Aesthetic Characteristics of Elegance Expressed on Fashion Since 1990s

The purpose of this study is to interpret the elegant dressing visualized in modem fashion on the basis of the concept of elegance in dress and its aesthetic characteristics from the holistic viewpoint. Elegance in dress is based upon the idea of aristocratic taste cultivated by good breeding, considering from the documentary study. It is expressed visually through not only the carefully contrived dress but also a sort of aura of dressed body with skillful ease. The aesthetic values of elegance consist of luxury, nobility, refinement, femininity, harmony. To grasp the trends of elegant styles since 1990s, contents analysis of the articles related to elegance in Vogue has been done. As a result, they have been classified into four groups of elegant styles which are Classic, Elaborate Couture, Soft Minimalism, Kitsch Elegance. Classic Elegance and Elaborate Couture Elegance represent traditional ones with conservative viewpoint. Soft Minimalism Elegance is a modem version of elegance. According to postmodernism as a open system, even kitsch has been refined to keep accompany with elegance fur aristocratic taste of high class. As a result of this study, in fashion from the 16th century to the first half of 16th century, elegance has been one of the significant aesthetic categories, resulting from the absolute domination of taste of high society. However in the end of 20th century it seems to start to fade in fashion trends such as mass fashion, youth culture, casual fashion etc. Rather, it can be thought that elegance has been expressed as one of the aesthetic values in dress, by virtue of its value of high class as well as its conservative stability.