Fashion in the period 1650-1700 in
Western EuropeWestern Europe is the collection of countries in the westernmost region of Europe, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a cultural entity—the region lying west of Central Europe...
an
clothingA feature of nearly all modern human societies is the wearing of clothing or clothes, a category encompassing a wide variety of materials that cover the body....
is characterised by rapid change. Following the end of the
Thirty Years' WarThe Thirty Years' War was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history. The war was fought primarily in Germany and at various points involved most of the countries of Europe...
and the
RestorationThe English Restoration, often shortened to the Restoration, began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Commonwealth of England that followed the English Civil War...
of England's
Charles IICharles II was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father King Charles I was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War. The English Parliament did not proclaim Charles II king at this time. Instead they passed a statute making such a...
, military influences in men's clothing were replaced by a brief period of decorative exuberance which then sobered into the
coatA coat is a long garment worn by both men and women, for warmth, protection or fashion. Coats typically have long sleeves and open down the front, closing by means of buttons, zippers, hook-and-loop fasteners, toggles, a belt, or a combination of these...
,
waistcoatA waistcoat , sometimes called a vest or a vestee in Canada and the US, is a sleeveless upper-body garment worn over a dress shirt and necktie and below a coat as a part of most men's formal wear, and as the third piece of the three-piece male business suit...
and
breechesBreeches are an item of male clothing covering the body from the waist down, with separate coverings for each leg, usually stopping just below the knee, though in some cases reaching to the ankles.The breeches were normally closed and fastened about the leg, along its open seams at varied lengths,...
costume that would reign for the next century and a half. In the normal cycle of fashion, the broad, high-waisted silhouette of the
previous periodDuring in the period 1600-1650 in Western European clothing is characterized by the disappearance of the ruff made of dodo in favour of broad lace or linen collars. Waistlines rose through the period for both men and women. Other notable fashions included full, slashed sleeves and tall or broad...
was replaced by a long, lean line with a low waist for both men and women. This period also marked the rise of the periwig as an essential item of men's fashion.
Women's fashion
Overview
The wide, high-waisted look of the
previous periodDuring in the period 1600-1650 in Western European clothing is characterized by the disappearance of the ruff made of dodo in favour of broad lace or linen collars. Waistlines rose through the period for both men and women. Other notable fashions included full, slashed sleeves and tall or broad...
was gradually superseded by a long vertical line, with horizontal emphasis at the shoulder. Full, loose
sleeveSleeve is that part of a garment which covers the arm, or through which the arm passes or slips. Originally invented to serve as a snot-rag or handy handkerchief; the pattern of the sleeve is one of the characteristics of fashion in dress, varying in every country and period...
s ended just below the elbow at mid century and became longer and tighter in keeping with the new trend. The body was tightly
corsetA corset is a garment worn to mold and shape the torso into a desired shape for aesthetic or medical purposes...
ed, with a low, broad neckline and dropped shoulder. In later decades, the overskirt was drawn back and pinned up to display the
petticoatA petticoat or underskirt is an article of clothing for women; specifically an undergarment to be worn under a skirt or a dress. The petticoat is a separate garment hanging from the waist ....
, which was heavily decorated.
Spanish court fashion remained out of step with the fashions that arose in France and England, and prosperous
HollandRotterdam
The Hague
Haarlem
Dordrecht |} Holland is a name in common usage given to a region in the western part of the Netherlands. The name 'Holland' is also often informally used to refer to the whole of the country of the Netherlands...
also retained its own modest fashions, especially in headdress and hairstyles, as it had retained the
ruffA ruff is an item of clothing worn in Western Europe from the mid-sixteenth century to the mid-seventeenth century.The ruff which was worn by both men and women, evolved from the small fabric ruffle at the drawstring neck of the shirt or chemise...
in the previous period.
Romantic negligence
A daring new fashion arose for having one's portrait painted in
undress, wearing a loosely fastened
gownA gown is a loose outer garment from knee- to full-length worn by men and women in Europe from the early Middle Ages to the seventeenth century ; later, gown was applied to any woman's garment consisting of a bodice and attached skirt.A long, loosely-fitted gown called a Banyan was worn by men in...
called a
nightgown over a voluminous
chemiseThe term chemise or shift can refer to the classic smock, or else can refer to certain modern types of women's undergarments and dresses...
, with tousled curls. The style is epitomized by the portraits of
Peter LelySir Peter Lely was a painter of Dutch origin, whose career was nearly all spent in England, where he became the dominant portrait painter to the court.-Life:...
, which derive from the romanticized style originated by
Anthony van DyckSir Anthony van Dyck was a Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England. He is most famous for his portraits of King Charles I of England and Scotland and his family and court, painted with a relaxed elegance that was to be the dominant influence on English...
in the 1630s. The clothing in these portraits is not representative of what was worn on the street or at court.
The mantua
The
mantuaA Mantua is an article of women's clothing worn in the late seventeenth century and eighteenth century. Originally a loose gown, the later mantua was an overgown or robe typically worn over stays, stomacher and a co-ordinating petticoat.-Evolution of the mantua:The earliest mantuas emerged in the...
or
manteau was a new fashion that arose in the 1680s. Instead of a bodice and skirt cut separately, the mantua hung from the shoulders to the floor (in the manner of gowns of earlier periods) started off as the female version of the men's Banyan, worn for 'undress' wear. Gradually it developed into a draped and pleated gown and eventually evolved into a gown worn looped and draped up over a contrasting petticoat and a stomacher. The mantua-and-stomacher resulted in a high, square neckline in contrast to the broad, off-the-shoulder neckline previously in fashion. The new look was both more modest and covered-up than previous fashions and decidedly fussy, with bows, frills, ribbons, and other trim, but the short string of pearls and pearl earrings or
eardrops worn since the 1630s remained popular.
The mantua, made from a single length of fabric pleated to fit with a long train, was ideal for showing the designs of the new elaborately patterned silks that replaced the solid-colored satins popular in mid-century.
Hunting and riding dress
In a June 1666 diary entry,
Samuel PepysSamuel Pepys, FRS was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament, who is now most famous for his diary. Although Pepys had no maritime experience, he rose by patronage, hard work and his talent for administration, to be the Chief Secretary to the Admiralty under both King Charles II...
describes the Maids of Honour in their
riding habitA riding habit is women's clothing for horseback riding.Since the mid-17th century, a formal habit for riding sidesaddle usually consisted of:* A tailored jacket with a long skirt to match* A tailored shirt or chemisette...
s of mannish coats, doublets, hats, and periwigs, "so that, only for a long petticoat dragging under their men's coats, nobody could take them for women in any point whatever". For riding side-saddle, the costume had a long, trailing petticoat or skirt. This would be looped up or replaced by an ankle-length skirt for shooting or walking.
Hairstyles and headgear
Early in the period, hair was worn in a bun at the back of the head with a cluster of curls framing the face. The curls grew more elaborate through the 1650s, then longer, until curls were hanging gracefully on the shoulder. In the 1680s hair was parted in the center with height over the temples, and by the 1690s hair was unparted, with rows of curls stacked
high over the forehead.
This hairstyle was often topped with a
fontangeA fontange is the name of a hairstyle popular in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries in France. The name originates from the Marquise de Fontange, who was for a time the mistress of King Louis XIV of France...
, a frilly cap of lace wired to stand in vertical tiers with streamers to either side, named for
a mistress of the French KingMarie Angélique de Scorailles de Roussille, duchesse de Fontanges was one of the many paramours of Louis XIV, King of France. A lady-in-waiting to his sister-in-law the Princess Palatine, she caught the attention of the Sun King and became his lover in 1679.- Mistress to a king, untimely death...
. This was popular from the 1690s to the first few years of the 18th century.
Style gallery 1650s
- German fashion of 1650 shows a smooth, tight, conical satin bodice with a dropped shoulder. Slashed sleeves are caught with jeweled clasps over voluminous chemise sleeves.
- Margareta Maria de Roodere wears a salmon-colored gown. A sheer scarf is knotted into a collar around her shoulders, and her white sleeve linings are fastened back with a covered button, 1652.
- Mary, Princess of Orange wears a satin gown with a long pointed bodice and a satin petticoat. The many tiny pleats that gather in her skirt can be seen, 1652.
- Maria Theresa of Spain wears the cartwheel farthingale, which, in Spain, was adapted late and retained it long after it had disappeared elsewhere. The Infanta's hairstyle is also typical of the Spanish court, 1653.
- Rear view of a Dutch jacket-bodice of 1655 shows the tabbed skirts and the curved side-back seams.
- Young Dutch girl wears a rose jacket-bodice and a plain pink petticoat. Her hair is worn in a wound braid with small curls over her ears. 1658-60.
- Details of Dutch fashion of 1658 include a string of pearls tied with a black ribbon, a jack-bodice with matching skirt, pleated sleeves, and dropped shoulder.
- The Infanta Margarita
Infanta Margarita Teresa in a Blue Dress is a one of the best known portraits by Spanish painter Diego Velázquez. It was done in oil on canvas, and measures 127 cm high by 107 cm wide. It was one of his last paintings, produced in 1659, a year before his death. It shows Margaret Theresa of Spain,...
is shown here, at the age of eight years old, wearing the cartwheel farthingale, 1659.
Style gallery 1660-1680
- Peter Lely portrays Two Ladies of the Lake Family wearing satin nightgowns over shifts or chemises with voluminous sleeves. Their hair is worn in masses of ringlets to the shoulders on either side, and both wear large pearl eardrops.
- Dutch lacemaker's jacket-bodice has a dropped shoulder line and full, three-quarter length sleeves cartridge-pleated at shoulder and cuff. Her indoor cap has a circular back anhood is embroidered. Her shoes have thick heels and square toes, now somewhat old-fashioned.
- The very long pointed bodice of c. 1663 is shown clearly in this portrait of a woman playing a viola de gamba. The sleeve is pleated into the dropped should and into the cuff.
- The Infanta Margarita is shown here wearing a mourning dress of unrelieved black with long sleeves, cloak and hood. She wears her hair parted to one side and severely bound in braids, 1666.
- Two English ladies wear gowns with short sleeves over chemise sleeves gathered into three puffs. The long bodice front with curving bands of vertical trim is characteristic of 1670.
- Lingering Puritan influence appears in this portrait of a Boston matron: she wears a lace-trimmed linen collar that covers her from the neck down with the fashionable short string of pearls, and she covers her hair with hood-like cap, 1671-74.
- Fashionable hairstyle of 1675-80 is heart shaped, similar to men's wig styles in the same period.
- Empress Eleonore of Pfalz-Neuburg wears a brocade gown with a very low waist and elbow-length sleeves gathered in puffs, 1670s or '80s.
Style gallery 1680s-1690s
- Mary of Modena, second wife of James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and Ireland as James II, and Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, wears a nightgown fastened with jeweled clasps over a simple chemise, 1680. Her hair curls over either temple, and long curls hang on her shoulders.
- Dorothy Mason, Lady Brownlow in fashionable undress. Her nightgown is casually unfastened at the breast, and her chemise sleeves are caught up in puffs, probably with drawstrings.
- Spanish court fashion of c. 1690 shows a long, rigidly corseted line with a broad neckline and long sleeves.
- Mary II of England. By 1690, hair was dressed high over her forehead with curls dangling behind.
- Contemporary French fashion plate of a manteau or mantua, 1685-90.
- The Electress Palatine (Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici
Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici, was Electress Palatine, as the second wife of Johann Wilhelm II, from her marriage in 1691 to her husband's death in 1716; as Johann Wilhelm had syphilis, this union produced no offspring...
) in hunting dress, probably mid-to-late 1690s. She wears a long, mannish coat with wide cuffs and a matching petticoat over a high-necked bodice (Pepys calls it a doublet) with long tight sleeves. She wears a lace-trimmed cravat and a tricorne hat with ostrich plumes.
- Comtesse de Mailly, 1698, wears court fashion: Her mantua has elbow-length cuffed sleeves over the lace-ruffled sleeves of her chemise. The trained skirt is looped back to reveal a petticoat. She wears elbow-length gloves and a cap with a high lace fontange. She has a fur muff on her right wrist, trimmed with a ribbon bow, and carries a fan. She wears the short string of pearls that remained fashionable throughout this period.
Overview
With the end of the
Thirty Years' WarThe Thirty Years' War was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history. The war was fought primarily in Germany and at various points involved most of the countries of Europe...
, the fashions of the 1650s and early 1660s imitated the new peaceful and more relaxed feeling in Europe. The military
bootA boot is a type of footwear that covers the foot and the ankle and extends up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearly distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of one piece. Traditionally made of leather or rubber,...
s gave way to shoes, and a mania for baggy breeches, short coats, and hundreds of yards of ribbon set the style. The breeches (see
Petticoat breechesPetticoat breeches were voluminously wide, pleated pants, reminiscent of a skirt, worn by men in Western Europe during the 1650s and early 1660s. The very full loose breeches were usually decorated with loops of ribbons on the waist and around the knee. They were so loose and wide that they...
) became so baggy that
Samuel PepysSamuel Pepys, FRS was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament, who is now most famous for his diary. Although Pepys had no maritime experience, he rose by patronage, hard work and his talent for administration, to be the Chief Secretary to the Admiralty under both King Charles II...
wrote in his diary: “And among other things, met with Mr. Townsend, who told of his mistake the other day to put both his legs through one of his Knees of his breeches, and so went all day.” (April 1661) The wide breeches that made such an error possible were soon being gathered at the knee: Pepys noted, 19 April 1663 "this day put on my close-kneed coloured suit, which, with new stockings of the colour, with belt, and new gilt-handled sword, is very handsome." This era was also one of great variation and transition.
In 1666,
Charles II of EnglandCharles II was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father King Charles I was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War. The English Parliament did not proclaim Charles II king at this time. Instead they passed a statute making such a...
, following the earlier example of
Louis XIV of FranceLouis XIV , popularly known as the Sun King , was King of France and of Navarre His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days, and is the longest documented reign of any European monarch.Louis began personally governing France after the death...
decreed that at court, men were to wear a long coat, a
vest or waistcoatA waistcoat , sometimes called a vest or a vestee in Canada and the US, is a sleeveless upper-body garment worn over a dress shirt and necktie and below a coat as a part of most men's formal wear, and as the third piece of the three-piece male business suit...
(originally called a
petticoat, a term which later became applied solely to women's dress), a
cravatThe necktie is a long piece of cloth worn around the neck or shoulders, resting under the shirt collar and knotted at the throat. Variants include the bow tie, ascot tie, bolo tie, and the clip-on tie. The modern necktie, ascot, and bow tie are descended from the cravat. Neck ties are generally...
, a periwig or wig, and
breechesBreeches are an item of male clothing covering the body from the waist down, with separate coverings for each leg, usually stopping just below the knee, though in some cases reaching to the ankles.The breeches were normally closed and fastened about the leg, along its open seams at varied lengths,...
gathered at the knee, as well as a
hatA hat is a head covering. It may be worn for protection against the elements, for religious reasons, for safety, or as a fashion accessory. In the past, hats were an indicator of social status...
for outdoor wear. By 1680, this more sober uniform-like outfit of coat, waistcoat, and breeches became the norm for formal dress.
Coat and Waistcoat
The unfitted looser fit of the
1640sDuring in the period 1600-1650 in Western European clothing is characterized by the disappearance of the ruff made of dodo in favour of broad lace or linen collars. Waistlines rose through the period for both men and women. Other notable fashions included full, slashed sleeves and tall or broad...
continued into the 1650s. In the 1650s,
sleeveSleeve is that part of a garment which covers the arm, or through which the arm passes or slips. Originally invented to serve as a snot-rag or handy handkerchief; the pattern of the sleeve is one of the characteristics of fashion in dress, varying in every country and period...
s ranged from above to below the elbow. The sleeves could be slashed, unslashed, or dividing into two parts and buttoned together. The length of the coat reached the waist but by the late 1650s and early 1660s, the coat became very short, only reaching the bottom of the rib cage, much like a bolero jacket. During the 1660s, the sleeves varied a lot from elbow length to no sleeves at all. The coat could be worn opened or buttoned in the front. One common factor were many yards of ribbon loops arranged on the shoulders and the lower parts of the sleeves.
A longer and rather baggy coat (still with sleeves rarely going below the elbow) made an appearance in the early 1660s and as the decade progressed became the most popular coat. By the late 1660s, an upturned cuff became popular although the sleeves had still remained above the elbows. By the 1670s, a vest or waistcoat was worn under the coat. It was usually made of contrasting, often luxurious, fabric, and might have a plain back since that was not seen under the coat. It was a long garment which by the 1680s reached just above the knees. With the end of the 1670s the sleeves became longer and the coat more fitted. The 1680s saw larger upturned cuffs and the waist of the coat became much wider. The coat could have lapels or none. This coat is known as the
justacorpsA justacorps or justaucorps is a garment worn in the latter 17th century and earlier 18th century. Of French origin, the justacorps was a knee-length coat, fitted to the waist and flared below, without a waist seam...
. The pockets on both sides of the coats were arranged horizontally or vertically (especially the mid to late 1680s) until the 1690s when the pockets were usually always arranged horizontally. The waistcoat could be sleeveless or have long sleeves. Typically, a long-sleeved waistcoat was worn in winter for added warmth. By the mid 1680s, ribbons were reduced to one side of the shoulder until by the 1690s, they were gone.
Shirt, collar and cravat
The ruffled long-sleeved white
shirtA shirt is a cloth garment for the upper body. Originally an undergarment worn exclusively by men, it has become in American English a catch-all term for almost any upper-body garment other than outerwear such as sweaters, coats, jackets, or undergarments such as bras, vests or base layers....
remained the only constant throughout the period, although less of it was seen with the advent of the waistcoat.
During the early to mid 1650s, a rather small falling
collarIn clothing, a collar is the part of a shirt, dress, coat or blouse that fastens around or frames the neck. A collar may also be a separate or detachable accessory worn around the neck.-Origins:...
was in fashion. This increased in size and encompassed much of the shoulders by 1660.
CravatThe cravat is a neckband, the forerunner of the modern tailored necktie and bow tie, originating from 16th century Croatia...
s around the neck started to be worn during the early 1660s (initially with the falling collar). By the mid 1660s, the collar had disappeared with just the cravat remaining, sometimes tied with a small bow of ribbon. Red was the most common color for the bow, although pink, blue, and other colors were also used. By the 1670s, the bow of ribbons had increased in size and in the 1680s, the bow of ribbons became very large and intricate with many loops of ribbon. By the mid 1690s, the very large bow of ribbons was discarded. Also, a new style of cravat made its appearance in the 1690s, the
Steinkerk (named after the
Battle of SteenkerqueSteenkerque is a Belgian village 50 km south-west of Brussels, 10 km south of Enghien...
in 1692). Before, the cravat was always worn flowing down the chest; the Steinkerk cravat looped through a buttonhole of the coat.
Breeches and stockings
The previous decade saw
Spanish breechesSpanish breeches are stiff and close-fitting ungathered breeches. They were popular from 1600-1650. In the 1660s petticoat breeches surpassed them in popularity throughout most of Western Europe,...
as the most popular. These were stiff breeches which fell above or just below the knee and were rather moderately fitted. By the mid 1650s, in Western Europe, much looser, uncollected breeches, called
petticoat breechesPetticoat breeches were voluminously wide, pleated pants, reminiscent of a skirt, worn by men in Western Europe during the 1650s and early 1660s. The very full loose breeches were usually decorated with loops of ribbons on the waist and around the knee. They were so loose and wide that they...
became the most popular. As the 1650s progressed, they became larger and looser, very much giving the impression of a lady’s
petticoatA petticoat or underskirt is an article of clothing for women; specifically an undergarment to be worn under a skirt or a dress. The petticoat is a separate garment hanging from the waist ....
. They were usually decorated with many yards of ribbon around the waist and around the ungathered knee on the outside of the leg. Alongside the petticoat breeches, a collected but still loose fitted breeches called
rhinegravesRhinegraves are a form of breeches which were popular from the early 1660s until the mid 1670s in Western Europe. They are very full breeches gathered below the knee. Usually an overskirt was worn over them which was decorated with ribbon loops around the waist and around the knee...
, were also worn. By the early 1660s, their popularity surpassed petticoat breeches. They were usually worn with an overskirt over them. The overskirt was heavily decorated with ribbon on the waist and the bottom of the skirt. Its length was usually just above the knee, but could also extend past the knee so that the rhinegraves underneath could not be seen and only the bottom of the stocking-tops was visible.
With the rising popularity of the longer coat and waistcoat, the large collected rhingraves and overskirt were abandoned in favor of more close fitting breeches. By the late 1670s, close fitted breeches were worn with the stockings worn over them and on or above the knee, often being gartered with a garter below the knee. With the long waistcoat and stockings worn over the knee, very little of the breeches could be seen. A possible reason that the stockings were worn over the knee, was to give the impression of longer legs since the waist coat fell very low, just above the knee. The breeches tended to be of the same material as the coat. The stockings varied in color.
Footwear and accessories
Shoes again became the most popular footwear during the 1650s, although boots remained in use for riding and outdoor pursuits.
BoothoseBoothose are linen stockings or boot liners worn in the seventeenth century to protect fine knitted stockings from wear.In the 1630s, boothose could be trimmed with lavish lace cuffs turned down over cuffed bucket-topped boots...
, originally of linen with lace cuffs and worn over the fine silk stockings to protect them from wear, remained in fashion even when boots lost their popularity. Boothose lasted well in the mid 1660s, attached right under where the rhinegraves were gathered below the knee, or fashionably slouched and unfastened. Shoes from the 1650s through the 1670s tended to be square toed and bit long in appearance. Usually the shoes were tied with ribbon and decorated with bows. By the 1680s, the shoe became a bit more fitted; the heel increased in height (with red heels being very popular, especially for attendance at Court), and only a small ribbon if any remained.
The
baldricA baldric is a belt worn over one shoulder that is typically used to carry a weapon or other implement such as a bugle or drum...
(a sword hanger worn across one shoulder) was worn until the mid 1680s, when it was replaced by the sword belt (a sword hanger worn across the hips).
Hairstyles
Throughout the period, men wore their hair long with flowing curls well past the shoulders. The bangs (fringe) were usually combed forward and allowed to flow over the forehead a bit. Although men had worn wigs for years to cover up thinning hair or baldness, the popularity of the wig or periwig as standard wardrobe is usually credited to King Louis XIV of France. Louis started to go bald at a relatively young age and had to cover up his baldness with wigs. His early wigs very much imitated what were the hairstyles of the day, but they gave a thicker and fuller appearance than natural hair. Due to the success of the wigs, other men started to wear wigs as well. By 1680, a part in the middle of the wig became the norm. The hair on either side of the part continued to grow in the 1680s until by the 1690s two very high pronounced points developed on the forehead. As well, during the 1680s, the wig was divided into three parts: the front including the center part and the long curls which fell well past the shoulders, the back of the head which was combed rather close to the head, and a mass of curls which flowed down the shoulders and back. The curls of the wig throughout the 1660s until 1700 were rather loose and flowing. Tighter curls would not make their appearance until after 1700. Every natural color of wig was possible. Louis XIV tended to favor a brown wig. His son, Monseigneur was well known for wearing blond wigs.
Hats and headgear
HatA hat is a head covering. It may be worn for protection against the elements, for religious reasons, for safety, or as a fashion accessory. In the past, hats were an indicator of social status...
s vary greatly during this period. Hats with very tall crowns, derived from the earlier
capotainA capotain, capatain or copotain is a tall-crowned, narrow-brimmed, slightly conical hat, usually black, worn by men and women from the 1590s into the mid-seventeenth century in England and northwestern Europe...
but with flat crowns, were popular until the end of the 1650s. The brims varied as well. Hats were decorated with feathers. By the 1660s, a very small hat with a very low crown, little brim, and large amount of feathers was popular amongst the French courtiers. Later in the 1660s, very large brims and moderate crowns became popular. Sometimes one side of the brim would be turned up. These continued fashionable well into the 1680s. From the 1680s until 1700, various styles and combinations of upturned brims were in fashion, from one brim upturned to three brims upturned (the
tricorne). Even the angle at which the brims were situated on the head varied. Sometimes with a tricorne, the point would meet over the forehead or it would be set at a 45 degree angle from the forehead.
Style gallery 1650s-1660s
- Coat of 1654 has many tiny buttons on the front and sleeves, which are left unfastened below the chest and upper arm. A collared cloak trimmed with braid is worn casually over one shoulder.
- Dutch fashions, 1658. White boothose, petticoat breeches
- Dutch fashions, 1658. Note tall hat with dyed ostrich plumes.
- 1661. The short coat is worn over a voluminous shirt with wide ruffles at the cuffs and flat, curve-cornered collar, petticoat breeches
Petticoat breeches were voluminously wide, pleated pants, reminiscent of a skirt, worn by men in Western Europe during the 1650s and early 1660s. The very full loose breeches were usually decorated with loops of ribbons on the waist and around the knee. They were so loose and wide that they...
.
- Young Louis XIV
Louis XIV , popularly known as the Sun King , was King of France and of Navarre His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days, and is the longest documented reign of any European monarch.Louis began personally governing France after the death...
wears a lace-bordered linen collar, and military sash, and a voluminous wig over his armor, 1661.
- French court style, 1663, showing very short coat and masses of ribbon loops, petticoat breeches.
- French court style, 1660s. Short coat with short sleeves.
- French court style, 1665. The hat has a broad brim and shallow crown, elaborate stocking-tops, rhinegraves, and overskirt.
Style gallery 1670s-1690s
- Dutch fashions, 1671
- French courtier of 1675, wears a wide red bow under a long cravat.
- French court style, 1680s. Vertical coat pockets and tricorne hat, stockings worn over the breeches.
Children's fashion
Young boys wore skirts with doublets or back-fastening bodices until they were breeched at six to eight. They wore smaller versions of men's hats over
coifA coif is a close fitting cap that covers the top, back, and sides of the head.Coifs were worn by all classes in England and Scotland from the Middle Ages to the early seventeenth century .Tudor and earlier coifs are usually made of unadorned white linen and tie under the chin...
s or caps. Small children's clothing featured
leading stringsLeading strings are strings or straps by which to support a child learning to walk. In seventeenth and eighteenth century Europe, they were narrow straps of fabric attached to children's clothing which originally functioned as a sort of leash to keep the child from straying too far or falling as...
at the shoulder.
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