Modern fashion and fashions of the past are as different as night and day. The two are controlled by two main things; style and a person’s place in the world (their finances).
Today’s basic wardrobe will consist of whatever clothing a person needs for work ( a suit or nice dress, uniform, or work clothes), clothing for going out (party dresses, suits, etc.), clothing for sleeping or lounging, and clothing for when you are just living (tees, jeans, sports attire, etc.).
For the purpose of this comparison, the fashion of the Victorian period will be used. The Victorian wardrobe consisted of clothing for the day and clothing for sleeping. Many times the undergarments would be used for both purposes.
The designs of the fashions of today are very different from the designs of the past. Rather than having a few pieces of clothing for the entire year with the addition of a wrap for warmth in the winter, entire wardrobes are seasonal with one wardrobe for warm temperatures and another for the cool seasons. The designs now are basic with additions of ruffles, ribbon, pleats, and other things to decorate the basic items. An example would be the basic a-line dress for a girl. An a-line is a shift dress. It buttons at the shoulders and gradually increases its width to form a bell shape. But this basic shape is used by many children’s clothing designers. They make it their own by what they added to it. Accessories are used, but they tend to add to the style of the garment rather adding bulk.
The Victorian period used many elaborate ways of expressing themselves through their fashion. The women wore dresses that consisted of many yards of fabric covering them from neck to floor and from shoulder to wrist. Under these dresses were many slips, hoops and petticoats. The dress was adorned with vests, waist lets, large pleated collars, high, stiff hoods and trains. There were, also, pleats, ruffles, tapestries,