Hip Young Things

Anyone who’s ever begun to explore a career in fashion has discovered how much history is involved. The history of fashion demonstrates some of the more fascinating aspects of the history of cultures in the world. Trends change over time, and not over the whims of designers, at least not until very recently. They are reflections of the time, and are more related to class and status than they are to the particular palette of colors for the season.

Nowhere does this become more evident than in theatre, and the costumer designers here have to know as much about history as they do about fabric. Really effective theatre costumes will draw on the past as well as the present. Designers and costume shops will be meticulous about the details, so that the customs of their time are represented visually, but also so that the newest technologies are utilized to make them as comfortable as possible.

The hoop skirts of the 19th century were at the high end of the fashion for their time, but to custom craft a dress utilizing the same materials and manufacturing techniques wouldn’t be useful for the stage. It would be too weighty to move in, for one thing, and it would take an extra month of rehearsals to get the actor used to the costume. Designers for the theatre, then, have a challenging job, combining detail with practical applications.

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