The Notions Of Sensibility

Suzanna Beckford (1756) - Sir Joshua Reynolds

A Laundry Maid Ironing (1765) - Henry Morland

Portait of a Lady (1968) - Francis Cotes

Mrs Cadoux (1770) - Unknown, British School

The Artist's Daughter, Mary (1777) - Thomas Gainsborough

A Girl Buying A Ballad (1778) - Henry Walton

Giovanna Baccelli (1782) - Thomas Gainsborough

Mrs Currie (1789) - George Romney

Anna Maria Ferri (1790) - Robert Fagan

Mrs Williams (1790) - John Hoppner

In an earlier post I touched upon the impact of politics and social theory on men's fashion of the second half of the Eighteenth Century. I thought it would be particularly interesting to look at women's fashion of the same period and the different priorities behind their clothing and the 'image', so to speak, that they required their clothing to convey.

As I previously mentioned men's fashion of this period gradually became more conservative, a prerequisite of the new social orders being promoted by the thinkers of the Enlightenment and the political aspirations fuelling the French and American Revolutions. However women's fashion was to follow a different trend based upon the conceived notions of the woman's visual role in society. For the most part it would follow the same course it had in the years preceeding the era of Revolution, it remained decorative and lavish.

Social precedence of this period stated that the focus of a viewing a woman should not be her personality, rather her outward fashion and aesthetic beauty. Therefore, unlike the portraits of men from this period, women were shown as wearing beautifully adorned garments with the ideals of delicacy and spontaneity. These ideals clearly contrasting to the idea of the 'man of feeling', shown as introspective and pondering the philosophical notions of his time. The woman of the period did not have the 'calm granduer', rather a delicate beauty like a figurine carved of porcelain. Indeed this ideal is clearly seen in the fashion of the time, with cinched waists and layered fabrics to achieve the dramatic body shape. The woman was required to look perfect at all times, paying great attention to the detailing of both her clothing and her personal looks.

Ruffles and delicate fabrics such as lace were used to emphasis the 'womanly' qualities of the wearer. Similarly small details were often incorporated into the individual looks to both add beauty, but also almost as badges of their personality. A certain flower may be chosen for its beauty, but equally could be shown for its ties to a certain cause or family. Often a symbolic context could be found to the majority of small adornments. Hair was of equal importance to clothing during this period, usually having one prevailing trend. The wig gained popularity and by the 1770s were very elaborate and highly stacked, often with many little details including ribbons, flowers and even carved or ceramic decorative objects. However by the 1980s the wig lost prominence to a more natural style of massed and beautifully kept curls.

It is often thought that men's fashion simply follows behind the trends of women's fashion. It is therefore interesting to view this period in history where the two were so dramatically different, one conservative and held back, the other elaborate and highly decorative. Both perfectly reflect the expected and prevalent notions of gender roles of this period, much of which still survives till today.

Images courtesy of Tate Britain.

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