18th c. Fashion & the Ballet
The ornament of eighteenth-century
shoes would have been complemented
and matched by that of the clothing. Women’s dress was extremely
ornate, adorned with lace, embroidery and printed textiles. The layers
of heavy fabric, such as silk brocade, that constituted the skirts of these
dresses, would have made them a considerable burden to bear (Starobinski
et al. 1990). As well,
the fashions of the times dictated that the widths of skirts be
so
extreme
that supports worn under the clothing, called panniers, were devised to
hold the weighty layers of fabric aloft, enhancing the appearance of the
corseted waistline and the hips of these women (Starobinski
et al. 1990). The substantial
bulk of their dresses would have restricted the movement of courtly women
and their participation in balletic performances was limited.