Summer's Over but Fashion Never Takes a Holiday

Hi everyone,

So I got back from a brief trip to England last Monday. I went to see family, learn to drive and say goodbye to my boyfriend who has just moved back there for Uni. It was a very emotional trip with the stress of driving and having to say goodbye but it was definitely very refreshing.

On the Tuesday I started back at college. Four of us in 2nd year and five in 1st year. It's nice to see the girls again after the Summer break and it looks like the school has changed alot. More structure in our classes and a new teacher who seems really positive and passionate about her subject, not to mention knowing alot about it. She's teaching us Fashion History which I find really interesting and through the week we've had lectures on fashion throughout the eras. She also brought some vintage outfits in for us to measure and look at. One thing I particularly noticed was how the corset has been apparent from the 1600s until really quite recently. Although it has changed in shape, fabric, look and purpose, it was still a fundamental part of women's fashion and indeed their persona. It was such an unhealthy, uncomfortable and difficult item of clothing, so why did women embrace it so whole-heartedly and hold onto it for so many hundreds of years? So this brings me to my first rhetorical question: Who actually invented the corset? Who thought it would be a good idea to restrict women so? If anyone can enlighten this subject for me then I welcome comments.

Another thing I realised during lectures is that from the 1600s until 1900, the style of women's dress didn't actually progress that much. Yes, the fashions changed but the basic long skirt, corset type style actually stayed very similar for hundreds of years. And then suddenly, BAM! (ok I don't normally say that kind of thing but I thought I'd try it out!) the 1900s arrived and fashions progressed, became more racey and seemed to make up for lost time. And you think, from the beginning of the 20th century corsets were still a big part of women's style, then the war came and designers had to radically change and simplify what were formally very extravagent creations, the seventies hit and fashion was more than ever, a symbol of status and a way in which to express personality, then on to the Eighties where scrunchies, neons and ripped jeans which were previously unheard of became a kind of uniform, to the modern day where pretty much anything goes and we take inspiration from absolutely every era in history.

So I won't rant on for too much longer, although as you can tell, I have alot of thoughts on this! We still have the rest of this week on Fashion History so I'l keep you posted.

Loveness,
Maria
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