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 19th 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
Pierre Balmain had a huge determination to remain true to
his craft is demonstrated through the purity of his designs and the integrity
of signature style. He was born in 1914 in Savoie, France where his family had already
owned a drapery business. He was forced by his mother to study architecture,
but by 1934 he started his job with Molyneux where he learns all about the art
of couture. In 1945 he rents the premises at 44 rue Francios ler and on the 12th
of October his label was born.
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