Classic Styles. What's the Difference?

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Classic is known to be immortal. Everyone has heard about the classic style, but there are quite few people who can tell the difference between streams of it. It’s time to learn more about classic styles.

Antique style

It has five distinctive features: pattern, proportionality, expedience, symmetry and orderliness. For the first time in history a human body started to be considered the mirror reflecting the perfection of the world. Consequently, clothes had to meet the laws of logic and harmony. The above-mentioned features appeared as a result of that. What did they mean?

Pattern and orderliness found their expression in the use of fabrics with the width equal to the size of a loom. Clothes were not cut. They were vertically pursed. Proportionality and symmetry were so proper that clothes fitted a human body perfectly. Everyone followed a Greek motto ‘Everything in moderation’.

Expediency was very important, as clothes were to meet owners’ demands and fit their form. The antique style is the image of a ‘Greek column’ speeding high into the air, aiming at perfection. Here are its chief characteristics: monochrome delicate fabrics, plenty of vertical folds, a waistline zone, and sandal shoes – the objects of beauty were feet, not shoes. An outfit was laconic and elegant with no accents at all. All decorations were left for hair and accessories.



Roman style

The Roman style got the legacy of its antique parent. The clothes were rather comfortable and expedient. However, some uncharacteristic for the antique style extravagances appeared there were called ‘barbaric novelties’. The Roman style was very much influenced by the development of the home craft. A dress cut was still simple (sewn together with two seams). As folds disappeared, rich decoration appeared and accents passed on to the clothes. The distinctive features of the Roman style were: a straight cut, rich decorating expressed in edging, widened sleeves. This style found its reflection in the folk trend afterwards.

Gothic style

Fitting clothes appeared in the Gothic times. The clothes were cut and sewn very skillfully. Even now there exists an opinion that the gothic cut is unsurpassed. To understand the character of the gothic dress you should imagine the architecture of this style. Vertical lines are the main feature of it. Gothic style has the same aspiration for the high as the antique style. However, this aspiration is much more intense, even hypertrophied. The second feature is pointed details. A gothic outfit has pointed shoes, vertical cuts on sleeves, pointed cuffs and a V-neck. The third feature is the contrast to well-balanced antiquity, where everything was in moderation.

Renaissance

This style appeared under the influence of the humanistic ideas of Renaissance. The clothes aspired to the harmony expressed in the symmetry and absence of excess. Renaissance refuses out-of-order waistline – only natural proportions! Gothic once became number one enemy of antique ideals advocates. Later on wider and more natural outfits of Renaissance replaced a narrow gothic dress. The principal target of Renaissance fashion, according to its contemporaries, was the creation of rich and elegant clothes accenting human virtues. For the first time in history, a woman’s dress was divided into a long skirt and a bodice, sometimes with lacing. Lingerie was seen through cuts. You can distinguish the Renaissance clothes by the use of expensive fabrics and elaborate ornaments, unusual sleeve design (divided into several parts, cuts, puffs), the combination of two colors and materials.

Baroque

Baroque gave birth to new fabrics and decorations. The new epoch welcomed velvet and metal instead of silk and lace dominated earlier. This style is known as eccentric and luxurious. An outfit became so elaborate that it was impossible to differentiate the parts of it. Velvet camisoles with chains and buttons, wide cuffs and plenty of satin ribbons appeared. The women’s fashion introduced two skirts, one of them transformed by a wire loop. The baroque main principle was ‘Formality, Ceremonialism and Stiffness of heavy outfits.’

Rococo

It was France that offered an intimate style, later called ‘rococo’. The French court was the first one to get tired of the splendor of baroque. Huge garments of the previous epoch were reduced to natural human sizes. Another typical feature of this style is its proximity to nature. It was expressed, however, in a peculiar way: hairstyles were looking like flowers, fountains and even architectural constructions. The appearance of the first tailcoat awaited men and all the decorations were removed from their wardrobe. What are the distinctive features of rococo? Firstly, it’s the abundance of folds as satin was used everywhere. Secondly, it’s the appearance of gorgeous lingerie and stockings, and thirdly, the reign of pastel tones and abundance of accessories.



Empire Style

This style followed antique traditions as far as women’s fashion was concerned. The same laconism of lines, the same loose vertical folds. The difference was that waistline was just under the bust and the skirt skimmed the body. The balloon-sleeves appeared at that time. A low cut, a fine hairstyle and captivating simplicity became an absolute must. Shoes were similar to antique variant as well. Men’s clothes were another cup of tea. The dark tailcoat appeared in their wardrobe. A high collar with a tie, patterned waistcoat, and a cylinder complemented it.

Dandy

In the beginning of the 19th century the image of a decent and perfectly dressed gentleman appeared. George Brian Brummell was the most vivid model of dandyism born in England. The key dandy attribute was the outward simplicity of high-priced clothes combined with the perfect cut. Another must was a tie that became the only gaudy adornment on a white (color deviations were impossible) dress shirt.

Romanticism

Romanticism epoch was linked with the development of industry that allowed not only noblemen to dress well, but bourgeoisie, too. As a result, a bourgeois character dominated in clothes. A romantic-styled man had two gaudy parts: a collar that became even stiffer and higher and cuffs, being lower than sleeves of a frock coat. In the daytime a black tie decorated manly necks of gentlemen, in the evening they wore a white one. A soft felt hat was added. A woman’s dress has a tight bodice, wide sleeves, plenty of flounces, ruches and bows.

Modern style

Modern outfits quit all old norms and swear allegiance to completely new ideals. Nature became the inspirer for all outfits. Lily, chrysanthemum and orchid were the most widespread prototypes of women’s clothes. First, one and all were dressed in S-dress, but later Isadora Duncan set the fashion for loose transparent garments. Modernism is impossible to confuse with anything else. Its extravagance and ornamentation combined with fantastic images could strike any imagination.

Elena Zharina
Fashion Editor