Description and comparison of Women's colonial dresses for daily work Essay

Description and comparison of Womens compound gear upes for daily work and outings - Essay ExampleThey often put on a shawl to hide a part of the exposed neckline. The lower garment was very heavier-than-air and full. During the earlier period, women used to put on one or more petticoats underneath the dress to give it the characteristic wide shape. Petticoats were worn to base on balls warmth. There was a turn in the 1700s, women began to put on hoops which had been made of whalebone underneath these skirts and dresses. For the next couple of years that followed, hoops of diverse forms were a frequent phenomenon of womens clothing (Erickson 125).characteristically long dresses also referred to as Mantua were worn during this time. They were mostly put on during the evening for charity events, balls and when on outings. These gowns were comprised of a bodice that enclosed a corset. In addition, ribbons, nettings and laces decorated the dresses. Mature women wore short-sleeved dres ses that were low cut thus disclosure the bosom. On the other hand, young girls were often advised not to circulate their cleavage. The skirts and dresses were ankle long and cover the petticoat though it was still visible at the hemline. Whenever women were outdoord, flat hats with wide brims and bonnets were worn.The very first Mantuas emerged during the late 17th century as a more comfortable option to the separate skirts and the boned bodices that were popular at the time. Its basic features were cuffed sleeves, elbow length and the overskirt was characteristically drawn back over the hips to reveal the petticoat underneath. In the mid 1700s, the Mantua had changed to a more official variation that was worn for court dress. The overskirt draping became increasingly more stylized, and the back panel nearly became hidden (Fisher 56).Even though the womans dress was basically and widely worn, it had quite a number of variations. For the women who worked, theirs was a plainer gar ment that was made of wool, linen, or heavy cotton. This was so because these fabrics