How Dressing Tables Have Evolved Over Time

The dressing table or vanity is one of the few pieces of furniture that has disclosed more about popular tastes, leisure activities, and shifting social mores. Much of the long history of the dressing table's design, as well as many of the items connected to the toilette, the ritual in which the dressing table attained new levels of elegance and sophistication, is informed and animated by the age-old drive to be attractive or stylish.

In this article, we’ll take all dressing table enthusiasts (or researchers) on a walk down history lane as we touch upon important milestones in the evolution of the dressing tables. 

Origins

The Latin root vanus, which means "idle and pointless," can be used to trace the origin of the word "vanity" back to the 1200s. It wasn't until the 1300s that narcissism was implicated.

Aside from that, the dressing table concept and name didn't develop until the late 18th century. The terms "dressing table" and "vanity" only became synonymous in American English. These pieces are known as "duchesses" in Australia.

Although specialized areas for putting on cosmetics, freshening up, etc. have existed since the ancient Egyptians, dressing tables as we know them didn't develop until the end of the 1700s.

Poudreuse & Lowboys

Wealthy aristocrats and noblewomen first used dressing tables in the late 1600s, and as a result, the style of these tables naturally changed to match this formality.

This shift occurred at the same time as well-to-do men and women throughout Europe started spending more time on their hair, makeup, and clothing.

Dressing tables were a key status symbol, particularly in the 1700s. The family coat of arms could be incorporated into a piece's design at the top of each table corner, enhancing the prestige of the family.

These tables acquired the names lowboys in England and poudreuse (from poudre, or powder) in France.

French Poudreuse

Along with being a fervent lover of the arts, Madame de Pompadour also enjoyed vanity. She was one of the most influential trendsetters of the 17th century, which contributed to the widespread adoption of dressing tables.

The Mechanical Table was created by Jean-Henri Riesener in 1781 for Marie Antoinette at Versailles. The clever design included a top that could slide back as the drawer moved forward, exposing a mirror and two more compartments on either side.

English & American Dressing Table

The lavishness of French dressing tables almost seems to be offset by the design of English and American dressing tables.

Lowboys have clawed feet, sculpted knees, and small, ornately carved cabriole legs. They also included one or two rows of drawers with similarly ornate brass escutcheons and handles. For a touch of interest, some drawer fronts had scallop shell embellishments. Lowboys and highboys were matched in 18th-century America. All bedroom furniture had to coordinate as cabinet-style furniture became more prevalent.

The Modern Dressing Table

At the start of the 20th century, during the Art Deco era, vanity tables as we know them now came into being. The dressing table evolved into a uniquely feminine piece of furniture during the Art Deco era.

If you wish to buy a dressing table, you can easily browse many styles online that come in various materials, sizes, and price ranges as well.