Manufacturers specialize in making cosmetics for the elite. The French and English courts encouraged the study of white powder and blush to beautify the face and cover facial scars.

These fashions even spread to the colonies.

Perfumers, hairdressers and pharmacists in the big cities provide a wide range of fashionable cosmetics for both women and men.

As defined by Marcel Mauss in the 1930s, true rituals are determined on the basis of a physical technique.

The interpretation and induction of facial expressions, widely disseminated in literature, was done within the framework of a coercive political and social structure, namely a court society that reinforced the primacy of sight over other senses. The 17th century witnessed the formation of the perfume industry, the rapid growth of the number of shops, the development of marketing strategies, and the creation of countless colors and flavors of goods. A 'nose', a painter and an alchemist all in one, perfumers have the knowledge and skills to stand at the crossroads of science and technology.

France. People with powder

Until the 17th century, wearing gloves was the prerogative of the elite. Gloves symbolized the wealth and status of the wearer and have since become a necessary accessory to clothing.

Although men's and women's gloves were similar at the beginning of the 17th century, they have developed many different colors, styles, and materials. Gloves were made of deer, sheep, and goat skins in various natural colors, and were gradually decorated with embroidery, gold, silver, or precious stones. The success of this accessory can be seen in the fabric gloves or crocheted gloves worn by the masses. Gloves have become a symbol of desire and elegance, and have no practical function. As a result, the commodity spawned a new set of rules. The new association between gloves and social status makes it a special gift.

Judges and senior officials regularly receive it. The gloves were not only a payment for their services, but also a symbol of state power. The value of a glove can increase if you sneak some money into it or spray it with perfume. New norms were formed, including the correct hand gestures for wearing or removing gloves. In the last years of the 17th century, a distinction began to be made between men's gloves and women's gloves. Women's gloves are colorful and end at the elbow; The style of men's gloves is more concise. In the Great Century, gloves were an essential complement to clothing, and so were handbags.

The rise of handbags is mainly due to the development of chess and cards. To carry and keep coins or chips, players use small flat handbags that match the shape of the table. To avoid confusion between gains and losses, players have their handbags embroidered with initials or arms. The 17th century saw an increase in the sophistication of handbags. The square handbags that had dominated for centuries were replaced by crescent, pentagonal, and shield bags, adorned with embroidered patterns that told the story or history of a colonial enterprise. Handbags have become a carrier of self-expression, fully showing the superior position of the user.

Finally, people are becoming more and more fond of shoes decorated with jewelry, and their great success is obvious to all. Extravagant Venetian shoes, such as high soles over 50 cm, made the height of the shoe a social symbol. At the court of France, the heels of both men and women were thinning. Expensive silk shoes are a sign of an idle lifestyle and accumulated wealth.

Samuel Pepys argues that shoelaces (originally intended only to tighten the shoe) assumed a more decorative function around 1660. Whether they are made of gold or silver wire, they are made into flower shapes and become true jewelry. Under James I (reigned 1603-1625), male fashion at court became more noticeable, with the wealthiest decorating their shoes with exaggerated bow or rose threads.

But during the reign of Charles I (1625-1649), political instability and war dominated Britain and Europe, and fashion products with military elements were popular, especially knee-high leather boots. Again, however, the French court set the tone. During the reign of Louis XIV, women's heels were 2-3 inches high. To show them off, women had to stretch their legs when curtsy because the long dress would cover them. The decoration of the shoes involved many techniques, such as silk, silk sash embroidery and gold and silver thread embroidery, and was done by embroidery guilds (dominated by men). At Versailles, shoes with red heels were only allowed to be worn at court, as they were considered a sign of nobility. This restriction gave red an aura of power, and it became the exclusive color of the aristocratic elite throughout Europe.

Some accessories are essential, but glasses are not. The pieces of glass that were polished and inserted into the frame - glasses did not have legs at the time - suggested a problem with the wearer's vision. The elite did not initially reject the use of glasses, but as they became widespread at all levels of society around 1700, they minimized their use in public.

So, for three centuries, glasses remained a private property. However, the objective need for them led to a change in the shape of the glasses. The handle, for example, provides an opportunity to demonstrate elegant gestures. A string or ribbon around the neck keeps the glasses readily available. Finally, a clever device was devised to make the glasses disappear in an instant when there was a temporary need: glass lenses mounted on either side of the screws in the middle of the glasses quickly folded over the frame - no one knew or saw the glasses.

Britain's early industrialisation was characterised by attempts to mechanise cotton production, making cotton more competitive with imported fabrics. Technological innovation and industrial capitalism combined to transform textile production. This combination is an important reason for the increase in the number and type of consumers, as well as the emergence of the consumer society.

The relatively cheap cotton cloth stimulated people's desire to consume, and began to become the flagship product of the clothing industry. As the population grew and marketing strategies developed, central towns encouraged a desire for ownership. Profit stimulates the nation's desire to create.

However, it was not until the 19th century that all members of society were able to buy products at a lower cost.

The disintegration of traditional social hierarchies in Western Europe, especially the emergence of the commercial bourgeoisie, blurred the boundaries of clothing value while confirming the importance of appearance.

The accelerating development of trade between Europe, Asia and the Middle East has provided many sources of inspiration, leading to unprecedented changes in basic clothing. Printing and dyeing became a means of changing colors, patterns and enhancing design accuracy, and was also used by newspapers and fashion brochures to print up-to-date information.

Fashion and accessories were designed throughout court life, especially in the second half of the 18th century. The Palace of Versailles was a "great merchant" and fashion had become part of Louis XIV's political power and influence in France. It was also a tool to restrain the nobility, who had long since been tamed and were busy all day spending large amounts of money to present themselves, and the means by which the monarch exerted pressure on them became simple.