What was the popular style of clothing worn by non-peasant/middle-class/gentry in the 16-17th centuries?

by Nightmare_Pasta

Any answers from different periods and places, specifically of European influence, are welcome, such as Napoleonic Europe, 7 years war, pre-revolutionary war America, etc.

If this question has been answered a long time ago, I would appreciate if one can link any, if there are, information about the topic.

colevintage

This is an incredibly broad question since fashion is changing notable every decade during that time period. If you are looking for a general costume history overview of the pre-modern era I'd start by looking for some books in your local library. They're generally vague and sometimes use outdated ideas, but it's always a good base to start with. Sometimes even Barnes & Noble carries "Fashion", a book covering some of the Kyoto Costume Institutes collection from 18th-20th c. From there, researching original garments on museum collection websites or portraiture and fashion plates can give you a more detailed idea of the styles once you know the garment names and basic shapes. The Met Museum and the V&A have two of the largest online collections. Pinterest is also very helpful for this kind of search, though things are not always well documented and modern reproductions slip in occasionally. There are also many in-depth books on these eras, though none that covers the whole of it in great detail.

The Tudor Tailor, Seventeenth-century Women's Dress Patterns Book One and Book Two, and What Clothes Reveal are some of my often referenced books. There are many more depending on whether you are more interested in the clothing construction side, the high fashion, textiles, or trade and everyday wear.