The fashion style of the 18th century reflected the morals of the time. Most folks dressed conservatively. Women, for instance, showed very little skin but accentuated their figures. Men wore clothes that advertised their trade or business occupations.
This "dress code" was a remnant of the trade guilds of the 16th and 17th centuries. It is evident in the paintings and drawings of the time. To be sure, you could tell a businessman from a laborer by the way they dressed.
In the 18th century, wigs, specifically powdered wigs were in fashion. Both men and women wore them, especially the upper classes and royalty. These wigs were usually powdered white.
Several websites cover 18th-century fashion. Some have histories of fashion, while others are merchant websites that sell patterns or completed clothing. Some cater to reenactment enthusiasts, while others work with theaters and movie production companies.
The first Web site to visit is The History of Costume - Index. This is an index of plates from a book on fashion history. The book was written in the Victorian era, and for this reason, the images are decidedly Victorian in nature and view. These plates give a general idea of what the fashions of the period looked like.
You can purchase 18th and 19th Century Historic Clothing Patterns from the James Townsend & Son, Inc. website. It shows prices and ordering information. This is a good place for the living history community. Another part of this site offers 18th and 19th-century hats and bonnets.
Living history museums are another place to see the fashion of the times. At Colonial Williamsburg, you can see what people did and how they dressed.
The Milliner was the place to go to get fabrics and other accessories for your wardrobe.
Shoes were made to order in the 18th century. You had to go to the Boot and Shoemaker to order your new shoes.
To be fashionably dressed in the 18th century meant dressing from the head down. The exact dress of the head was as important as any other article or garment in the mode of the day. Therefore, you would go to the Wigmaker to get your wig.