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The traditional dress for dinner.

A dress (also known as a frock or a gown) is a garment consisting of a skirt with an attached bodice (or a matching bodice giving the effect of a one-piece garment).^[1] It consists of a top piece that covers the torso and hangs down over the legs. A dress can be any one-piece garment containing a skirt of any length. Dresses can be formal or informal. In many cultures, dresses are more often worn by women and girls.

The hemlines of dresses vary depending on the fashion of the time period and the modesty or personal taste of the wearer.^[2]

About

Dresses are outer garments made up of a bodice and a skirt and can be made in one or more pieces.^[3][4] Dresses are generally suitable for both general and formal wear in the West for women and children.^[4]

Historically, dresses could also include other items of clothing such as corsets, kirtles, partlets, petticoats, smocks and stomachers.^[5][6][7]

History

11th century

In the 11th century, women in Europe wore dresses that were similar to men's tunics and were loose, with a hemline reaching to below the knees or lower.^[8] By the end of the century, these dresses featured a tighter fit on the arms and women's upper bodies.^[8] Dresses were made snug by featuring slits on the sides of the dress that were pulled tight in order to fit a woman's figure.^[9]

16th century

Starting in the 1550s, middle- and upper-class women in Europe wore dresses which included a smock, stays, kirtle, gown, forepart, sleeves, ruff and a partlet.^[5] Undergarments were not worn underneath.^[5] In England, Queen Elizabeth dictated what kinds of dresses women were allowed to wear.^[10] French women were inspired by Spanish-style bodices and also wore ruffs.^[10] French dresses were known as marlottes.^[11] In Italy, dresses were known as ropa and semarra.^[11] Dresses in the 16th century also displayed surface decoration such as embroidery, with blackwork being especially popular.^[12]

Women's dresses in Russia during both the 16th and 17th centuries identified a woman's place in society or their family.^[13]

17th century

Holland, as a center of textile production, was a particularly noted area of innovation in dress during this time period.^[7] During this time period, in Spain and Portugal, women wore stomachers.^[7] However, in England and France, dresses became more "naturally" shaped.^[7] Lace and slashing were popular decorations.^[7] Skirts were full, with regular folds and the overskirt allowed the display of an underskirt of contrasting fabric.^[7] Necklines became lower as well.^[7] Embroidery that reflected scientific discoveries, such as new animals and plants discovered were popular.^[14] In the British Colonies, the multiple-piece dresses were also popular, though less luxurious.^[15] Wealthy women living in the Spanish or Dutch colonies in the Americas copied the fashions that were popular from their homelands.^[16]

The three-piece dress, which had a bodice, petticoat and gown, was popular until the last 25 years, in which the mantua, or a one-piece gown, became more popular.^[17]Corsets became more important in dresses by the 1680s.^[18]

Working women, and women in slavery in the Americas, used simple patterns to create shifts, wool or linen petticoats and gowns and cotton dresses.^[19] The bottoms of the skirts could be tucked into the waistband when a woman was near the fire when near a cooking or heating source.^[19]

18th century

Dress, (1870-1880) from the National Museum of Costume and Fashion in Portugal.

Large, triangular silhouettes were favored during the 18th century, skirts were wide and supported by hoop underskirts.^[20][21] One-piece gowns remained popular until the middle of the century.^[22] During the 1760s in France, hoop petticoats were reduced in size.^[23] Lighter colors and lighter fabrics were also favored.^[24] In Colonial America, women most often wore a gown and petticoat, in which the skirt of the gown opened to reveal the petticoat underneath.^[25] Women also had riding habits which consisted of the petticoat, jacket and a waistcoat.^[25]

French fashion regarding dresses became very fast-changing during the later part of the 18th century.^[26] Throughout this period, the length of fashionable dresses varied only slightly, between ankle-length and floor-sweeping.^[2] Between 1740 and 1770, the robe à la française was very popular with upper-class women.^[27] In France, the Empire style became popular after the French Revolution.^[28] This style was more simple and was also favored by Josephine Bonaparte.^[28] Other types of dresses that were popular during the revolution included tunic dresses and the negligée à la patriot, which featured the red, white and blue colors, symbolic of the revolution.^[29]

19th century

Early 19th century dress.

Women's dresses in the 19th century began to be classified by the time of day or purpose of the dress.^[30] High-waisted dresses were popular until around 1830.^[30]

Early nineteenth century dresses in Russia were influenced by Classicism and were made of thin fabrics, with some dresses being semi-transparent.^[31]Elizabeth Vigée Le Brun wore these types of dresses with a short skirt (reaching to her ankles) when she lived in Russia between 1785 and 1801.^[31] Many Russian women copied her style.^[31] By the 1840s, Russian women were turning to what was in fashion in Europe.^[32]

Europeans styles in dresses increased dramatically to the hoopskirt and crinoline-supported styles of the 1860s,^[33] then fullness was draped and drawn to the back.^[34] Dresses had a "day" bodice with a high neckline and long sleeves, and an "evening" bodice with a low neckline (decollete) and very short sleeves. In Russia, metal hoopskirts were known as "malakhovs."^[32] Skirts of the 1860s were heavily decorated.^[34]

To sleep, women in the American West wore floor-length dresses of white cotton with high collars displaying decoration.^[35] Various Native American people, such as the Navajo and the Mescalero Apache began to adapt the designs of their dresses to look more like the European Americans they came in contact with.^[36] Navajo women further adapted the European designs, incorporating their own sense of beauty, "creating hózhó."^[37]

Paper sewing patterns for women to sew their own dresses started to be readily available in the 1860s, when the Butterick Publishing Company began to promote them.^[38] These patterns were graded by size, which was a new innovation.^[39]

The Victorian era's dresses were tight-fitting and decorated with pleats, rouching and frills.^[28] Women in the United States who were involved in dress reform in the 1850s found themselves the center of attention, both positive and negative.^[40] By 1881, the Rational Dress Society had formed in reaction to the restrictive dress of the era.^[28]

20th century

Model posing in a glamorous 1930s evening gown.

In the early twentieth century, the look popularized by the Gibson Girl was fashionable.^[41] The upper part of women's dresses in the Edwardian era included a "pigeon breast" look that gave way to a corseted waist and an s-shaped silhouette.^[41] Women called their dresses "waists" if one-piece, or "shirtwaists," if it consisted of a skirt and a blouse.^[42] The bodice of the dresses had a boned lining.^[42] Informally, wealthy women wore tea gowns at home.^[43] These garments were looser, though not as loose as a "wrapper," and made of expensive fabric and laces.^[43]

By 1910, the Edwardian look was replaced with a straighter silhouette.^[44] French designer, Paul Poiret, had a huge impact on the look of the time.^[44] Designs developed by Poiret were available in both boutiques and also in department stores.^[45] Popular dresses of the time were one-piece and included lingerie dresses which could be layered.^[46] At around the same time, in the United States, the American Ladies Tailors' Association developed a dress called the suffragette suit, which was practical for women to work and move around in.^[47][48] Another innovation of the 1910s was the ready availability of factory-made clothing.^[49]

Waistlines started out high and by 1915 were below the natural waist.^[46] By 1920, waistlines were at hip-level.^[46] Between 1910 and 1920 necklines were lower and dresses could be short-sleeved or sleeveless.^[50] Women who worked during World War I preferred shorter dresses, which eventually became the dominant style overall.^[24] In addition to the shorter dresses, waistlines were looser and the dominant colors were black, white and gray.^[51]

By 1920, the "new woman" was a trend that saw lighter fabrics and dresses that were easier to put on.^[52] Younger women were also setting the trends that older women started to follow.^[52] The dresses of the 1920s could be pulled over the head, were short and straight.^[53] It was acceptable to wear sleeveless dresses during the day.^[53]Flapper dresses were popular until end of the decade.^[54]

During World War II, dresses were slimmer and inspired by military uniforms.^[28] After WWII, the New Look, promoted by Christian Dior was very influential on fashion and the look of women's dresses for about a decade.^[55]

Since the 1970s, no one dress type or length has dominated fashion for long, with short and ankle-length styles often appearing side-by-side in fashion magazines and catalogs.^[56]

Use

Part of a series on
Western dress codes and corresponding attires
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at formal opening of the Parliament of Canada (1957)
Formal (full dress)      White tie Morning dress Full dress uniform Frock coat Ball gown Evening gown
Semi-formal (half dress)      Black tie Black lounge suit Mess dress uniform Evening gown Cocktail dress
Informal (undress, "dress clothes") Lounge suit Service dress uniform Cocktail dress Pantsuit
Casual Business casual Casual Friday Smart casual
Supplementary Ceremonial dress Court diplomatic academic, etc. Religious clothing cassock, habit, etc. Folk costume Distinctions Orders medals, etc.
Legend: = Day (before 6 p.m.) = Evening (after 6 p.m.)           = Bow tie colour = Ladies Fashion portal Contents/Culture and the arts portal
v t e

In most varieties of formal dress codes in Western cultures, a dress of an appropriate style is mandatory for women. They are also very popular for special occasions such as proms or weddings.^[57] For such occasions they, together with blouse and skirt, remain the de facto standard attire for many girls and women.

Types of dresses

Time period

• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  16th century dress.
  

  
  

  
  


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  Calico dress, circa 1656-1693
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Late 17th century, wool and metallic thread.
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Russian dress, 1717
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Dress circa 1750-1800, wool and chintz.
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Dress circa 1770-1800, chintz and printed cotton
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Classic empire line gown, muslin with tambour, circa 1805
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Dress and outfit, circa 1855
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Late 19th century
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Silk velvet, chenille and chiffon created by Jean-Philippe Worth [nl], 1903
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Rayon with seed beads, circa 1925
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Dance dress, 1939
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Day dress, circa 1940s
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Lola Beer Ebner in "afternoon dress", 1950
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Blue satin cocktail dress, 1959
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Printed dress, circa 1960
  

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Jersey dress, circa 1970
  

  
  

  
  

Lengths

• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Gown or Long Dress - a woman's formal dress, usually having a floor-length skirt.^[58]

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Maxi dresses (c.1970) - maxi is a term used since the late 1960s^[59] for ankle-length, typically informal dresses.^[58]

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Midi dress - a “midi” is used to refer to any dress or skirt that has a hem which hits at mid-calf – halfway between the knee and ankle.^[58]

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Knee length dress- Hemline ends at knee height.^[58]

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Mini dress (1960s) - a very short dress that terminates above the knee.^[58][60]

  
  

  
  


• 
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Micro dress (right) with minidresses, 2008.- A microdress is an extremely short version of a mini.^[61]

  
  

  
  

See also

• History of Western fashion


• China poblana


• Granny dress


• Jumper dress


• Lingerie dress


• List of dresses


• Mantua


• 
  Sack-back gown (also known as robe à la française)
  


• Squaw dress

References

Citations

Sources

• 
  Bigelow, Marybelle S. (1970). Fashion in History: Apparel in the Western World. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Burgess Publishing Company. ISBN 9780808702610.
  


• Brockmamn, Helen L.: The Theory of Fashion Design, Wiley, 1965.


• 
  Darnell, Paula Jean (2000). From Victorian to Vamp:Women's Clothing 1900-1929. Reno, NV: Fabric Fancies. ISBN 9781887402156.
  


• 
  Cunningham, Patricia A. (2003). Reforming Women's Fashion, 1850-1920: Politics, Health and Art. Kent, Ohio: The Kent State University Press. ISBN 0873387422.
  


• 
  Delpierre, Madeleine (1997). Dress in France in the Eighteenth Century. Translated by Caroline Beamish. New Haven: Yale University. ISBN 9780300071283.
  


• 
  Edwards, Lydia (2017). How to Read a Dress: A Guide to Changing Fashion from the 16th to the 20th Century. London: Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 9781472533272.
  


• 
  Havelin, Kate (2012). Buckskin Dresses and Pumpkin Breeches: Colonial Fashions from the 1580s to 1760s. Minneapolis: Twenty-First Century Books. ISBN 9780761358879.
  


• 
  Krohn, Katherine (2012). Calico Dresses and Buffalo Robes: American West Fashions from the 1840s to the 1890s. Minneapolis: Twenty-First Century Bookos. ISBN 9780761380528.
  


• 
  Newman, Paul B. (2001). Daily Life in the Middle Ages. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 9780786408979.
  


• 
  Parezo, Nancy J.; Jones, Angelina R. (June 2009). "What's in a Name?: The 1940s-1950s 'Squaw Dress'". American Indian Quarterly. 33 (3): 373–404 – via EBSCOhost. (Subscription required (help)).
  


• 
  Picken, Mary Brooks (1957). The Fashion Dictionary: Fabric, Sewing, and Dress as Expressed in the Language of Fashion. New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.
  


• 
  Pietsch, Johannes (September 2013). "On Different Types of Women's Dresses in France in the Louis XVI Period". Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body & Culture. 17 (4): 397–416. doi:10.2752/175174113X13673474643084 – via EBSCOhost. (Subscription required (help)).
  


• 
  Pushkareva, Natalia (1997). Women in Russian History: From the Tenth to the Twentieth Century. Translated and edited by Eve Levin. Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe. ISBN 9780765632708.
  


• 
  Richards, Marlee (2010). America in the 1910s. Minneapolis: Twenty-First Century Books. ISBN 9780822534372.
  


• 
  Staples, Kathleen A.; Shaw, Madelyn (2013). Clothing Through American History: The British Colonial Era. Santa Barbara, California: Greenwood. ISBN 9780313084607.
  


• Stoykov, Lubomir (2016). Theoretical problems of fashion, Sofia: National Academy of Art.
  ISBN 978-954-9799-11-8
  


• Tozer, Jane, and Sarah Levitt: Fabric of Society: A Century of People and Their Clothes 1770–1870, Laura Ashley Ltd., 1983;
  ISBN 0-9508913-0-4
  

External links

• 
  Media related to Dresses at Wikimedia Commons