Clothing from different parts of the world during the 1800's

    Many people today, don’t relies how much the world changed quickly in the last few years. Today we have internet and media that connects us to the other side of the world in no time. We can see what is happening live in Canada from Egypt through our cell phones. The media is making the world getting smaller and smaller. We are becoming like one big country. Our traditions and cultures have mixed so much that most countries today, have very similar lifestyles. The kind of clothing worn in a particular place is one thing that made countries different from each other during the 1800’s. I will talk about the different garments worn in different place two hundred years ago.

    In Brithian during the early 1800’s a man would most likely wear a waistcoat, tight trousers and close-fitting coats. The top hat and the cane were very fashionable. He would also wear a white cravat around his neck. The woman would wear a high wasted dress in light fabrics like muslin, cotton or silk and a short jacket. Bonnet was fashionable headgear. By the late 1840’s clothes became bulkier and corsets were very popular- woman starting wanting very small waists. Mustaches, sideburns and beards were worn by most men.

Gloves and matching Bonnet made from silk and straw from the 1860’s

The gloves were not worn just to keep the lady warm but they made the woman look very elegant and nice. The bonnet was a fun piece that made them look very feminine. 

Corset from the 1883 made from cotton satin, leather and whalebone

What I like the most about this corset is the colours. It is not a common think to find these two colours- yellow and orange worn together at this time (not even today). We are more likely to find clothes with natural colours than with vibrant colours like this. 

Waistcoat embroidered by Julia Norman for her husband John Montefiore made from silk

It is a typical buttoned up, tight waistcoat with embroidered decoration. During the 1800’s men in Brithian wore waistcoats for their everyday life, today, in Malta I have only seen men in waistcoasts only when they are getting married.

Woolen coat, silk waistcoat and cotton under waistcoat from the 1815-20

This is what a typical man used to wear. These clothes made the men very handsome, elegant and clean. They look very formal to us, today. But these were worn everyday also during the morning.

    Even tough France isn’t far away from England, during the 1800’s, the frech still had their own style of clothing. The french were the first to abandon the ornate, constricting and overbearing fashion of the 1700’s. They now wore flowing dresses inspired mostly from the designs of the Greeks and the Romans. Their clothing was very comfortable and flattering. Men pants were mostly high waisted and not so tight. The woman also wore the bonnet like in England. 

Bodice from 1865 made from Jacquared- woven silk

French clothes were mostly with bright colours like this. I really like the shape and style of this bodice, it must have made the woman look very pretty.

    Other countries, mostly easern, had to wear certain clothes not bacause they were in style but because of their religion. Like other religious minorities in Iran, Zoroastrians were requied to dress to identify their religion. They wore brightly coloured clothing and did not usually veil their faces. His created an obvious contrast with the outdoor clothing worn by Musilim women. A Zoroastrian woman would typically were a tunic (qamis), together with loose trousers (shalvar) gathered at the ankle. These trousers were made from textile remnants becaue there were restrictions on Zoroastrian buying full widths of fabrics. Woman covered their heads with a small fitted cal (lachak), over which they would wrap several shawls around their head and shoulders.

Zoroastrian woman’s tunic, trousers, cap and shawl, Yazd Iran from the 1840-70 made from cotton plain weave with silk embroidery

The colours and the pattern look very vibrant and the clothes look very comfortable.

    During the same time, also in Iran women of the Qajar court would have worn a combination of short jacket, gauzy open- fronted blouse and voluminious skirt. They would have henna- painted hands and feet, and sometimes even painted bodies. Iran was divided in separate parts, and each region had its own traditions.

Jacket, blouse and skirt from the 1800-40 made from woven silk with metal thread, silk embroidery and seed pearls

The pale pastel colours are very beautiful and the clothes look very comfortable unlike the corset that were worn in Brithian. 

    In the 19^th century Iran and Afghanistan, Muslim women were usually fully veiled when they went out in public. They wore an outer layer over their indoor clothing and covered their faces. In Iran, this was often a sheet of dark blue or black textile worn with a white face- veil attached separately. Woman would have worn the burqa with matching loose- fitted trousers, with their skirts tucked inside. This outfit was worn with heeled slippers or boots.

Burqa with footed trousers from the 1850 made from white cotton with silk embroidery and green baize

It is a pity that women coouldn’t show their beautiful faces in public. This tradition is still going on in Iraq and Afgansthan.

Bibliography:

All information and pictures were taken personally from the V&A Museum in London in August 2013