ColorAcademy 2005

<< Return to Introduction
History of Fashion in Europe

Conclusion

Colour in Fashion: A ‘Generations’ Theory

From one point of view, history can be perceived as a continuously unfolding process, distributed more or less arbitrarily with various ‘milestones’, marking what may be judged to be decisive events.

What is proposed in this section is an artificial partition of the last five centuries of European development into a succession of reasonably distinct generations, which might usefully be used to document a history of colour in art, design and fashion.

In attempting to discern symptoms of colour-form preference in examples of fine and decorative arts in any given generation, one may observe that new sets of ideas that emerge in each generation are propagated through their peak before they eventually lose their momentum. Following a period of transition, a seemingly novel set of ideas and values is seen to emerge, which similarly reaches its peak of influence before it, too, falls into decline. Instead of moving into wholly ‘new’ territory, however it would appear that the art of each successive generation re-adopts many of the observable characteristics or values of the generation-before-last.

Fig. 14

In what might be termed a ‘Puritan’ generation, the social and artistic climate appears to favour he individual who seeks (or seeks to establish) a set of rational rules or concepts to which others are also expected to conform. Commonly, at the peak influence of such a generation, there is a dogmatic belief that there is a ‘right’ or sanctioned way of doing things. The Puritan typically holds an altruistic belief, expressed in the moral and philosophical doctrines of his time, in the merit of collective responsibility within an approved group of like-minded individuals. Puritan dress generally seems to favour austerity and colourlessness, and a somewhat hard-edged, square and ‘masculine’ appearance.

Fig. 15

Conversely, in what might be called a ‘Cavalier’ generation, the social and artistic climate appears to favour he individual who seeks to dispense with preconceived notions, preferring instead to speculate on new or alternative points of view. Commonly, at its peak of influence, there is tolerance and a belief that there is no single, sanctioned way of doing things. The Cavalier typically rejects notions of collective responsibility in favour of self-sufficiency and self-indulgence. Cavalier dress in general favours over-decoration and colourfulness, and a somewhat soft-edged, rounded and ‘feminine’ appearance. It is predicted that a generation of New Cavaliers will predominate circa 2015-45.

General references

Michael & Ariane Batterbury (1977), Fashion: The Mirror of History. New York: Greenwich House.

Cecil Beaton (1954), The Glass of Fashion. London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson.

J. Anderson Black, Madge Garland & Frances Kent (1975), A History of Fashion. London: Orbis Publishing.

Nicholas Coleridge (1988), The Fashion Conspiracy. London: Heinemann.

Millia Davenport (1972), The Book of Costume. New York: Crown.

Amy de la Haye (1988), Fashion Source Book. London: Macdonald.

Carl Köhler (1963), A History of Costume. New York: David McKay.

James Laver, ed. (1965), Fashion: From Ancient Egypt to the Present Day. London: Paul Hamlyn.

James Laver (1969), Costume and Fashion. London: Thames & Hudson; New York: Harry N. Abrams.

Cathy Meeus, ed. (1991), The Illustrated Dictionary of 20^th Century Designers. New York: Mallard Press.

Caroline Milbank (1985), Couture: The Great Designers. New York: Stewart, Tabori & Chang.

John Peacock (1986), Costume 1066-1990s. London: Thames & Hudson.

Natalie Rothstein, ed. (1984), Four Hundred Years of Fashion. London: Victoria & Albert Museum.

O.E. Schoeffler & William Gale (1973), Esquire’s Encyclopedia of 20^th Century Men’s Fashions. New York: McGraw Hill.

Geoffrey Squire (1974), Dress and Society. New York:Viking Press.

Naomi Tarrant (1994), The Development of Costume. London: Routledge.

R. Turner Wilcox (1969), A Dictionary of Costume. New York: Charles Scribner.

Elizabeth Wilson & Lou Taylor (1989), Through the Looking Glass. London: BBC Books.

<< Return to Introduction