Parallel with the emergence of modern national identity and culture, from the late
18th to the early 20th century an emphasized consciousness underlined the attempt
to create a ‘national’ dress. In the court cultures of Europe, a shift in the style
of representation from ‘international’ to ‘regional/ethnic’ and ‘national’ served
the aim of updating the monarch's role. Royals reaffirmed their sense of belonging
to their own ‒ or adopted ‒ nations through the conscious introduction of national
elements into the dress code of the court. Royal courts also played a leading role
in the myth-making process surrounding the so-called national style. The connection
between power, prestige, and the dynamics of costume as a fashion statement is obvious
in this process.
