Friday, August 10, 2012

FASHION PLATES

Fashion plate illustrations were used for centuries to depict current fashions in clothing.  They were especially popular in England and France during the 18th and 19th centuries. Eventually, photography and improvements in communication led to their decline and disappearance.

Although fashion plates served as a sort of "Sears Catalog"...

 Page From 1934 Sears Catalog

...the illustrations stand on their own as fine pieces of art and continue to be favorite collectibles.  See for yourself!


The persons shown on fashion plates were not meant to depict anyone in particular; they were used to present current fashions, not serve as a portrait. This illustration depicting Lady Jane Grey in 1553 proves an exception.  Women of the past had to endure a great deal of pain dressing in these fashions...


...but the fashion designs sure are beautiful.



The 17th century:

 French Elite, c. 1650


 French Mode, 1685


 French Mode, 1690

Summer Dress, Late 1600s


The 18th century:

 Court Dress, c. 1770s


 French Design, c. 1700s


 La Mode, c. 1700s


Toilette De Cour Louis XV, c. 1700s

 Couple Seated, 1794


Caraco, 1786


The 19th century:

 Le Bon Ton, 1800s


 La Belle Assemblee, 1824


 Le Follet, c. Early 1800s


Regency, 1823

 Morning And Evening Dress, 1829


 La Belle Assemblee, 1831


 Green Mantelet, c. 1830s


Sour La Regence, c. 1830s

 La Mode, c. 1840


 La Mode, 1848


 Petit Courrier Des Dames, 1850


Les Modes Parisiennes, c. 1850

 Victorian, c. 1850


 English Women, February 1862


 Godey's, August 1870


Victoria, 1870


 Peterson's Le Follet, 1873


 Godey's, February 1874


 Revue De La Mode, 1875


Revue De La Mode, 1879


 La Mode Illustree, 1880


 Formal Gown, 1885


Mother And Child, 1886

 Peterson's Magazine, 1888


 Queen Parasol, c. 1890


 Queen Soiree, c.1890


La Mode Artistique, 1890

 Two Women And A Girl, 1892


 Visiting Toilette, October 1898



The 20th Century

 French, 1901


The Delineator, 1902

 Taffetas, 1903


 Confectionne, 1906


 Victorian Dresses, 1907


 Les Robes De Paul Poiret, 1908

 Londoners At Harrods, 1909


 Morning Constitutional, 1912


 Edwardian And Titanic Era, c. 1912


Edwardian And Titanic Era, c. 1913

 Brunelleschi, 1914


 A Ete Prime, 1914


 McCall's Summer Dresses, 1917


Gatsby's Girls, c. 1920s

 Incantation, c. 1920s


 Three Women, c. 1930


 Tailored Suits, c. 1930


Costume, 1937

 Vestee Suit, 1939


 White With Flora Trim, 1939


 Tailleur Grey And Yellow, 1946


Tailleur Tan And Red, 1946

 Tailleur Grey, 1949


 Brown Suit, 1955


 Charcoal Suit, 1955


Green Suit And Accessories, c. 1950s

 Jumper Dress, c. 1950s


 Long Coats, 1965


 Green Outfit, 1965


Tailleur Grey, 1965

 Daveiba, 1974


White With Green, 1974

I was hesitant to post fashions from the 1970s.  As the decade progressed fashion, in my opinion, took a spiral into the bizarre.  Three words describe the late '70s "fashions": Bell Bottoms, Disco, and Polyester.  I can personally attest to wearing a polyester suit with bell-bottomed pants, along with obscenely fat ties.  See below, if you dare...


Why did we do it? Where were the fashion police during this tragic half of the decade?  Probably at Studio 54 or at a roller disco in one of these cheesy leisure suits boogying down to Village People's "Y.M.C.A."


The fashion plates I have posted represent a small portion of the images available online.  As Cap'n Andy Hawks said in the 1927 musical "Show Boat", " Jest a sample!"