The wide silhouette of the early century started to slim come the mid century, and it slimmed even more so come the 1770s. Style in general was becoming more simplified, leading to fashion that exemplified the new ‘casual’ aesthetic. The habit à la française came into mode for men, showcasing the standing collar that would carry over into the early 1800s. The front skirt of the coat started being cut back, exposing the front of the breeches. This resulted in waistcoats becoming shorter and breeches becoming tighter to exaggerate the new silhouette. In direct contrast to this move toward simplicity, dandies outfitted themselves in eye-catching and visually lavish ensembles. Their style loudly announced their cosmopolitan, fashion-centric outlook, and their sartorial choices blurred the line between masculine and feminine.
We’ve now finally hit the point in the historical timeline where I can represent my home country! While the early white settlement of Australia is typically associated with the convicts that were shipped to penal colonies in the newly discovered country, by the late 1700s free settlers were also making it home. Many of these settlers built homesteads and farmed the land for survival. It was a tough life and their practical clothing reflected as such.
The end of the 18th century saw a great deal of political unrest, most notably in France. The French Revolution had a huge impact on clothing as it became increasingly important to outwardly show your republican support via your stylistic choices. Waistcoats were still very much a part of a man’s everyday wardrobe, and often times they were decorated to show political sympathies. The 1790s saw the rise of the sans-culottes - working class men who shunned the wearing of breeches in favour of loose trousers. These were often paired with a red wool cap known as a bonnet phrygian, which signified the wearer’s hardcore dedication to the revolution.
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1300s ✺ 1400s ✺ 1500s ✺ 1600s ✺ 1700s
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