Children's Fashion Week

This week at Megaluno Studio I'll be focusing on children's fashion history, especially as it relates to social reform. I am starting off with this article that I wrote, and I'll post some inspiration and new artwork later on in the week. I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject! If you have any links to contribute, feel free to post them in the comments!

(Sir) William Beechey (British, 1753-1839). The Oddie Children, 1789. Oil on canvas. 182.9 x 182.6 cm (72 x 71 7/8 in.).

Children’s Fashion History From Medieval Times to the End of the Eighteenth Century, Particularly in Relation to Social Reform

Fashion is constantly influenced by social changes and ideas. As the 18th century began, children were looked upon as evidence of original sin, and were made to grow up very quickly. Children before the 18th century wore miniature replicas of their parents’ clothing after the age of four. A shift in the attitude of raising children occurred in the 18th century, but this change was not reflected by their clothing until later in the 1700s. Contrarily, children were actually introduced to restrictive clothing at a younger age than before. After the child outgrew swaddling (at around one year old), both boys and girls were dressed in boned bodices and long, full skirts. At the age of three for boys, and two for girls, they were introduced to adult fashion.

John Locke’s essay Some Thoughts Concerning Education (originally published in 1693) brought about the revolutionary idea that children should be allowed the freedom to play and discover the world. He believed that the mind of a child was a blank slate, and that tabula rasa must be developed intentionally, particularly through a more practical form of education than was prevalent until that time. Artwork from this period shows the slow progression of children sitting quietly indoors, to the boys playing out of doors while the girls remain indoors, to boys and girls playing together outside, wearing clothing far less restrictive than that of their predecessors.

The French Revolution beginning in 1789 brought social reform with “The Enlightenment.” The extravagant style of the French and English courts were questioned, and then shunned. More comfortable and practical styles that had previously been associated with the rural and working class gained popularity. In France, people who dressed in a manner that seemed too extravagant were actually in personal danger. Classical styles grew in popularity, and white was the most common colour for a child to be dressed in by the close of the century. This “angelic” appearance reinforced the growing belief that children were innocents.

Between 1770 and 1780, a major change occurred in the care of infants. The Americans and English abandoned the ancient practice of swaddling their babies, and the rest of Europe followed by the end of the century. Babies were instead dressed in long gowns of up to a metre in length during their first year, and wore both fitted undercaps and frilly overcaps both day and night.

In the 1760s, the dress of girls began to differ from that of women. At first only the young girls, but eventually those in their teens as well had adopted a classically styled and simple form of dress. Low-necked, high-waisted muslin dresses with short sleeves were common attire. They were usually white with a coloured sash at the high waistline. The skirt was worn straight to the ankle or midstep. A girl of the late 18th century would wear this from babyhood until her late twenties. This style started to influence adult fashion around 1785, and was extremely popular after the turmoil of the French Revolution.

The late 1700s brought about a new freedom for boys in the form of trousers. They were worn after the frock of a baby until the coat and breeches of a man (adopted around the age of 10). Boys’ trousers were either wide legged or tight fitting, and worn with a short jacket without tails. Sometimes a sash was worn, but no waistcoat. As women’s and girls’ waistlines rose, boys’ jackets shortened. By the 1780s, trousers were cut well above the waist, and buttoned over the jacket. This was called a skeleton suit, and was worn by boys of 3 -7 years of age, from the 1780s until about 1830.

Resources:
Baclawski K. (1995). The Guide to Historic Costume. New York, NY: Drama Book Publishers.

Nunn J. (2000). Fashion in Costume 1200-2000. London: The Herbert Press.

Some Thoughts Concerning Education. (2009, July 8). In WIkipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved July 13, 2009 from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Some_Thoughts_Concerning_Education&oldid=300923153