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Queen of France. She infulnced an uprise of over-the-top pastel gowns, ribbons and bows, and plain muslin dresses in both America and France.

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Why do you think that this was significant for the time period?

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Why do you think that this was significant for the time period?

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The women's industry of fashion infulence of the 18th century still impacts life today, and it paved the way for many trends to come, even in the recent years.

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How does the culture you found impact today? Is it similar or different? How? 

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How does the culture you found impact today? Is it similar or different? How? 

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Corsets, which were often used as women's undergarments, are now being worn as outergarments, unlike in the 1800's. Typioally, they maitain the lace up style, though they are not required and are not tied as tight like they used to be for women.

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In 1775, a green dye containing posionous arsenic was invented, named Sheele green. It was most popular in the 1820's, until arsenic was eventually banned from being used as a dye in 1860.

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In 1775, a green dye containing posionous arsenic was invented, named Sheele green. It was most popular in the 1820's, until arsenic was eventually banned from being used as a dye in 1860.

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Many women and children worked in factories mass producing clothing, and earning money in return. Some women made their own clothes and sold them.

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Where can you find it now/Does it still exist?

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Where can you find it now/Does it still exist?

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Corsets, which were often used as women's undergarments, are now being worn as accoriess, or outergarments by young adult women, a simlar demographic to what it was in the 1800's.

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How did it influence other parts of culture?

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How did it influence other parts of culture?

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Art usually depicted women wearing these kinds of styles. This also led to more formal menswear and children's clothing, given they are foruanate enough to afford it.

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Focusing on wealthy women's fashion in America

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Focusing on wealthy women's fashion in America

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1800s fashion provides a fascinating window into the values, politics, and world events at the turn of the 19th Century.

Long gone were the extravagant bourgeois styles of the early to mid 1700s. Instead, fashionable gowns were simple and restrained, featuring empire waistlines and white or pastel flowing fabrics. Men put aside their powdered wigs and donned tight-fitted trousers, high-collared linen shirts, and buttoned waistcoats in neutral blacks, blues, and browns.

This major shift in fashion came from a renewed interest in Greek and Roman antiquity, as well as the egalitarian ideals and philosophies from the age of enlightenment. It's helpful to look to the movements that shaped it to understand the massive upheaval in fashion from this era.

Movements that Shaped 1800s Clothing

Neoclassicism

The discovery of well-preserved ruins in Pompeii and the arrival of Greek marble sculptures in England revived interest in classical antiquity.

Inspired by early Greek and Roman clothing, women incorporated draping techniques into their dresses and opted for fine white or light-colored fabrics. For men, clothing was fitted to the body to emphasize masculine physique.

Age of Enlightenment

At the turn of the 19th Century, the world was still reeling from the French and American revolutions.

As a result, the upperclass didn't want to be associated with the extravagant styles of 18th Century aristocracy. Egalitarian attitudes born from the age of enlightenment, which lasted from the 1600s to 1700s, encouraged more practical, attainable styles to help eliminate distinctions of social class.

Women's informal, often corset-less dresses symbolized the ideals of freedom that emerged post-revolution. On the other hand, men's clothing became less embellished and more practical as a way to signify their work ethic and solidarity with the working class.

Industrial Revolution

Colonialism and the industrial revolution led to the mass production and widespread adoption of Western fashion. Clothing styles were less local and more international as trade and imperialism helped globalize the fashion scene. Although material like cotton became easier to produce and more affordable, it came at the cost of the slave labor in the United States and other parts of the world.

Despite the abandonment and erasure of many traditional folk clothing items, communities throughout the world retained local clothing customs or incorporated their unique local styles to Western garb.

Fashion in the Early 1800s-From 1800 to 1837

The first decade of the 19th Century set the stage for the stunning array of styles that would come after it. The neoclassical dresses, particularly the empire waist, remained popular throughout the mid 19th century during a period known as the Regency era. Today, these regency-style dresses are popularly showcased in movies based on Jane Austen novels.

Men's clothing remained mostly the same throughout the century, if anything growing more restrained. The simpler attire was meant to convey a sense of masculinity and practicality. Much of today's stereotypes about masculinity and men's fashion stem from the shift in men's style in the 1800s.

Early 1800s Women's Fashion

Simplified, Light-Colored Gowns

Women's fashion in the 1800s featured a low, squared-off neckline and an empire waist, which was 2 to 3 inches above the natural waistline and fell just below the bust. The front skirt hung in straight folds to the floor. Gowns were also full at the back, often sporting a small train to help create an elegant draping effect.

White was the color of choice for 1800s dresses, especially when it came to formal evening wear. However, pale pinks and other pastels were also common. Dresses were made of muslin, lawn, or finely woven cotton or linen, which had an airy, free-flowing construction (another callback to the unencumbered look of classical Roman and Greek clothing). Sleeves were commonly short and puffed.

Detailing was limited to delicate white embroidery or subtle woven patterns, although frills and tucks were later frequently added to the hem of the gown. These later embellishments added weight to the bottom of the gown, pulling the skirt into a straighter line at the bottom and sometimes created a conical shape.

These fashionable dresses were far less cumbersome than the boned stays and hooped petticoats of the early 1780s. The shift toward understated, less restrictive styles was meant to improve mobility and lessen the barrier of entry to high fashion for middle and lower class women. Still, the combination of expensive, often imported material and white coloring were frequently impractical for working-class women.

Instead, many rural and lower-class women embraced economical fabrics like durable types of cotton, which were more affordable and easier to clean. In the English countryside, the red cloak was a near universal garment for women and young girls alike.

Women in North America adopted the popular fashions of France, but with more durable fabrics and practical styling, such as eschewing long trains in the back of the gown.

Colorful Shawls and Fitted Jackets

At the start of the decade, corsets and undergarments like the petticoat and chemise were largely absent. Both this and the use of light fabrics necessitated extra layers, particularly for those in colder climates.

Women frequently paired their white dresses with a striking dark-colored shawl, usually made of cashmere, muslin, percale, or gauze. The finest of these shawls came from East India and had floral or paisley patterns. In another nod to classical antiquity, shawls were often delicately draped over the shoulders.

Spencer jackets were also popular. These fitted, short jackets typically stopped just below the armpits (same as the empire waistline), fastened high to the neck, and featured sleeves long enough to almost cover the hands. During the winter, a pelisse was also common, which was a coat-like garment with a raised waistline and long narrow skirt.

Classic-Inspired Hair and International Accessories

Inspired by the styles of Ancient Greek and Roman busts, women often wore hair in short curls that framed their face. Along with shawls, women adopted other accessories from the East, including parasols and fans.

Early 1800s Men's Fashion

In the 1700s, perfume, rouged lips, powdered wig, high-heeled shoes, and jewelry were not uncommon in men's fashion.

In France, sans-culottes (meaning without breeches or stockings) were adopted by revolutionaries who wanted to protest the conspicuous consumption of the past and dress more like the everyman.

In the United States, "silk stocking" was used as an insult against those people who represented bourgeois, aristocratic ideals. Breeches were replaced with close-fitting ankle-buttoned trousers, and coats with falling skirts and the lapel-less frocks became popular.

Where women invoked classical antiquity with light, gracefully draped fabrics, men were inspired by the Greek and Roman fixation on the male physique. As a result, men's clothing became more restrained and definite in shape.

Tailors designed clothing that emphasized a masculine silhouette, adding padding to the shoulders and fitting shirts and coats at the waist. Wigs were few and far between, with most men adopting the short-haired styles inspired by the Greek and Roman busts.

The main accessories were muslin or silk cravats and tall top-hats.

Variations on Early 19th Century Fashion

Throughout the world, colonized nations adopted Western clothing trends and fashion. Often, the material and cut came at odds with the climate and availability of supplies in colonized territories. Those in hot or tropical climates were sometimes encouraged to wear Western clothing and its many layers out of propriety and modesty.

However, in other parts of the world, second-class citizens or servants would don fine Western garb to subvert and defy the expectations of those in power. Some people outright rejected Western trends, such as the Spanish Majos who opted for traditional, elaborate Spanish dress in defiance of French and British sensibilities.

Many people modified clothing to reflect their own unique local and cultural upbringing. For example, women in Scotland wore shawls with tartan patterns that represented their clan.

In parts of the United States, Native Americans incorporated jewelry, beading, and mixed styles of buttons and buckles that took after local clothing customs. Enslaved women would sew quilt-like patches of vibrant textiles into their Western garb, paying homage to traditional styles from their African origins.

1800s Fashion in the Victorian Era-from 1837 to 1899

Overall, early 1800s fashion and the styles that were part of it are more than sewn pieces of fabric. Each piece of clothing is a record in itself, an heirloom of history and a story of its wearer.

Partway through the 19th century, around 1837, the Victorian era began. This marks a significant split in the century from the early 1800s to late 1800s. You can explore the evolution of late 1800s fashion in the following articles, which detail the famous Victorian fashion of the second half of the century:

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What Did Men and Women Wear in the 1800s? * FamilySearch

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Early 1800s fashion featured gowns with empire waistlines, close-fitted trousers, and plain waistcoats. Discover what 1800s clothing your ancestors wore.

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The 1820s were a transitional period away from the "Empire" silhouette and Neoclassical influences. Instead, Romanticism became the chief influence on fashion, as Gothic decoration lavished dresses and historicism inspired styles borrowed from past centuries. Layers of color and an increasingly exaggerated silhouette, for both men and women, created a style of dramatic display by the end of the decade.

The 1820s were a period of transition in women's fashion that swept away the last remnants of the Empire style and ushered in a Romantic one, as Gothic influences interrupted the Neoclassical line (C.W. Cunnington 74; Bassett 21). The Romantic Movement, which impacted all aspects of culture and society, was a rejection of eighteenth-century Enlightenment ideals of logic and reason. By the 1820s, it was in full swing, emphasizing imagination, emotion, individualism, and a fascination with the past (Tortora 328; Laver 163). Romantic influence was seen in art, music, architecture, and design, but the average person discovered Romanticism chiefly through literature such as the poetry of Lord Byron and John Keats. In particular, the historical novels of Sir Walter Scott were wildly popular, and helped to spur a historicism that permeated every aspect of dress (Fukai 163; Bassett 16-17). Similar to architects looking to a mysterious medieval past for inspiration, fashionable women wore styles directly borrowed from the supposed costumes of Romantic heroines; it has been noted that "the popularity of Sir Walter Scott is not only to be measured by the number of translations of his works, but also by the amount of tartan worn" (Mackrell 71) (Fig. 1). The Romantic spirit also rejected the Neoclassical preference for clean geometric lines and a monochromatic palette, reflected in the white Empire-style gowns of the early nineteenth century. Instead, by the end of the 1820s, an exuberant fashion consisting of layers of colorful pattern and curvaceous shapes was established (Fig. 2) (Bassett 36-39).

The silhouette underwent important changes during the 1820s. In the first year of the decade, the style was similar to that of the previous few years: the waistline was still high at an inch or two below the bust, the skirt was slightly flared with gores at the sides and fullness gathered at the back, and the sleeves puffed at the shoulder (Fig. 3) (C.W. Cunnington 32, 34; Byrde 35-36). However, the waistline was on the descent, as the Empire silhouette disappeared. Over the next few years, it dropped inch by inch until it was at nearly the natural level by 1825 (Byrde 35). As the waistline dropped, the skirt and sleeves widened; by 1825, the early Romantic silhouette was established with a natural waistline, large puffed sleeves, and a wide skirt with an increasing number of gores (Fig. 4). Through the second half of the 1820s, this silhouette only became more exaggerated. The breadth of sleeves grew exponentially into true gigot or leg-o-mutton styles by 1827, and skirts became so wide that gores were no longer enough and the volume of material began to be pleated into the waistband in 1828. When the decade drew to a close, the waistline was tightly cinched, skirts had expanded into a wide bell, and the gigot sleeve had reached such epic proportions that "the upper arm appeared to be quite double the size of the waist" (C.W. Cunnington 74) (Fig. 5).

Three-dimensional trim and decoration lavished dresses in the 1820s (Ashelford 184). Skirts in particular were festooned with layers of decoration on the hem (Fig. 6); a trend of frills and tucks began in the previous decade, but in the early 1820s this blossomed into elaborate trims of lace and flounces, puffs, and rouleaux which were tubes of bias-cut fabric filled with wadding to create a firm roll. This weighty decoration caused hemlines to shorten above the floor, and hemlines were padded with cotton or wool (Byrde 36; C.W. Cunnington 34; Johnston 223). In the last years of the decade, this type of decoration began to subside. Instead, deep hems and simpler bands of embroidery or appliqué as high as knee-level were seen. Bodices also featured decoration, especially as the waistline lowered. Trim on the bodice tended to point downwards to converge at the waist (Byrde 40-41).

Sleeves became elaborately decorated as well, and could feature imitations of slashing, puffs, and sleeve caps, or mancherons. These design elements reflected a Romantic historicism that pervaded the decade as they were directly inspired by the dress of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries (Johnston 46). Edges finished with deep points were called "vandyck points," a reference to seventeenth-century artist Anthony van Dyck whose portraits served as inspiration (Fig. 7) (Bassett 20). Indeed, 1820s fashion borrowed elements from several hundred years of past dress, ranging from the Medieval period through the eighteenth century, but the Renaissance era was particularly favored (Fukai 125). Early 1820s day dresses were often completed with a ruff at the neck (Figs. 3, 7, 8). Later in the decade, wide, white pelerines were worn which echoed the "falling band" of the seventeenth century (Bassett 28-29; Foster 46).

During the day, necklines were varied, and there were a great many bodice types including versions of plain darted styles, and draped styles with pleats and folds (C.W. Cunnington 76-78; Tortora 332). More open necklines could be filled in with a chemisette, or increasingly through the decade, the wide pelerines previously mentioned (Fig. 5). Sleeves were long during the day. By the late 1820s, there were many types of the gigot sleeve from the very fashionable "Marie" sleeve which was tied into puffed sections (Fig. 9), to the "imbecile" sleeve which was enormous to the wrist (Fig. 10) (C.W. Cunnington 79). There was a particular style of day dress that should also be noted: the pelisse-robe (Fig. 7). Derived from the pelisse, a type of long coat, the pelisse-robe was a coat-dress worn especially in the morning for walking (Tarrant 13; C.W. Cunnington 75). In the evening, necklines lowered, and sleeves generally shortened, although in the early 1820s, long sleeves were sometimes seen. It was especially stylish to wear a short sleeve covered with or attaching to a long, transparent sleeve of gauze or net (Figs. 4, 11) (Byrde 35-36).

Fashions of the 1820s favored lightweight silks and cottons in increasingly bright patterns and colors as the decade continued (Byrde 38). Saturated hues such as "Turkey red" and richly printed calicoes were in vogue (Bassett 38-39). In particular, there was a lavish use of laces, net, and gauze. Machine-made net had been patented in 1808, and this novelty fabric saw an explosion in its use (Rose 57). Blonde lace, a bobbin lace woven from silk instead of linen, was also extremely fashionable (Byrde 36). Evening dresses, especially during the early 1820s, were often of a nearly transparent gauze or net worn over a colored satin slip, giving them a shimmering effect (Fig. 11) (C.W. Cunnington 34).

As the fashionable silhouette evolved, so did the corresponding underwear. When the waistline returned to its natural level, corsetry took on new importance, as the smallest possible waist was now desired (Ashelford 184). Indeed, wide waistbands and decorative belts highlighted the fashionable nipped waist (Byrde 35, 41). Tightly-laced corsets were long and featured gussets over the hips and breasts, emphasizing those natural curves (Fig. 12) (Lynn 84; Bruna 160-161). The skirt also required supportive underpinnings. In addition to the requisite petticoats, a small bustle, which was a simple down-filled pad during these years, was worn (Byrde 36). In the late 1820s, as the sleeve became enormous, sleeve supporters also became required; these were usually down-filled pads tied around the arm and attached to the corset straps (Lynn 168; Bruna 161).

Hair and headwear also changed through the decade, becoming more elaborate and extravagant. By the mid-1820s, hairstyles were tall and exaggerated, especially in the evening. The Apollo knot was very fashionable for formal occasions and consisted of tall loops of hair rising straight up from the crown, while sausage curls were arranged at the temples. Similarly, the style à la Chinoise, which appeared at the end of the decade, consisted of tightly arranged plaits and knots with curls at the temple, all skewered with long, decorative pins (Fig. 13) (C.W. Cunnington 95; Tortora 334). Day caps, worn by married or older women at home, grew in breadth and elaboration (Fig. 14) (Ginsburg 75). Most importantly, hats and bonnets of the 1820s expanded into breath-taking size by 1829. Brims widened into large halos around the face, crowns grew ever taller, and trims were loaded onto the enormous structures (Figs. 5, 13). Wide ribbons fluttered, flowers and greenery were used above and under the brim, and feathers bobbed from the crown (C.W. Cunnington 95-96). These overwhelming hats combined with the other elements of fashion to create an effect by 1830 that was summarized well by fashion historian Penelope Byrde:

"Long, fluttering ends of ribbon from the hat or bonnet and waistband of the dress were particularly fashionable, and combined with the shimmering gauzes and blonde lace, there was a feeling of constant movement, buoyancy, and exuberance in women's clothes when at their best. At their worst, however, these styles could appear wild, fussy, and nonsensical, and the balance was not always easy to maintain." (38)

Throughout the nineteenth century, Paris reigned supreme as the fashion capital of the world, and in the 1820s, Marie-Caroline, the duchesse de Berry, was its undisputed leader (Sotheby's). The widow of the duc de Berry, the duchesse was the mother of the heir to the Bourbon monarchy, and she was the center of court life during the Restoration reigns of Louis XVIII and Charles X. An Italian by birth, she was born the Princess of Naples and Sicily, and after she married the duc de Berry, she arrived in France in 1818 determined to be a leader in all things, from art to literature and music, to fashion (Baillio 233). She also recognized the importance of royal patronage and endeared herself to all of Paris by frequenting tradesmen's shops (Williams 200). Marie-Caroline was the successor to Empress Josephine as chief tastemaker in Paris, and seemed to recall the luxury of the ancien régime, especially as the mother of the "miracle child" of the Bourbon monarchy. As one biographer wrote:

"Marie-Caroline, the Duchesse de Berry was one of the most remarkable, unconventional and iconic women of the 19th century...the undisputed social center of the royal court, the most fashionable and most portrayed princess of her time. Her influence on the fashion of Romanticism was paramount in every sphere..." (Sotheby's).

Marie-Caroline's fashion choices reflected the Romanticism of the era, particularly the fascination with the past. Both her clothing and her ever-expanding collection of art were often in the French style troubadour, an offshoot of Romanticism, defined by idealized depictions of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance (Mackrell 45, 72). Her dress in figure 1 recalls historic dress with the square neckline, Renaissance-style pearls, and silk puffs in the sleeves imitating slashing. Note the similarities in her portrait in figure 1 in the Womenswear section above; additionally, her tartan hat conjures the novels of Sir Walter Scott, with whose heroines Marie-Caroline identified (Bassett 20; Mackrell 73; Baillio 233). The duchesse also revived the court practice of fancy dress balls, events in which attendees arrived dressed in historic costume. Her most famous took place in 1829; the duchesse organized a fête depicting a scene from the life of Mary Stuart (also known as Mary, Queen of Scots), for which all the court dressed in the fashion of the sixteenth century (Williams 245-247). The costumes from La Quadrille de Marie Stuart, as it came to be known, were reported in the fashion press and undoubtedly reinforced the 1820s obsession with the past (Mackrell 73).

The year following the legendary Stuart ball, the duchesse was forced to flee Paris due to the Revolution of 1830 which ousted the Bourbon dynasty. The next few years of her life were ones of intrigue and adventure as she tried unsuccessfully to restore her son to the throne. The remainder of her life was lived in exile from the city over which she had once reigned. While Marie-Caroline's power as Paris' chief tastemaker and fashion leader was short-lived, few women can claim such sartorial influence (Sotheby's).

Like womenswear, men's clothing was transitional, as it became ever more influenced by the Romantic spirit (Fig. 1). Fashion historian Jane Ashelford noted:

"The Romantic movement stressed the creative power of the 'shaping spirit of Imagination' and was motivated by a desire to escape from the chilly neo-classicalism of the turn of the century and the harsh realities of the Industrial Revolution. It manifested itself in dress by an enthusiasm for extrovert personal display and theatrical fashions which, in the 1820s and early 1830s, led to men wearing their clothes with a swaggering bravado and panache." (189)

The fashionable male silhouette developed along similar lines at the female one; the waistline was nipped and the sleeves began to puff at the shoulder after 1825 (Foster 16; Laver 162). Some ultra-fashionable men even wore corsets to achieve the desired waistline (Bruna 199-204; Tortora 340). Additionally, for men, an expansive chest and shapely legs were fashionable, thus most coats were padded and even padded stockings could be found to create pronounced calves (Byrde 96; Bruna 202-203). This new mode, alongside the changes occurring in womenswear, were often mercilessly mocked by caricaturists (Fig. 2). While clearly exaggerated, these cartoons present a fascinating reflection of the trends in fashion (Laver 162; Ashelford 191).

A man's wardrobe consisted of many pieces that were chosen based on the time of day and occasion. For formal daywear, a dress coat was worn; this was a tailcoat with the fronts cut straight across the waist and hanging tails in the back (Fig. 3). The morning coat was a variation on the dress tailcoat, featuring instead sloped fronts that curved gently toward the back. For informal daytime occasions, the new frock coat was more and more fashionable. Introduced in mid-1810s, the frock coat featured a waistline seam, tightly-fitted, and full skirts hanging straight to the knee (Fig. 4) (Byrde 91, 95-96; Waugh 112-114).

With both the dress or frock coat, trousers were increasingly worn. Trousers were narrowly fitted and reached the top of the shoe (Laver 162). The wide-cut "cossacks," inspired by the Russian Czar's visit to London in 1814, were a notable departure from standard narrow trousers; 1820s cossacks were pleated into a waistband and tapered to a fitted ankle (Fig. 5). By 1825, trousers had replaced their predecessor, pantaloons, as general day wear. Pantaloons were distinguished from trousers by their fit; pantaloons were ankle-length in the 1820s with a buttoned side slit, and very closely fitted, similar to tights (Fig. 1) (Waugh 116). Both trousers and pantaloons featured fall-front openings; while the fly-front fastening first appeared in the early 1820s, it would not come into widespread use until the 1840s. Both were often secured with instep straps around the foot. While pantaloons were seen less and less in the daytime through the decade, they remained the standard choice for evening wear in black or cream, alongside a black dress coat (Fig. 6) (Byrde 91-97). It should be noted that knee breeches could still be occasionally seen in the evening, or paired with boots and a morning coat for riding and sporting (Waugh 116; Tortora 341-342).

Both dress and frock coats were made in darker colors such as blue, black, brown, and green (Waugh 117). Trousers and pantaloons were usually in a lighter color than the coats. Waistcoats, worn at all times, were usually of some solid color; black or white for evening. They were predominantly single-breasted and featured either a short stand collar or a rolled shawl collar (Tortora 342). It was common to wear more than one waistcoat at a time, increasing the attention on the fashionable large chest (Waugh 115). Shirts were white, with exceedingly tall collars rising above the chin, echoing the high collars featured on coats (Figs. 6-7). During the day, shirt fronts featured pleated or tucked panels, but in the evening they were frilled (Byrde 94).

The final elements of men's dress were especially important during this era. Neckwear, the chief vanity for dandies, fell into one of two categories: the cravat or the stock. The cravat, a large square of muslin or silk, was folded cornerwise and carefully tied around the neck in a variety of arrangements (Waugh 119; Tortora 341). The stock was a stiffened band, that fastened at the back, covered with velvet or satin. Originating in military dress, the stock became fashionable in 1822, popularized by George IV. The most common colors for neckwear were white or black, but patterned versions could be worn for informal occasions (Byrde 94). At the waist, dangling seals and fobs, which were attached to the watch tucked into a pocket in the waistband, continued to be seen (Ashelford 186; Cumming 83). The top hat was the standard choice for headgear, and its shape and color varied during this period (Ginsburg 76, 85).

Newborn infants of the 1820s were dressed in white gowns with a low, square neckline, very short bodice, and a skirt as long as 40 inches (Rose 55). These gowns ranged from finely embroidered to rather plain cotton examples. At four to eight months of age, babies transitioned into "short clothes," dresses that were shortened to calf-length, to allow them freedom of movement as they became more active. White cotton was by far the most common material for baby clothes, as it was easily bleached and laundered (Callahan). Babies also wore caps, most of which were constructed rather simply and shaped with drawstrings (Fig. 1) (Buck 50). Until about three years old, little boys and girls were dressed much the same in short dresses worn over long, narrow drawers or trousers (Fig. 2). During this period, both terms were used for these visible garments worn by toddlers. These dresses were usually low-cut and featured short sleeves (Buck 66).

Boy's dress can be divided into three phases: infancy and toddlerhood (birth to 3 years old, described above), boyhood (3-7 years old), and youth (7 or 8-13 or 14 years old). The age of boyhood was a transitional phase, in which a boy was considered too old for dresses, but not yet old enough for adult-like trousers and coats, thus compromise garments were devised for this period. During the 1820s, these boyhood garments were changing from the skeleton suit to tunic-dresses (Callahan). The skeleton suit, which traced its origins to the 1780s, was a pair of very high-waisted trousers buttoned onto the jacket, usually worn with an open, frilled white collar (Fig. 3) (Rose 91). When breeches and pantaloons were the dominant style worn by adult men, trousers were a boyish garment; however, by the 1820s, men were increasingly wearing trousers and these were no longer distinguishing to young boys. Thus, skeleton suits were seen into the late 1820s, but disappeared by 1830. Instead, boys at this transitional age began wearing tunics over trousers, a style that would persist to the 1860s (Fig. 4) (Buck 118; Tortora 345). These tunics ranged greatly in design from loose styles worn belted to those with a fitted waistband; in general, though, these tunics were much closer to womenswear than menswear. By eight years old, a boy moved into the next phase and began to wear trousers and short, round jackets, still completed with an open, frilled collar (Fig. 5) (Rose 91). It should be noted that it was at this stage that a boy was considered fully breeched, the nineteenth-century rite of passage in which a boy donned his first trousers (Callahan). By their early teens, young boys switched their round jackets and caps for tailcoats and top hats, becoming young men.

Young girls' clothing was based on adult fashions; the chief distinguishing feature was the hemline. During the previous decade, dresses for little girls had begun to shorten to ankle-length. By the late 1820s, these hemlines shortened even more, to calf-length. As a girl aged, the hemline dropped until it was an inch or two above the floor in her early teen years (Fig. 6). A girl's dress reflected the fashionable silhouette and trims of an adult dress, and as the Empire style disappeared in the 1820s, girls' dress became more cumbersome, similar to women's dress. The waistline dropped, sleeves grew, and skirts, now with multiple flounces at the hem, widened. Observe the small girl in figure 5 featured in the Womenswear section above. The widening skirt brought the return of multiple petticoats for young girls by the end of the decade (Buck 118, 137, 227). Additionally, as the hemline was shortened, the frilled or tucked pantalettes or drawers young girls' wore to cover their legs became easily visible (Fig. 5). Drawers had been gaining in popularity for the last two decades, but only in the late 1810s and 1820s did the hem shorten enough for them to be plainly visible. These bifurcated garments for females caused some controversy but were eventually accepted as not only undergarments for girls, but for women as well (Callahan; Buck 135; P. Cunnington 197). Outdoors, spencers and pelisses were worn (Rose 76). Young girls also wore bonnets and hats similar to adult styles with high crowns, wide brims, and trailing ribbons (Buck 139, 242).

References:

Ashelford, Jane. The Art of Dress: Clothes and Society, 1500-1914. London: National Trust, 1996. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/243850605

Baillio, Joseph, Katharine Baetjer, and Paul Lang. Vigée Le Brun. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2016. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1083139341

Bassett, Lynne Z. Gothic to Goth: Romantic Era Fashion and Its Legacy. Hartford: Connecticut Wadsworth Antheneum Museum of Art, 2016. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/953101887

Bruna, Denis, ed. Fashioning the Body: An Intimate History of the Silhouette. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2015. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/945435796

Buck, Anne. Clothes and the Child: A Handbook of Children's Dress in England, 1500-1900. New York: Holmes & Meier, 1996. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/243852072

Byrde, Penelope. Nineteenth Century Fashion. London: Batsford, 1992. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/26300526

Callahan, Colleen R. "Children's Clothing." in The Berg Companion to Fashion, edited by Valerie Steele, 145-149. Oxford: Bloomsbury Academic, 2010. Bloomsbury Fashion Central via the New York Public Library. http://dx.doi.org.i.ezproxy.nypl.org/10.5040/9781474264716.0003223.

Cumming, Valerie ed., The Dictionary of Fashion History. New York: Berg, 2010. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1003643284

Cunnington, C. Willett. English Women's Clothing in the Nineteenth Century: A Comprehensive Guide with 1,117 Illustrations. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 1990. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/868281120

Cunnington, Phillis, and Anne Buck. Children's Costume in England: From the Fourteenth to the end of the Nineteenth Century. London: Adam & Charles Black, 1978. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/174334043

Foster, Vanda. A Visual History of Costume: The Nineteenth Century. London: BT Batsford, 1984. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/28405843

Fukai, Akiko, ed. The Collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute: Fashion, A History from the 18th Century to the 20th Century. Kyoto: Taschen, 2013. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/81452017

Ginsburg, Madeliene. The Hat: Trends and Traditions. London: Studio Editions, 1990. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/22914760

Johnston, Lucy, Marion Kite, Helen Persson, Richard Davis, and Leonie Davis. Nineteenth Century Fashion in Detail. London: V&A Publications, 2005. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/61302743

Laver, James. Costume and Fashion: A Concise History, 5th ed. London: Thames & Hudson, Ltd, 2012. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/966352776

Lynn, Eleri. Underwear: Fashion in Detail. London: V&A Publishing, 2010. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/800448074

Mackrell, Alice. Art and Fashion: The Impact of Art on Fashion and Fashion on Art. London: B T Batsford, 2005. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/316202486

Rose, Clare. Children's Clothes: 1750-1985. London: BT Batsford, 1989. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/317672212

Sotheby's. "Marie-Caroline, Duchesse de Berry (1798-1870)" in "A pair of gilt-bronze-mounted ebony veneered and mahogany console tables." Treasures Including Selected Works from the Collections of the the Dukes of Northumberland. Last updated July 9, 2014. http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2014/treasures-princely-taste-l14303/lot.56.html

Tarrant, Naomi E. A. The Rise and Fall of the Sleeve: 1825-1840. Edinburgh: Royal Scottish Museum, 1983. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/906444950

Tortora, Phyllis G. and Keith Eubank. Survey of Historic Costume, 5th ed. New York: Fairchild Books, 2010. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/865480300

Waugh, Norah. The Cut of Men's Clothes: 1600-1900. New York and London: Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group, 2015. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/927414537

Williams, Hugh Noel. A Princess of Adventure: Marie Caroline, Duchesse de Berry. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1911. http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/645179181

Events:

1820 - The Missouri Compromise, regulating slavery in the former Louisiana Territory and the proposed state of Missouri, becomes law.

1820 - Mount Rainier erupts over what is now Seattle.

1821 - The Greek War of Independence begins against the Ottoman Empire.

1821 - Napoleon Bonaparte dies on Saint Helena.

1822 - Thomas Young and Jean-François Champollion publish their translations of the Rosetta Stone.

1824 - Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 premieres in Vienna.

1825 - The world's first modern railway, the Stockton and Darlington Railway, opens in England.

1827 - Freedom's Journal, the first African-American owned and operated newspaper in the United States, publishes its first issue.

1827 - The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad is incorporated, becoming the first railroad in the the United States to offer commercial transportation of both people and freight.

1828 - The Democratic Party is established in the United States.

1829 - The Metropolitan Police Service, the first modern police force, is established in London.

1829 - First Braille book is published.

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The 1820s were a transitional period away from the "Empire" silhouette and Neoclassical influences. Instead, Romanticism became the chief influence on fashion, as Gothic decoration lavished dresses and historicism inspired styles borrowed from past centuries. Layers of color and an increasingly exaggerated silhouette, for both men and women, created a style of dramatic display by the end of the decade.