Baroque Period
During the rise of Louis XIV, the Sun King, and his court at Versailles, signaled the dawn of the Classical Baroque era in art, architecture, music, and fashion.
It was defined by natural, curving silhouettes, flowing lines, gold filigree, rich colors, and overall voluptuousness.
Clothing contained an abundance of lace, pearls, ribbons, and gold embroidery, and was refreshingly free from the excessive decoration of the Renaissance. Fashion changed rapidly: the growing middle class would copy the styles of the nobles, who would in turn create new fashions to stay more “refined” than the middle class.
Unlike earlier periods, where bodices, sleeves, skirts, jackets, and breeches were made to mix and match, clothing during this period was made as separate and entire matching outfits, often made of the same fabric. This was referred to as en suite, and was the predecessor for our modern-day “suit.”
Seasonality also began to be widely used, a grateful relief from yearlong, heavy gowns and doublets as worn during the Renaissance. The most important development of this period was the rise of fashion designers after Louis XIV certified the establishment of a dress-makers guild. This profession contained both men and women. The most popular designers were well-pursued by the nobility and even the middle class.
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