Dress 1935 - 1942

Melita Hofmann made this pencil drawing of a dress, of unknown date. The design evokes the Empire silhouette that was fashionable in Europe from the late 1790s to the 1820s. The high waist and simple lines of this dress, favored by elites in France, England, and beyond, reflected Enlightenment values of rationality and order. After the French Revolution, aristocratic excess was out, and a Neoclassical aesthetic was in. Thinkers like Rousseau had advocated for more natural forms of dress, and this new style, which emphasized the body's natural shape, was seen as more virtuous and modern. Of course, its simplicity was deceiving. These dresses were often made from expensive, imported fabrics and required elaborate undergarments to achieve the desired shape. Consider the social implications of such designs. Historians consult fashion plates, portraits, and extant garments to understand better the relationship between fashion, class, and social change in this period.