What inspired fashion trends before movies, television, and music?

Question

Most of today's fashion trends seem to be inspired by Hollywood celebrities, movies, television, and musicians.

What inspired fashions, prior to the mid-to-late1800s, before the invention of movies, tv, and modern music?

Was it possibly the stageshows of the day, as well the wealthy, and royalty?

Answer 1

Textiles and fabrics have also always inspired fashion and fuelled creativity. Timeless fabrics such as lace, silk etc date back earlier than the 1800's. Arguably fashion is a traditional art form. Example ; the asian geisha girls and the history behind the komono. Many cultures predate hollywood fashion trends with their own societal fashion needs and wants.

Answer 2

These people are talking about clothes there is a differance between clothes and fashion we NEED clothes and we WANT fashion. fashion as we know it today has come along day. Fashion started out in Paris with the Couture deisgners, these designers were inspired by people, back in the day couture was custom made for a particular person. Many couturiers then branched into designing collection and these were again inspired by art and theatre. The Ballet Russe was a ballet company from russia beleive it or not lol. Picasso designed the backdrops and Paul Poiret designed the costumes and they were mostly inspired by middle eastern and asian traditional costumes. hope this was helpful

Answer 3

Function inspired trends in the past. We read a chapter about function inspired fashion in a class I took a year or two ago.

Answer 4

ok, this is not too tough to answer , but just too long for th scope of this , anyways...in brief: all trends started with evolution of any pc of clothing, evolution as per the need of the hour, it all started (in recordes) with the leather skin draped around and then fabric draped around as toga's (in graeco roman), and then the need of the inner wear, hence the birth of the chemise (or shirt as we know it), somewhere it was also the culture, like it was better for women to be busty and have clinched waist - and hence the corset, likewise there is a rich need based history to each article of clothing, even trims as well , like buttons, zippers and even velcro's.

Answer 5

I think fashion that long ago was styled more for function rather than fashion. And also religion was a big factor!

Answer 6

Harper's Bazaar magazine and the illustrations (Gibson girls come to mind)

Answer 7

id guess mostly royalty.. like the kings and queens...