A Study on the Active children's Clothes in the Latter Part of the 18th Century in England -In Relation with Rousseau's Naturalism

18세기 후기 영국에서의 고중적인 어린이 의복 출현에 관한 연구-루소의 자연주의 교육사상과 관련하여-

  • 이선희 (중앙대학교 가정교육학과) ;
  • 신상옥 (중앙대학교 가정교육학과)
  • Published : 1998.07.01

Abstract

This dissertation is to help understanding about the emergence of active children's clothes in the latter part of the 18th century in England. In previous ages children had not been look-ed upon as children, but as incomplete and in-ferior men and women, the costume of children had not been distinguishable from that of their elders. The early eighteenth-century chil-d could not play in comfort because they dressed like their parents. But in the third quarther of the eighteenth century children became free from their con-comfortable and became active. English chil-dren's clothes was prevailing even in Europe as well. In the background of this liberation, there were many enlightened ideas, such as philosophers of enlightenment, doctors, writers, educators. Among these John Locke and Jean Jacque Rousseau criticized openly about rampant fashion which was distorting the body by corset and hoop. Rousseau was the one who wrote$\boxDr$Emile$\boxUl$and played the most important role to free children from an old fashioned idea, and emphasized to bring up children by the natural process of mental and physical development as human beings are a part of nature. Fashion reflects politic, economic, social, ideology, culture of the days and these factor function to create fashion which shows“Time Spirit”.Children's clothes, like those of their parents, follow the fashion, but with a difference, the form of which varies with the attitude to the child. Thus this dissertation was to study in relation with the background of the times in the latter part of 18th century in England and Rousseau's Naturalism in connection with the emergence of active children's clothes. The result is that diffusion of the idea of freedom and equality, the growth of bourgeoisie, the development of clothing and tex-tile industry have influenced to the emergence of active children's clothes. Also a great deal of middle and high class parents devoted to their children's education and was influenced by Rousseau's Naturalism. Specially the bourgeoisie who made their fortune by their own effort were eager to educate their achievement and business by their children through education. This factor influenced to the children's clothes as well.

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