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The basic tendencies
Russian dress of the XVIII century developed according to the requirements of the common European fashion. The fashion was spread basically with the help of pret-a-porte, dresses ordered from Paris and London by well-to-do noblemen.
Female merchant dress was influenced by the fashion of aristocracy which could be seen in cutting and style, the way of wearing, accessories (kerchiefs, stockings, footwear). Thus, shirts and sarafans could be more low-necked, dushegreyas fitted very closely to the body, Russian headdress was tied in a turban manner as it was fashionable at that time
In contrast to a male suit a female dress was characterized by the greater diversity, brightness of combinations of colors (crimson, lilac, green, blue, red), with the use of sateen, velvet fabrics, expensive fur, fashionable high-heeled footwear.
There were no fashionable magazines at that time, but the information on fashionable dress novelties appeared in such popular magazines as "Hardworking bee", "Odds and ends", "Useful knowledge shop".
The basic silhouette of a female dress of the second half of the XVIII century, but for its last decade, was a silhouette strongly flaring to hips and to hem. Its low-necked bodice fitted closely to shoulders, breast and waist and had a wide frame skirt - panje, later it was called farthingale. Such a dress can be seen in the portrait of Sarah Eleanor Fermor by Vishnyakov (Vishnyakov: "Portrait of Sarah Eleanor Fermor").
In the 70s a profile silhouette, high hair-do and headdress decorated with ribbons, feathers, frills come in fashion in Russia as well as in the West.
Both male and female dress were made of imported expensive fabrics with rich trimmings: embroidery in gold and silver threads, jewels, the thinnest lace, gauze. Such luxury was frequently on the verge of wastefulness and ruined many noble families. During that period there was a widespread illusion of a reasonable and educated monarch who could solve all social problems by means of humane and just laws. It was tsaritsa Ekaterina who ordered to use expensive fabrics, trimmings and ornaments moderately.
Female dresses of Peter’s epoch were not preserved. During Elizabeth’s, the daughter of Peter, reign dresses were characterized by extreme splendour and richness. Court ladies wore low-necked dresses on a framework (a corset and farthingale). In 1720 a dress with a Vatto fold appeared.
The coronation dress of empress Elizabeth was made from silver silk brocade and was decorated with a gold lace on a corset and farthingale The lacy mantle of silver threads was put on shoulders After Elizabeth’s death there were up to 15 thousand of such magnificent dresses in her wardrobe.
In the 90th due to the influence of the fashion of Great French revolution epoch Russian women began to wear thin shirt-dresses with high waist, hair-does with ringlets or Greek knots and soft shoes without heels, with strings around the calves. Such dresses can be seen on portraits by Borovikovsky ( "Portrait of M.Lopukhina", "Portrait of the Gagarin sisters")
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