ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

1600–1650 in Western European fashion

In the long long ago, between the years 1600 and 1650, fancy clothing in Western Europe was all the rage. This time period is often called the Baroque era, which means people liked their style to be very grand and exaggerated.

Ladies wore dresses that poofed out on the bottom, often called a "farthingale". These were made with lots and lots of fabric, and could be very colorful. They also wore tight corsets, which helped shape their figure into a kind of hourglass shape. Some of them even wore something called a "bum roll" under their dress to make their hips and butt look bigger.

For the gentlemen, they usually wore a kind of jacket called a doublet, which was fitted to their bodies and had sleeves that puffed out around the shoulders. They also wore pants called "breeches" which were tight around the waist and thighs, but then puffed out around the lower legs. They often wore boots or fancy shoes to finish off their outfit.

Everyone loved to accessorize too! Ladies often wore big, fancy collars and liked to put ribbons in their hair. Gentlemen wore hats and gloves, and sometimes carried around swords.

Overall, people during this time period liked to dress in a very grand, fancy way with lots of colorful fabrics and exaggerated shapes.