VICTORIAN FASHION

The Victorian Era was a time period which last from June 1837 to January 1901. Queen Victoria ruled England.

WOMEN

DRESS

The dress was worn in two pieces and connected with hooks and ties.  The neckline was worn in a high V-neck. Either one or two skirts were worn; with two skirts the underskirt was longer, forming a short train with the top skirt forming an apron. The underskirt flared from the knees down to create fullness. The dress was made in different colors, from pastels to darker colors. Different shades of green were very popular.

              

SHOES

In the early XIXth century shoes began to be made with a right foot and a left foot instead of being interchangeable.

Men very often wore boots in the XIXth century and it became acceptable for women to wear them too.

Firstly they were made of leather but since the 1850s they were made of rubber. However at the end of the century it became fashionable for women to wear shoes again.

In the 19th century boots and shoes started to be mass-produced,so it was cheaper. However in the 19th century boots and shoes were still a luxury and some poor parents could not buy them for their children. Boots and shoes were almost always worn with heels and pointed or squared toes.

HATS

Hats were primarily used as a protection from the sun. However, in the later years, hats became a symbol of style statement and authority. The kind of hats worn by women and men were different. Hats formed an essential part of a woman’s appearance and as a result, they always wear a hat when they went out.

The hats were layered on a wire base covered with straw braids or twisted fabric and was made from velvet, satin or cotton. Birds were used as decorating piece on the hats and this was a fashion in the last half of the XIXth century. The most romantic looking hat of the 1850s was a leghorn straw with a wide brim dipped down at the back and slightly at the front. In the early 1900s, hats had wider-brim and were worn high on the head.

ACCESSORIES

Shawls, cloaks, mantles, scarves and little aprons were also accessories. Gloves and parasols were popular. Large brooches were worn at the throat and large and small earrings were also worn. The use of fans was also very common. Boas made of feathers or fur were also very big.

MAKE-UP

About the makeup of this time, women wanted to look like as fragile ladies. They compared themselves to delicate flowers and emphasized their delicacy and femininity. They always wanted to look pale and interesting. Paleness could be induced by drinking vinegar and avoiding fresh air. Sometimes ladies discreetly used a little rouge on the cheeks, but make-up was not seen very good, especially during the 1870s when social etiquette became more rigid.

 MEN

WAISTCOATS

Victorian gentlemen wore a wide variety of vests in almost every combination of cut, color and cloth imaginable.  With the opening of China during the 1840's silk become ubiquitous and relatively inexpensive, therefore men often wore extremely fancy silk vests even during the day. Many men even wore their coats buttoned only with the top button, thereby allowing more of their vest to be seen.

Toward the turn of the century, wool and cotton vests in more conservative colors became more common for daywear as the three piece suit increased in popularity. 

HATS

For men, the top hat or the tall silk hat was generally worn for formal days and evening wear. A light grey top hat was worn in the 1860s for racing parties. Since the 1870s, there was a rise in the number of hats that were considered appropriate for informal wear. Caps of firmly woven wool which were close-fitting were also worn by the Victorian men.

 

COATS

The frock coat – a man’s coat with full skirt both front and back that reached just above the knee.  It was common for both day and evening wear through the 1880’s, making it the most versatile coat of the Victorian wardrobe.

Tailcoats – coats with a knee length skirt in the back contrasted with a short front -  were popular for most of the century, often used for parties and formal events.  Like today, the styling included single and double breasted as well as straight and pointed fronts. 

TROUSERS

The most significant difference between the trousers of today and those of the mid 1800’s is the waistline.  Victorian men wore their pants higher with the top of the trouser at or just below the navel. 

Men wore trousers that had stripes and sometimes checks which they often paired with different patterns, stripes or checks.

Belts weren’t used, nor did pants even have belt loops.  Rather, suspendors or braces of leather or canvas were common.

SHIRTS
Victorian shirts were cut much more fully than modern shirts due to limitations in machining and tailoring techniques.
Men wore band collar shirts and for dress occasions added a separate collar and cuff.  Also, some shirts had a removable bib front, which was reversible to allow a man to hide any unsightly stains.

ACCESSORIES
The pocket watch and fob, which were prominently displayed hanging from the front vest pockets.
Cravats ranged in width and style, from the basic thin strip to frilly cravats with decorative prints and wide cut black.
Walking sticks of various styles and often wore gloves when out for dress occasions.  Some etiquette books indicate that it was considered unseemly to allow a man’s skin to touch a woman, making gloves a necessity.