A Study on the Characteristics of Women's Costumes in the Ends of Centuries

근세이후 여성복식에 나타난 세기말 현상에 관한 연구

In a turn a century, the skepticism, mysticism and eroticism used to prevail, the people becoming anxious, expectative and doubtful about an oncoming age. The costumes tend to become more exciting and erotic in the fashion. This thesis is on understanding “What would 21 century's clothes be\ulcorner” after analyzing the specific points in an end of the century. The characteristics found from 16th century to 20th century are going to the extremes in the shapes, consistent appearance of bustle style costumes and excessive ornaments which are closely interrelated with one another. I expect the fashion in 21st century would be changed in two ways. Firstly, going to the extremes and stressing on the buttock would be going down in the end of 1999. Secondly, the comfortable clothes highest in function and technology, and also friendly to the environment, might be the main stream, rather then outwardly good looking clothes, because spirit and environment is much more emphasized than the mode by the social impact or pressure in the next era. (Korean J Human Ecology 2(1) : 114~128, 1999)