The White Shirt

From Harper's Bazaar:

The first moment that some iteration of the white shirt found itself in the spotlight in women’s fashion was back in the 18th century, when Marie Antoinette wore a ruffled cotton robe de gaulle in a 1783 portrait, causing something of a scandal at the time. The portrait, painted by Madame Vigée-Lebrun, depicted the royal in a loose, billowing white blouse dress with minimal jewellery – a far more toned-down and relaxed ensemble than were usually seen in the portraits of her day. The queen’s decision to pose in what was essentially her underwear caused uproar, as did the fact that she was wearing cotton, a relatively inexpensive material compared with the finest silks thought to be more befitting of a royal. 

 

Many historians note the enormous impact this portrait of Marie Antoinette had on the textile industry, encouraging the cotton business and therefore the institution of slavery to grow during and after her lifetime. These ramifications might sound extreme, but the royal’s significant presence on the world stage gave her huge influence; her choice to wear a white cotton blouse a few centuries ago certainly contributed to the white shirt being such a dominant piece in our wardrobes today. But it is also clear now that this seemingly frivolous fashion moment led to catastrophic consequences. 

 

“Marie Antoinette and her fellow fashion trendsetters made cotton desirable,” Caroline London explained in an in-depth account of the historical moment for Racked. “Technology and slave labour made it affordable. It was the perfect storm. The affordability increased the desirability, resulting in an even higher demand, which in turn increased the mass production so that the price dropped even further.” (Read more.)

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