Costume and Fashion - Essay Example

How does historical costume relate to contemporary fashion? Explore the differences between the terms “costume” and “fashion”. Use examples from two historical styles and discuss why they have been revived. Use examples from 2 of the following historical periods and discuss how particular styles have been revived. It is a well known fact that fashion always swings full circle, repeats itself many times over and repeats itself time and again throughout the ages. Though costume fashion then and fashion now are two sides of the same coin, they are quite contrary to each other. Costume Fashion of the yesteryears or the ancient world, I would say belongs to the historical period and is very much different to the fashion we witness today. As times change, so does fashion in all respects. Fashion is one aspect of life that has evolved over time, but yet many of the trends and styles keep repeating themselves many times over, in the world of Contemporary fashion. In today’s fashion industry, there is no faux – pas what – so – ever, any and everyone can be fashionable if they chose to. This is very unlike fashion in the historical times where fashion was only for the rich and famous. If you wanted to be fashionable, you had to be rich! Contemporary fashion has it, that a person could be fashionable even on a shoe- string budget. Today, Fashion in the broader sense of the word is a person’s identity – a ticket to be known. It is a sort of stamp on society so to say where everyone tries to make a mark. In trying to differentiate between “costume” and “fashion”, we come to understand that there is a great disparity between the two. Research carried out in the field of fashion shows that fashion takes place all over the world and is closely related to sociology, the Urban Geography, the Class and Labor system and the Material culture of a place. All these components combine to portray the fashion of a particular country. That is why each country has its own unique and traditional flavor when it comes to fashion. “Costume” on the other hand, is clothing that is made for a particular purpose and is worn by a whole group of people who are together and doing the same job. For example in the ancient world, people like the German tribes used costumes, in order to differentiate between the different social classes. Costumes are also used to identify people doing different jobs which require uniformity. For example a team of players will have the same costume which will help to differentiate and identify them from the opposing team. Other examples are factory workers, waiters and others. Fashion during the Renaissance The period of Renaissance was an important period and maybe the best part of history because of the great changes that took place in the fields of art, music, literature, fashion and architecture. It was the most flourishing period of history because of the overwhelming spurt of talented artists, inventors and musicians that brought in immense wealth, flourishing lifestyles and a trend of regal etiquette. The period of Renaissance left its indelible mark in history that can never be forgotten for ages to come. Throughout Europe, the period of the Renaissance was the period of great evolution due to the changes and innovations that took place while the country prospered and flourished with the best of talent from writers, painters, philosophers, musicians and architects. One of the most significant inventions of the period was the printing press which encouraged the people to write and print their books. It is because of this invention that we have some of the most dazzling descriptions of clothing worn during this period. Artists used to sketch and paint these depictions which were later printed. The 16th century brought a sea of change to fashion during the Renaissance and though the trends varied from country to country they also shared certain commonalities. The typical style of an outfit during this period consisted of a long skirt with a long trail and a kirtle. The edgings of necklines and sleeves and the borders of the dress and trail were richly decorated with ornamental lace and jewels. A beautiful decorative kirtle lay beneath the top layer of the dress which was split open to show the heavy decoration. The sleeves were usually broad and lined with fur. Underneath these two layers of clothing the Renaissance lady wore a linen chemise. Dressing was elaborate as the dress itself and took many hours. This bedecked clothing looked almost like a suit of armor that was encrusted with jewels such as rubies, diamonds, pearls and other precious stones against dark colors such as black, dark blue and maroon. The most popular color during that time was back. During the period of Renaissance, the men and women of the nobility wore clothing that today would be considered as rather too grand and ornamental. The Class system was very strongly dominant in the society which was defined by their classes such as the “Upper Classes”, the “Middle Classes” and the “Lower Classes. With particular reference to England, different classes were depicted by the kind of clothing they wore. Ladies of the high class aristocracy wore corsets which was a requirement because of the tight fitting clothes worn by them. A lady in the lower classes would not wear a corset but a heavily boned bodice which gave more freedom of movement. To the modern eye, the fashionable clothing during the Renaissance would appear rather uncomfortable and highly constrictive, but this was something natural to them and widely accepted. The clothing during the Renaissance was characterized by the use of short upper garments for men and long flowing garments for women with heavily designed upper bodices that were very tight fitting. The class or status of the person was based on the clothing they wore. In the book titled “Renaissance Clothing and the Materials of Memory” by authors Ann Rosalind Jones and Peter Stallybrass, they tell us that “people were paid in things as much as in money.” (Ann Rosalind Jones and Peter Stallybrass, 2000) Some of these things included food, lodging, candles, land and which was also “applied to gifts of cloth or clothing.” (Ann Rosalind Jones and Peter Stallybrass, 2000) Some of the elaborate ornamentation worn by the aristocracy were furs and clothing embellished with precious jewels. Darker colors were used in order to enhance the jewels and embroidery that was sewn onto the clothing. The women wore about 5 layers of clothing and this was an important factor of the Renaissance period. The topmost layer of the gown usually had a long trail and was richly embroidered. In the pictures below are the Napoleonic ladies Hortense and Josephine in all their finery. Anne of Cleaves In 1539 Italian Renai..1557 Queen Mary of England, 1500 Beatrice d’este, 1510 The fabric used was silk, brocade and velvet which were very expensive and was heavily taxed because it has great societal importance as well as it retained its value as people could pawn them. By the late 16th century ‘wasp waists” (‘V’ shaped waists) were in fashion, trails were slowly going out of fashion and the hems of dresses no longer trailed the floor but remained ankle length. So ladies began wearing jewel encrusted and embroidered slippers and shoes. Some Contemporary Fashion Designs that were revived from the Renaissance period Just as history repeats itself so does fashion the world over. The tight bodices and heavily embroidered and ornamental flowing gowns of the Renaissance period has given way to the more simple, tasteful and light flowing gowns of the contemporary era. Materials like brocade and velvet do not find many buyers because the taste of the consumer has changed drastically. Clothes today are stitched for style and comfort and from materials that are thin and light. The designs are very simple unlike the heavy worked clothing of the Renaissance. The materials used today are not heavy and very expensive like the ones used during the Renaissance, but on the other hand, they are thin, light and not very expensive. Even a person who is not very affluent but has good taste could look stunning in a simple but tasteful manner. The collars and padded long sleeves have given way to shorter sleeves, sleeveless and even off the shoulder clothing or halter- necks. Christian Marie Marc Lacroix was a very famous and affluent French fashion designer whose passion was to sketch and design historical fashion and costumes from a very young age. He attended the University of Montpellier where he learned the history behind the art of fashion. With this background Lacroix made headlines as soon as he began his own couture. Very soon Lacroix became the centre of attraction in the fashion world with his opulent and fantasy creations. He adapted elements from folklore as well as from other parts of the world. He never shied away from experimental materials or bright loud colors and patterns. He drew ideas and inspiration from diverse cultures and merged them with his own creative designs. He also brought in his own new line of handbags, jewelry, shoes, scarves and glasses to match the dresses he created. Lacroix collection – Paris 2007 Lacroix collection – Spring 2008 Today, the buzzword is comfort in addition to looking good and our contemporary designers of today are fast to understand the taste of the customer and do everything they can to woo them keeping these salient points in view. Lacroix was not far behind in understanding the changing trend. In his first design belonging to his collection at Paris, 2007, we could see that the dress had a simple and neat cut which was loose and held by a black leather belt. Instead of the heavy brocade and velvet of the Renaissance, he had used pink and black splotches on organza that was ruffled. The shoulders were lightly padded and had loose medium sleeves, quite similar to the ones during the Renaissance which had long and tight sleeves that were heavily padded at the shoulders in addition to heavy embroidery and stone work. The skirt portion of the dress in the Renaissance dresses were long and most of them had a trail that was heavily embroidered, but this was revived in the sense that a part of Lacroix line of clothing were short or knee length which allowed much more movement and comfort than the Renaissance dresses. Since he was so influenced by this period he revived the same style to suit the times. Lacroix second creation belonging to the Spring Collection of 2008, was more bold in both color and design. The materials used were dark shades that were so attractive. The dress was stylish and close fitting but not tight or clingy. Actress Natalie Portman draped in one of the spectacular creations of Christian Lacroix. Fashion in the Classical Period The classical style of clothing is marked by elegance and simplicity of form, where the fabric, spun by hand, imparted to the garment its beauty. The fabric of the time dictated the style, and since wool was found in abundance it was the material of choice, although linen too was in vogue, though sparingly. Ancient Greek Dress The garments worn by the people of ancient Greece and Rome tended to be loose fitting so as to differentiate them from the barbarian hordes who wore tight fitting clothes. The people wore loose clothes since the sewing implements of the time were not as fine and advanced as those of later times. The needles used in those days were thicker and clumsy, which left no option but to keep sewing to a minimum, and the concept of buttons was completely absent. Garments were held together with the help of belts or brooches and clasps. The tunic was the preferred dress for both men and women, the only difference being the length. While the men wore short tunics, the ladies wore them up to their ankle. The tunics, also called chitons, could be pleated, came in different colors, although it was only the rich who could afford to have the cloth dyed according to their fancy. During the Classical period, the women wore a type of cloak, called the chlaina and diplax, over other clothes. The chlaina was the smaller of the two, but both these items of clothing tended to be draped and were colorful with different designs. In the sixth and fifth centuries B.C.E the Doric chiton was much in vogue. It was an extremely versatile garment, consisting of a piece of rectangular fabric, which could be either pinned on one shoulder, worn wrapped around the body and being held by a belt or cinched at the waist. It had an over-fold which extended to the waist and had a patterned band, and was also called peplos. (Wilson, pg245) The Ionic Chiton was a variation of the traditional garment, having more number of pleats, since it was made out of linen. The tunic was fastened on the shoulder. In the Hellenistic period, the chiton was belted high above the waist and led to the creation of the “Empire” waistline. The Empire dress was revived from the Classical period but had a lot of variation. It now consisted of a simple cut with a high waistline just below the bust. The revived Empire dress camouflaged a heavy bottomed figure or a broad waist because it gave the illusion of length. In Modern times, Balenciaga used the tunic in his collections, and this simple T-shaped garment featured in almost all of his collections. In his hands it saw many variations, sometimes it ‘barely skimmed a woman’s body” and took away attention from problems of women with a not well proportioned body. It also had the added quality of imparting to mature women an added grace. (Walker, pg131) Balenciaga’s tunic dress designed in 1955 developed into the chemise dress in 1958 and the fluidity of his clothes helped to make the ‘women’s look’ more in line with the dress worn. The Goddess Dress with Himation/ Cristóbal Balenciaga - Evening ensemble of pink taffeta tunic with a long skirt and matching gathered cape. 1961 The Greek himation, a woman’s garment, shares many similarities with the modern frock, in that both consist of two pieces of cloth stitched together with openings left for the head to go through and the arms to be free. It was also fashioned using a single piece of cloth, which was folded over, with an opening for the head. The transverse style was worn over the Ionic chiton, in which the centre touches the left hip and the two ends of the cloth are attached on the right shoulder by means of a brooch or some decorative pin. "It started as outdoor wear, but, when light material came into style, the himation was worn at any time," writes Payne. (83) and through the centuries its drape changed, and length varied from between ten to twelve feet. Men wore the himation draped over their left shoulder, to show their civilized nature, because the ancient Greeks believed that baring one’s left shoulder was a sign of barbarism. Conclusion Fashion may seem a very small word but it involves a world of change, styles and patterns that have evolved over time. Necessity and innovation together with major changes in the society are the reasons for the changes made in the fashion industry. Women of wealth often adorned their dress with jewel encrusted belts and elaborately designed brooches made of gold and precious stones. The various styles in which they were worn were the symmetrical and transverse styles. The symmetrical style was worn as a large rectangular piece of cloth draped over the shoulder, in the same way as a shawl, and sometimes the head was covered with the centre part of the fabric being pulled over the head. In Contemporary fashion all those styles and patterns, the heavy embroidery, extensive use of lace and ribbons and ornamental stones have been done away with and now we have the lighter more easy to use and comfortable kind of clothing. When comparing the simplicity and style of the 20th century, it makes us reflect on how stressful it would have been to dress in clothing that was too heavy, rich and extremely tight. People of today could never bring themselves to wear the clothes of ancient times because they are way too heavy, uncomfortable and exceedingly cumbersome. References Renaissance Life www.realarmorofgod.com/renaissance-era.html Ann Rosalind Jones & Peter Stallybrass. (2000). Renaissance Clothing and the Materials of Memory. The Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge. United Kingdom. Caroline Evans. (1990) “Fashion at the Edge”. Yale University Press. Pages: 326. About Fashion Studies www.fashion.su.se/pub/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=4604&a=15915 Nigel Guy Wilson. Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece Balenciaga and His Legacy  By Myra Walker, Meadows Museum, Texas Fashion Collection The Brand Story of Balenciaga | gogoparis.com http://www.gogoparis.com/paris/the-brand-story-balenciaga-3377 Himation http://www.fashionencyclopedia.com/fashion_costume_culture/The-Ancient-World-Greece/Himation.html Day Outfit By Balenciaga- 1955 www.museums.leics.gov.uk/collections-on-line/GetObjectAction.do?objectKey=270355 Shop Balenciaga Bags, Shoes, Accessories & Ready – to - wear www.frillr.com/?q=node/5763 Renaissance Fashion/ Historical costumes. www.weuropeanhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/renaissance_fashion Court dress worn at the court of Queen Hortense www.entertainment.webshots.com/photo/2784390780094285158hjMdAW Natalie Portman- Christian Lacroix www.celebritynewsspotlight.com/natalie-portman-christian-lacroix-evening-dress Costume jewellery – Goddess dress www.vintagetextile.com/Reference/goddessgown.htm Read More