The Great Masculine Renunciation Essay - 737 Words

The Great Masculine Renunciation At the end of the 18th century there was one of the most significant events in the history of dress. Men gave up their right to all the bright, more elaborate, and more varied forms of clothing. They left all that to the women. Men abandoned their claim to be considered beautiful. They, instead, aimed at being useful in society. Those who have studied the situation all agree that the causes for these changes were primarily of political and social nature. The also believed that in their origin the causes were associated with the great social upheaval of the French Revolution. One of the purposes of decorative dress was to emphasize distinctions of rank and wealth. These distinctions, however, were†¦show more content†¦The change came when the pants were changed to go all the way down to the ankles. The pants were also a darker color, did not require fancy shoes, because the shoes were not as noticeable with the longer pant legs. Formerly, all work connected with economic acti vities of any kind (the production and distribution of goods or services) was considered degrading to the dignity of those who generally set the fashion. With the new ideals of the French Revolution, mans most important activities were passed in the workshop, the counting-house, or the office. These were the places which had, by long tradition, been associated with a relatively simple attire. The world has become aesthetically poorer for this change, as the result of which brightness and contrast have been replaced by dullness and similarity. There can be little doubt, however, that the drastic reduction of the decorative element in male clothing has, to some extent, achieved its aim. Two questions came about with these changes in clothing. The first being, why didnt these influences change womens costume in the same way as that of men? Taking the history of humanity as a whole, there can be little doubt that men have played a greater part in social life, and have been more easily i nfluenced by social factors, than have women. It can be said that if social and political influences have been the chief factors in bringing about the greater uniformity of mensShow MoreRelatedThe Uk And London Are The Home Of Global Menswear3235 Words   |  13 Pages1. Introduction ‘Britain, the UK and London are the home of global menswear’ (Menswear: British Fashion is GREAT, 2004, 6:41) Caroline Rush, chief executive of the British Fashion Council stated in a video to promote and celebrate British Menswear. 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