THE SANS CULOTTES

The Sans Culottes of the 18th century French Revolution had an undeniable impact on society for their political radicalism and violent nature. Associated as the inferior, the militant group were disgruntled with the severe living conditions during the Ancien Regime and aimed to overthrow the aristocracy.

As the face of a revolution, the working-class ‘mob’ utilised their clothing as a symbol of freedom instead of oppression, “their working-class trousers served as shorthand for their radical pride in their humble origins and egalitarian values” (Chrisman-Campbell, n.d). Through looser fittings, short jackets, wooden shoes and a red cap of liberty, the Sans Culottes overthrown former customs of aristocratic breeches over stockings and fashioned their slouchy styling as a badge of honour. “The people had found a voice and suddenly the ordinary, the “artisans and peasants”, became extraordinary” (Werlin, 2017) thus demonstrating how the power of clothing and its ways of communication have in proving a statement of frustration which further converted the wealthier of the time to fear the ones they once looked down upon.

Researching into the Sans Culottes deeply inspired me since they have such great relatability to what Generation Alpha are enduring presently. Despite not associating themselves as a deprived class, Generation Alpha is deprived of support from the government and feel failed by the society decades before them. They have the same anger of the Sans Culottes and will want to utilise their individualistic and activist spark to make this known. How the Sans Culottes presented themselves wasn’t entirely radical, they homed in on what made them different from everyone else, which was their lack of luxury and angry demeanour, acting on this to create fashion history influencing today’s trends and runway experiences.

Perhaps this is an approach I should consider within my styling- what makes Generation Alpha disparate?

Progressing forward, I feel further research is necessary to determine what Generation Alpha’s ‘difference’ is to civilisation today and how they can home in on this to portray the shock factor as the Sans Culottes once did.