1700-1799 Fashion Trends
By Jasmine Guillory
Men and Women clothing
Up until the middle of the 18th century, fashion was a fairly reliable visual indicator of the wear’s social rank.
WOMEN
The sack- back gown with flowing pleats from the shoulders was originally an undress fashion. At its most informal, this gown was unfitted both front and back and called a sacque. With a more relaxed style came a shift away from heavy fabrics, such as satin and velvet, to Indian cotton, silks and damasks. Also, these gowns were often made in lighter pastel shades that gave off a warm, graceful and childlike appearance.Later, for formal wear, the front was fitted to the body by means of a tightly-laced underbodice, while the back fell in loose box pleats called "Watteau pleats" from their appearance in the paintings of Antonine Watteau
The less formal robe à l'anglaise, close- bodied gown or "nightgown" also had a pleated back, but the pleats were sewn down to fit the bodice to the body to the waist.
MEN
The male suit, also known as the habit, made of three parts: the justaucorps a jacket, and breeches In the early eighteenth century the jacket continued to have a full skirt. Fabrics for men were primarily silks, velvets, and brocades, with woolens used for the middle class and for sporting costumes.