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A dress (also known as a
frock Frock has been used since Middle English as the name for an article of clothing, typically coat (clothing), coat-like, for men and women. Terminology In British English and in Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries the word may be us ...
or a gown) is a one-piece outer garment that is worn on the torso, hangs down over the legs, and is primarily worn by women or girls. Dresses often consist of a bodice attached to a skirt. Dress shapes, silhouettes,
textiles Textile is an Hyponymy and hypernymy, umbrella term that includes various Fiber, fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, Staple (textiles)#Filament fiber, filaments, Thread (yarn), threads, and different types of #Fabric, fabric. ...
, and colors vary. In particular, dresses can vary by sleeve length, neckline, skirt length, or hemline. These variances may be based on considerations such as
fashion Fashion is a term used interchangeably to describe the creation of clothing, footwear, Fashion accessory, accessories, cosmetics, and jewellery of different cultural aesthetics and their mix and match into Clothing, outfits that depict distinct ...
trends,
modesty Modesty, sometimes known as demureness, is a mode of dress and deportment which intends to avoid the encouraging of sexual attraction in others. The word ''modesty'' comes from the Latin word ''wikt:modestus, modestus'' which means 'keeping with ...
, weather, and personal taste. Dresses are generally suitable for both
formal wear Formal wear or full dress is the Western dress code category applicable for the most formal occasions, such as weddings, Baptism, christenings, confirmations, funerals, Easter traditions, Easter and Christmas traditions, in addition to certain ...
and casual wear in the West. Historically, foundation garments and other structural garments—including items such as corsets, partlets,
petticoat A petticoat or underskirt is an article of clothing, a type of undergarment worn under a skirt or a dress. Its precise meaning varies over centuries and between countries. According to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', in current British E ...
s, panniers, and bustles—were used to achieve the desired silhouette.


History


Middle Ages

In the 11th century, women in
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
wore loose garments that were similar in shape to the
tunics A tunic is a clothing, garment for the torso, usually simple in style, reaching from the shoulders to a length somewhere between the hips and the ankles. It might have arm-sleeves, either short or full-length. Most forms have no fastenings. The ...
worn by men. Sleeves varied in fit and length, and hemlines fell below the knees, most often reaching the ankle or ground. These dresses were worn over ankle-length chemise garments. As the century progressed, these dresses featured a tighter fit on the arms and upper body. The tighter fit was achieved by making slits to the waist and in the sleeves that were laced closed to fit the figure. Laces were gradually replaced by buttons. By the end of the 11th century, sleeves widened with cuffs sometimes reaching several feet in circumference. This style remained popular into the 13th century, although the sleeves once again became more fitted. In the 13th and 14th centuries, a similar dress known as a ''cote-hardie'' came into fashion. This garment was closed down the front of the bodice with buttons that extended to the hip; this resulted in a dress that was more fitted through the hip rather than just to the waist. These dresses also often featured decorative elements such as long strips of cloth around the elbow known as tippets. In the 15th century, houppelandes and gowns became popular. Houppelandes were full-cut, floor-length dresses with high collars and full sleeves. Gowns were also long dresses, but they had open necklines, a closer-fitted bodice, and sleeves that became more fitted as the century progressed. Both houppelandes and gowns were often belted just below the bust.


16th century

European dresses in at the start of the 16th century resembled those of the previous century: full-cut, belted gowns with large sleeve openings worn over a kirtle or petticoat and chemise. Decorative treatments such as pinking, slashing, and blackwork embroidery became increasingly common. Necklines were initially low and broad, but wearers began to fill in the open space with high collared chemises or partlets. Although the overall style of dress was fairly consistent across the continent, there were regional differences often involving sleeve shape and decorative elements. European courts, such as Tudor court and the
wives of Henry VIII In common parlance, the wives of Henry VIII were the six queens consort of King Henry VIII of England between 1509 and his death in 1547. In legal terms (''de jure''), Henry had only three wives, because three of his marriages were annulled by ...
, were influential in European fashion. From the 1540s, the bodices of dresses were stiffened, flattening the wearer's chest, and skirts were shaped with a Spanish farthingale. The resulting silhouette resembled two triangles. From the 1550s, middle- and upper-class European women could choose between the still popular rigid farthingale style or a looser-style gown known as a ''ropa.'' The ropa style of dress was known by different names throughout Europe, including ''sumarra'' (Italy), ''marlotte'' (France), and ''vlieger'' (Holland). Fashionable sleeves were often more fitted with puffs at the shoulder. From the 1570s, dress became even more highly decorated, exaggerated, and rigid. The previously popular conical skirt shape achieved with a Spanish farthingale was replaced by the wider, more conical wheel farthingale. Under Queen Elizabeth, sumptuary laws dictated people of different social rank were allowed to wear. Women's dresses in
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
during the 16th and 17th centuries identified the wearer's place in society or their family.


17th century

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former provinces of the Netherlands, province on the western coast of the Netherland ...
, as a center of textile production, was a particularly noted area of innovation in dress fashion during the 17th Century. In Spain and Portugal, women wore stomachers while in England and France, dresses became more "naturally" shaped. Lace and slashing were popular decorations. Skirts were full, with regular folds and the overskirt allowed the display of an underskirt of contrasting fabric. Necklines became lower as well. Embroidery that reflected scientific discoveries, such as newly discovered animals and plants were popular. In the British Colonies, multi-piece dresses were also popular, though less luxurious. Wealthy women living in the Spanish or Dutch colonies in the Americas copied the fashions that were popular from their homelands. The three-piece dress, which had a bodice, petticoat and gown, was popular until the last 25 years of the century, in which the
mantua Mantua ( ; ; Lombard language, Lombard and ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Italian region of Lombardy, and capital of the Province of Mantua, eponymous province. In 2016, Mantua was designated as the "Italian Capital of Culture". In 2 ...
, or a one-piece gown, became more popular.
Corset A corset /ˈkɔːrsɪt/ is a support garment worn to constrict the torso into the desired shape and Posture correction, posture. They are traditionally constructed out of fabric with boning made of Baleen, whalebone or steel, a stiff panel in th ...
s became more important in dresses by the 1680s. Working women, and women in slavery in the Americas, used simple patterns to create shifts, wool or linen petticoats and gowns and cotton dresses. The bottoms of the skirts could be tucked into the waistband when a woman was near a cooking or heating fire.


18th century

Large, triangular silhouettes were favored during the 18th century, skirts were wide and supported by hoop underskirts. One-piece gowns remained popular until the middle of the century. During the 1760s in France, hoop petticoats were reduced in size. Lighter colors and lighter fabrics were also favored. In Colonial America, women most often wore a gown and petticoat, in which the skirt of the gown opened to reveal the
petticoat A petticoat or underskirt is an article of clothing, a type of undergarment worn under a skirt or a dress. Its precise meaning varies over centuries and between countries. According to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', in current British E ...
underneath. Women also had riding habits which consisted of the petticoat, jacket and a waistcoat. French fashion regarding dresses became very fast-changing during the later part of the 18th century. Throughout this period, the length of fashionable dresses varied only slightly, between ankle-length and floor-sweeping. Between 1740 and 1770, the '' robe à la française'' was very popular with upper-class women. In France, the
Empire style The Empire style (, ''style Empire'') is an early-nineteenth-century design movement in architecture, furniture, other decorative arts, and the visual arts, representing the second phase of Neoclassicism. It flourished between 1800 and 1815 duri ...
became popular after the French Revolution. This simpler style was also favored by Josephine Bonaparte, wife of
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
. Other popular styles during the revolution included tunic dresses and the ''negligée à la patriot,'' which featured the red, white and blue colors of the flag.


19th century

Women's dresses in the 19th century began to be classified by the time of day or purpose of the dress. High-waisted dresses were popular until around 1830. Early nineteenth century dresses in Russia were influenced by
Classicism Classicism, in the arts, refers generally to a high regard for a classical period, classical antiquity in the Western tradition, as setting standards for taste which the classicists seek to emulate. In its purest form, classicism is an aesthe ...
and were made of thin fabrics, with some semi-transparent. Elizabeth Vigée Le Brun wore these types of dresses with a short skirt (reaching to her ankles) when she lived in Russia between 1785 and 1801 and many Russian women copied her style. By the 1840s, Russian women were turning to what was in fashion in Europe. Europeans styles in dresses increased dramatically to the hoopskirt and crinoline-supported styles of the 1860s, then fullness was draped and drawn to the back. Dresses had a "day" bodice with a high neckline and long sleeves, and an "evening" bodice with a low neckline ( decollete) and very short sleeves. In Russia, metal hoopskirts were known as "malakhovs." Skirts of the 1860s were heavily decorated. To sleep, women in the American West wore floor-length dresses of white
cotton Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...
with high collars displaying decoration. Various Native American people, such as the
Navajo The Navajo or Diné are an Indigenous people of the Southwestern United States. Their traditional language is Diné bizaad, a Southern Athabascan language. The states with the largest Diné populations are Arizona (140,263) and New Mexico (1 ...
and the Mescalero Apache began to adapt the designs of their dresses to look more like the European Americans they came in contact with. Navajo women further adapted the European designs, incorporating their own sense of beauty, "creating ''hózhó."'' Paper sewing patterns for women to sew their own dresses started to be readily available in the 1860s, when the Butterick Publishing Company began to promote them. These patterns were graded by size, which was a new innovation. The Victorian era's dresses were tight-fitting and decorated with pleats, rouching and frills. Women in the United States who were involved in dress reform in the 1850s found themselves the center of attention, both positive and negative. By 1881, the Rational Dress Society had formed in reaction to the restrictive dress of the era.


20th century

In the early twentieth century, the look popularized by the Gibson Girl was fashionable. The upper part of women's dresses in the
Edwardian era In the United Kingdom, the Edwardian era was a period in the early 20th century that spanned the reign of King Edward VII from 1901 to 1910. It is commonly extended to the start of the First World War in 1914, during the early reign of King Ge ...
included a "pigeon breast" look that gave way to a corseted waist and an s-shaped silhouette. Women called their dresses "waists" if one-piece, or " shirtwaists," if it consisted of a skirt and a blouse. The bodice of the dresses had a boned lining. Informally, wealthy women wore tea gowns at home. These garments were looser, though not as loose as a "wrapper," and made of expensive fabric and laces. By 1910, the Edwardian look was replaced with a straighter silhouette. French designer, Paul Poiret, had a large impact on the look of the time. Designs developed by Poiret were available in both boutiques and also in
department store A department store is a retail establishment offering a wide range of consumer goods in different areas of the store under one roof, each area ("department") specializing in a product category. In modern major cities, the department store mad ...
s. Popular dresses of the time were one-piece and included lingerie dresses which could be layered. At around the same time, in the United States, the American Ladies Tailors' Association developed a dress called the suffragette suit, which was practical for women to work and move around in. Another innovation of the 1910s was the ready availability of factory-made clothing. Waistlines started out high and by 1915 were below the natural waist. By 1920, waistlines were at hip-level. Between 1910 and 1920 necklines were lower and dresses could be short-sleeved or sleeveless. Women who worked during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
preferred shorter dresses, which eventually became the dominant style overall. In addition to the shorter dresses, waistlines were looser and the dominant colors were black, white and gray. By 1920, the "new woman" was a trend that saw lighter fabrics and dresses that were easier to put on. Younger women were also setting the trends that older women started to follow. The dresses of the 1920s could be pulled over the head and were short and straight. It was acceptable to wear sleeveless dresses during the day.
Flapper Flappers were a subculture of young Western women prominent after the First World War and through the 1920s who wore short skirts (knee length was considered short during that period), bobbed their hair, listened to jazz, and flaunted their ...
dresses were popular until end of the decade. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, dresses were slimmer and inspired by military uniforms. After WWII, the New Look, promoted by
Christian Dior Christian Ernest Dior (; 21 January 1905 – 24 October 1957) was a French fashion designer and founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, Dior, Christian Dior SE. His fashion house is known all around the world, having gained promi ...
was very influential on fashion and the look of women's dresses for about a decade. Since the 1970s, no one dress type or length has dominated fashion for long, with short and ankle-length styles often appearing side by side in fashion magazines and catalogs.


Use

In most varieties of
formal Formal, formality, informal or informality imply the complying with, or not complying with, some set of requirements ( forms, in Ancient Greek). They may refer to: Dress code and events * Formal wear, attire for formal events * Semi-formal atti ...
dress codes in Western cultures, a dress of an appropriate style is mandatory for women. They are also very popular for special occasions such as proms or
wedding A wedding is a ceremony in which two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnicity, ethnicities, Race (human categorization), races, religions, Religious denomination, denominations, Cou ...
s. For such occasions they, together with blouse and skirt, remain the de facto standard attire for many girls and women.


Formal dress

In western countries, a "formal" or white tie dress code typically means tailcoats for men and full-length evening dresses with opera-length gloves for women. A most formal dress for women are full-length
ball A ball is a round object (usually spherical, but sometimes ovoid) with several uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used for s ...
or
evening gown An evening gown, evening dress or gown is a long dress usually worn at formal occasions. The drop ranges from Ballerina skirt, ballerina (mid-calf to just above the ankles), Tea length, tea (above the ankles), to Skirt length, full-length. S ...
s with evening gloves. Some white tie functions also request that the women wear long gloves past the elbow.


Basic dress

A basic dress is a usually dark-colored dress of simple design which can be worn with various accessories to suit different occasions. Different kinds of jewelry, belts, scarves, and jackets can be worn with the basic dress to dress up or down. A little black dress is an example of a basic dress.


Bodycon dress

A bodycon dress is a tight figure-hugging dress, often made from stretchy material. The name derives from "body confidence" or, originally, "body contouring", transformed into Japanese in the 1980s as "bodikon".


Party dress

A party dress is a dress worn especially for a
party A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a Hospitality, host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will oft ...
. Different types of party such as
children's party A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will often feature ...
, cocktail party, garden party and costume party would tend to require different styles of dress. One classic style of party dress for women in modern society is the little black dress.


Types of dresses


Time period

File:Muzei Leventis-Green Dress.jpg, 16th century dress File:Harlekinadräkt troligen buren av Ulrika Eleonora d. ä. på maskerad, 1656-1693 - Livrustkammaren - 5098.tif, Calico dress, File:Mantua MET 33.54ab F.jpg, Late 17th century, wool and metallic thread File:Russia 1717 - Will this do for Halloween? (4075033841).jpg, Russian dress, 1717 File:Jacket in chintz, skirt in wool damask, 1750-1800. MoMu - Fashion Museum Province of Antwerp, www.momu.be. Photo by Hugo Maertens, Bruges..jpg, Dress , wool and chintz File:Jacket and shawl in chintz, skirt in glazed printed cotton, 1770-1800. MoMu - Fashion Museum Province of Antwerp, www.momu.be. Photo by Hugo Maertens, Bruges..jpg, Dress , chintz and printed cotton File:Dress, women's (AM 1995.8.14-2).jpg, Classic empire line gown, muslin with tambour, File:Ensemble MET DT6845.jpg, Dress and outfit, File:Lila klänning - Livrustkammaren - 73803.tif, Late 19th century File:1903 purple velvet afternoon dress by the House of Worth.jpg, Silk velvet, chenille and chiffon created by , 1903 File:1925 unlicensed copy of Madeleine Vionnet’s “Little Horses” dress.jpg, Rayon with seed beads, File:Dance dress MET CI47.57.1 F.jpg, Dance dress, 1939 File:Dress (AM 1995.102.2-1).jpg, Day dress, File:1997 shenkar015-2 (cropped).jpg, Lola Beer Ebner in "afternoon dress", 1950 File:1959 blue satin strapless cocktail dress by Yves Saint Laurent for Christian Dior.jpg, Blue satin cocktail dress, 1959 File:C.1960 red and white printed dress. Balenciaga Museoaren inaugurazioa 22.jpg, Printed dress, File:Till boken - utställningen Kunglig Vintage - Livrustkammaren - 87519.tif, Jersey dress,


Lengths

File:Maria Grazia Cucinotta - nicogenin - 66ème Festival de Venise (Mostra) 2.jpg, ''Gown or Long Dress'' – a woman's formal dress, usually having a floor-length skirt File:Electric blue maxi dress with cognac accessories.jpg, ''Maxi dresses'' () – ''Maxi'' is a term used since the late 1960s for ankle-length, typically informal dresses. File:Fabiana Semprebom2.jpg, ''Midi dress'' – A "midi" is used to refer to any dress or skirt that has a hem which hits at mid-calf – halfway between the knee and ankle. File:5-promotional-models-fenasucro.JPG, ''Knee length'' dress – Hemline ends at knee height. File:Alexis Texas at Sexpo in Sydney, Australia 04.jpg, '' Mini dress'' (1960s) – a very short dress that terminates above the knee File:Glamour Models on Red Carpet.jpg, ''Micro dress'' (right) with minidresses, 2008 – A microdress is an extremely short version of a mini. File:Bruidsmode_Outlet_Belgie.jpg, Bridalwear contrasting with ordinary streetwear in 2020


See also

* Breeching (boys) * China poblana * Granny dress * History of Western fashion * Jumper dress * Lingerie dress * List of individual dresses *
Mantua Mantua ( ; ; Lombard language, Lombard and ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Italian region of Lombardy, and capital of the Province of Mantua, eponymous province. In 2016, Mantua was designated as the "Italian Capital of Culture". In 2 ...
* Sack-back gown (also known as ''robe à la française)'' * Squaw dress


References


Citations


General and cited references

* * Brockmamn, Helen L.: ''The Theory of Fashion Design'', Wiley, 1965. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Stoykov, Lubomir (2016). ''Theoretical Problems of Fashion''. Sofia: National Academy of Art. . * Tozer, Jane, and Sarah Levitt: ''Fabric of Society: A Century of People and Their Clothes 1770–1870'', Laura Ashley Ltd., 1983; .


External links

* {{Authority control History of clothing Women's clothing