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Men's, Women's & Children's Fashions During the French Revolution

Fashions for Men!

The turn of the century saw a lot of changes in fashions for men, women and children. Fashion changes often follow major political, social, and military crisis. The social changes brought about by the French Revolution had profound effects throughout Europe. During the 19th century, men's garments, followed the example of the civilian male attire of the French Revolution. Fashion developed simple, practical forms much better adapted to a life of activity than were the elaborate costumes of the past.

As social attitudes in Western Europe and America changed, so did clothing styles. With the emphasis on democracy and the glorification of the common man, clothing became less ornate, less ostentatious. In America, by the time Thomas Jefferson was inaugurated (1801), he followed the fashion of his time by taking the oath wearing a plain blue coat, drab colored waistcoat, green velveteen breeches with pearl buttons, yarn stockings, and slippers.

The most important development of the century was the transformation of men's knee breeches into trousers, and the creation of the lounge suit, which today is worn for almost all occasions.

Fashion for Women

After the French Revolution, one of the major changes was toward fashions which moved in a freer, more open style and away from the elaborate aristocratic fashions of the late 18th century.

Fashion for Children

The principle of distinct fashions for children had become established by 1800 and continues to this day. In past years, boys would have simply followed the fashion changes for men. Some of the most important styles were dresses and pettie coats (for little boys) and tunics and skeleton suits (for older boys).

Boys' Clothes During the 1800's

The age at which a boy was "breeched" (allowed to wear breeches or trousers) varied from family to family. Some boys as young as 4 might be dressed in more boyish skeleton suits, or later in the decade in tunics. Often boys as old as 5 or 6 continued to wear dresses, some boys for several more years.

While the age boys wore girlish dresses varied, the fashion of dressing children in juvenile fashions was well established by the beginning of the century. Boys would wear juvenile fashions until reaching their teens.

Below is one of the student's sketches showing her interpretation of fashions for women after the Revolution.