Inconvenience in the Rococo style: how court ladies wore puffy mantova dresses

  • Jul 28, 2022
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Inconvenience in the Rococo style: how the ladies of the court wore puffy mantova dresses

Fashion trends often amaze with their unusual twists - what was a real squeak today, tomorrow may turn out to be bad manners. And sometimes it just completely meets the trends of the times. A striking example of such a trend was the Rococo era, which demanded maximum splendor and wealth, including in clothing. Therefore, there is nothing surprising in the fact that it was then that one of the most voluminous styles of the dress appeared - the mantova. It just looks like it was hardly comfortable to put on and wear.

As uncomfortable as it is a luxurious dress. Photo: bigpicture.ru
As uncomfortable as it is a luxurious dress. /Photo: bigpicture.ru
As uncomfortable as it is a luxurious dress. /Photo: bigpicture.ru

Baroque and Rococo fashion is the epitome of pomp in every sense. The clothes of the nobles were full of a variety of curls and patterns, they were distinguished by pomp and relief, delicacy and deliberate wealth. This was reflected in the entire image of the then fashionista: powdered curled wigs with bows at the back, men's colorful camisoles, which decorated with bright frills or bright scarves, and, of course, women's puffy dresses, decorated with all kinds of ruffles, ribbons or feathers.

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Rococo fashion is bright and memorable in every sense. /Photo: fashion.artyx.ru, pinterest.com
Rococo fashion is bright and memorable in every sense. /Photo: fashion.artyx.ru, pinterest.com

The most prominent example of a Rococo style dress was the mantova, also known as the grand pannier, which is a colossal dress, sometimes reaching more than two meters in width. Such an unusual silhouette required a certain frame, which in this case was located under the petticoats and supported by crinoline or fizhm - structures made of whalebone, vines and even wire, which in appearance is a structure of fastened at a certain distance hoops.

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Original crinoline for mantova dress. /Photo: fishki.net
Original crinoline for mantova dress. /Photo: fishki.net

Actually, there is nothing surprising in the fact that this dress lasted in fashion for a relatively short time, while the baroque and rococo era itself existed. There are two main reasons for the fragility of the grand pannier. So, the silhouette of this dress was aimed at complying with the then traditions and unspoken rules. For example, the main task of the mantua dress was to create space around the lady, and a separate charm was given to the image of the lady by the fact that the tip of a woman's shoe was visible from under the skirt.

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Putting on and wearing this dress was a real challenge. /Photo: tkaner.com
Putting on and wearing this dress was a real challenge. /Photo: tkaner.com

But the second reason was purely practical - this dress was terribly uncomfortable, and the process of putting it on was time-consuming and long: according to the editors of Novate.ru, it often took at least one and a half to two hours. The grand pannier was dressed according to the following algorithm: first, a corset and pantaloons were put on, then hoops were put on, petticoats were tied on them, and then the dress itself. And I had to wear this design all day. The mantua weighed quite a lot, and it was more or less comfortable to stand in it. However, women had to endure, because wearing a grand pannier in those days was elevated to a real cult.

Want to learn more about how the standards of female beauty have changed throughout history? Then read:
Canons of beauty: what ideal women looked like in ancient times and until the 21st century
Source:
https://novate.ru/blogs/290422/62848/