TheUnstitchd
The story of a man’s suit is as old as the world. This integral part of the men’s wardrobe has gone a long way in evolving from the skins worn by primitive people to the elegantly comfortable Brioni or Kiton worn by celebrities, businessmen and politicians. But, the usual costume for us was acquired only in the XIX century, and before that, it was a constant transformation. Historians claim that the main components of men’s suits – jacket, vest, pants – appeared in the Renaissance. But their unification into one ensemble took place in the middle of the nineteenth century. So, how can the history of men’s fashion be interesting as an essay topic? What do you write about when you combine this topic with an essay about happiness? Read our article and you will find out.
1. Centuries of experimentation and change
It should be noted that up to the nineteenth century, this type of clothing, as a men’s suit, was available only to the aristocracy and the nobility. Hence the splendor of the first outfits. The seventeenth-century man’s suit of modern man, quite rightly, seems too lush.
Aristocrats’ clothing was an integral part of the wardrobe, with shirts with wide sleeves, decorated with ruffles, lace front, and cuffs. The role of the jacket was played by colts – fitted sleeveless jackets. The image of the man was complemented by trousers – narrow straight trousers to the middle of the calves, decorated with embroidery on the sides and lace ruffles from below.
This kind of decoration in its variations could be seen both on the nobility and on the military, for example, on musketeers. In the second half of the seventeenth century, a more colorful decoration came into fashion, which was influenced by the semi-childlike appearance of the young King Louis XIV.
2. A century of elegance
In the seventeenth century, men’s clothing history changed again. The rule of men’s fashion was considered by France. Therefore, the most common type of men’s suit was “French dress”. Such clothing was worn by the nobility and the wealthy middle class.
In the first half of the eighteenth century, a long hollow camisole or a Westcoat, usually with long sleeves, in the tone of the upper dress or contrasting with it in color, was worn on the shirt.
By the middle of the XVIII century, the camisole loses its sleeves but retains its length up to the middle of the thigh. In the second half of the XVIII century, the camisole was transformed into a vest. Unlike later models, the vests of the XVIII century had a standing collar. From under the camisole or vest, a frog or shirt trim was produced.
3. The beginning of the era of modern costume
At the beginning of the XIX century, the main representative of the men’s suit was a coat. It was worn not only as a court suit and uniform but also simply in everyday life.
In the 1940s, the tailcoat finally disappeared from everyday life, retaining the role of formal wear until now. Men also wore white shirts with a high starch collar, waistcoats of various styles, wide monochrome or colorful ties that were tied around the neck with a bow.
It is no wonder that our mood often depends on what we wear. Here is a funny fashion fact for students writing essays on happiness: an interesting feature of the old suit is that by the end of the XVIII century, the pants had to be worn with suspenders, so they did not fit the figure and had no folds. It was not until the end of the eighteenth century, when they were paired with a tailcoat that they began to be cut to fit exactly the features of the figure. Then there were folds on the trousers that made them fit into the waist.
The jacket as an element of the suit appears in the men’s wardrobe until the middle of the XIX century. The jacket and trousers were so comfortable and functional that by the early 1990s they had replaced most of the men’s wardrobe of previous centuries. In 1901, the jacket became casual wear of the English King Edward VII.
4. The costume is the second “I”
Nowadays, the suit has become so popular that a huge number of different brands have appeared in the world. And the undisputed leader in the production of modern men’s suit is retained by Italy.
Most experts agree that Kiton is the quintessence of modern costume, a combination of style and comfort. This is a brand that creates a total look. For example, Stefano Ricci boasts high-quality things, but they create the only design and sew others. Kiton is 100% handmade, moreover, a closed production cycle – from a unique pearl button to a finished suit.
Another major difference is that many well-known brands are being bought for frolics and to emphasize their high status once again, and Kiton can be called the chosen brand of people who love themselves. You won’t see any flashy labels or stripes on it – it’s all hidden inside the product.
Conclusion:
It is very interesting to see the change in men’s fashion through the centuries. What royals once wore now would look ridiculous and inappropriate. Now diverse men’s fashion offers many opportunities for men to update their image.