Fashion in the Eighteenth Century: Some Anglo-French Comparisons

Abstract

Consumers in 18th-century France and England used fashion more intensively than those in other periods to define status and reflect cultural beliefs. In England, the trend toward utilitarian and informal apparel was embraced by a wide range of classes. In France, the opulent fashions worn by the court were the dominant influence. Those in the English upper classes who aspired to be a la mode studied the French and were frequently ridiculed for their efforts by the press and by artists. Many in England perceived French fashion as not only ridiculous but often obscene, particularly women's fashions. Toward the end of the century, as France moved toward the Revolution, the more egalitarian and comfortable fashion of the English became dominant.

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