Regency Era Fashion

This week I thought I'd travel much farther back in time and do a post on the fabulous Regency Era!

The Regency Era took place in Europe around 1790 and lasted until around 1830.
It was during this time that the Empire style came into play. This style consisted of the high waisted dress that characterizes the early 19th century. What started out as a simple chemise shift that was gathered high above the waist evolved into the more elegant Empire dress.

 

The Empire dress had a full skirt with a low square neckline. Because the neckline was so low, women would adorn their necks with large bejeweled necklaces.

Often the dresses would have neat puffed cap sleeves that were pulled back by the narrow cut of the bodice.

 The fabrics worn during this time were mainly silks and muslins with heavier velvets, cottons, and wools for the winter. White gowns were a sign of positive social status but were generally kept for evening wear. It was during the daytime hours pastel colored dresses were worn.

The Empire waistline does not only exist in the Regency Era, it is still a very popular design and can still be seen very commonly today.

1960s Fashion

While researching current fashion trends, I was so shocked to find out that many people are unclear on the distinction between the 1960s and the 1970s that I had to do a post to clear up any confusion!
Because many of the current fashion trends of 2013 are influenced by the 1960s, it's important to understand where the influences are coming from and to see how the current trends align or differ from the originals!

 

One of the classic 1960s looks was the Chanel suit. The women's suit was introduced by Coco Chanel in 1925 but was such a classic, timeless piece that it remained in fashion for decades after. Each decade it would be slightly altered to better suit the time. In the '60s it was worn with a cropped jacket that was often collarless with large, oversized buttons and paired with a pencil skirt.

Shift dresses became the  popular choice for women's wear in the '60s. Shifts were shapeless, geometric dresses that sometimes had a bit of a billow to them.

The A-line style came in style in full effect during this time as well. This was carried over by the late '40s and the '50s. This style would have a full skirt with a tightly fitted waist.

 

Another new style was the cropped pants for women. This was just a casual look but very important in fashion history as it was the start of women wearing pants more freely and frequently.

For shoes, kitten heels and little black flats became a staple in every wardrobe. Audrey Hepburn is well known for sporting such styles.