoes did not change too much except in the second part of the century when the heels became much higher than before. Ribbons were used instead of rosettes on shoes, and boots were used only for riding.
Breeches
Up to 1650 men were still wearing very wide breeches called “large cannons”. Their width was so excessive that they had to be pleated at the waist and resembled a short skirt. After 1660 the full breeches were considered unsuitable for daily use and became much tighter, shorter, and tied below the knees.
C. The Setting Sun
After the death of his wife Marie-Therese (1683), Louis XIV married Mme de Maintenon secretly and adopted a more sober style of clothing. He wore nothing but dark suits. His full outfit would include a small hat with narrow brim, rosette, and feather trim, shoulder length curled wig, neck-cloth, matching shirt, cuff and garters, a short jacket with short sleeves, matching overskirt, full breeches, and red-heeled shoes decorated with bows and rosettes.
Women’s Fashions
During the XVIIth century ladies’ fashions became more attractive and simple to wear. A frequently worn item was the “Robe ˆ la Commodite” (easy dress), with wide sleeves and wrist-bands, fastened at the elbow with ribbons. The outfit was in two parts: an open bodice laced or pinned at the front covering the lower skirt which hung straight with a few flat pleats at the side with wide sleeves and wrist-bands, fastened at the elbow with ribbons. Women began going to the hairdresser and paying great attention to their hairstyles.
One of the writers who gave a very clear picture of the fashion of the time was the Marquise de Sevigné (Marie de Rabutin-Chantal), born in Paris in 1626. She wrote more than 1,000 letters exchanging correspondence with her daughter and with famous people of her time such as Mme de la Fayette and the Cardinal Retz. These letters give us an idea how the aristocracy lived and thought, the famous people she encountered and the important events that took place. Her letters, however vivacious they might be, showed complete disinterest towards the middle class, and the lower classes were never mentioned unless for scandalistic purposes.
Since there were no fashion magazines to publish the latest fashions until the Mercure Gallant started publication in 1672, wax dolls in different styles and of different heights were sent to the Provinces. The dolls were named Little Pandora and Big Pandora. Even Mme de Sevigné sent one to her daughter to be sure that she understood exactly the fashion she was describing in one of her letters.