What is Victorian fashion? (2024)

This question covers two potential trains of thought. Victorian fashion comprises the fashions worn by those Victorian men and women who cold afford clothes that were about more than just covering their bodies and keeping them warm.

Also styles that ape Victorian trends have been coming and going with amazing regularity in the last few decades, in fact in the 2017 catwalk shows there were a lot of Victorian style detail blouses, rich deep velvet fabrics and lace up boots in the top designers collections which were then aped by the cheaper mass produced producers such as Zara and Gap. And of course in the mid 1980s, corsets were popularised by the likes of Madonna.In recent decades, Steampunk fashion hasbecome popular, which are clothes in anindustrial Victorian style featuring many of the Victorian silhouettes and styles but also featuringleather, metal, goggles and gears.

Victorian era fashion trends

The Victorian era was a busy time for fashion with not only changes in tastes and styles but also in fashion technology and the methods of distribution of these clothes. The era was a time of economic growth in England and with the means of mass production of garments due to the reduction in unit costs of sewing machines and industrialisation of other parts of the garment fabrication industry. The means of distribution also developed in leaps and bounds with the growth of the rail network.

The era also saw the availablilty of cheap synthetic dyes to give a greater choice of vibrant colours. Clothing could be made more quickly and cheaply to respond to fast changing fashions. Due to innovations in printing and womens fashion magazines, the masses could see pictures of the latest trends worn by the great and good, opening the market of mass consumption and advertising. By the beginning of the 20th century, most clothing was made in factories and often sold in large, fixed-price department stores rather than by hand by bespoke tailors and seamstresses.

What did upper class women wear?

Upper class women, who did not need to work, most commonly wore a tightly lacedcorsetover abodiceorchemisette, and paired them with askirtadorned with numerousembroideriesandtrims, over layers ofpetticoats.Middle class womenwore similar dress styles; however, the decorations were not as ornate and costly.

What is Victorian fashion? (1)

These garments were layered which made them very heavy. Corsets were stiff and made movement difficult.

For evening attire, a low shoulder neckline which displayed a woman’s shoulders was favoured by upper class women.

Corsetswere used in women’s gowns for emphasizing small waists and serving as an undergarment to be adjusted to pull in the waist and stop the bodice from creasing.

The typical Victorian dress shape was an elongated V-shaped bodice, and full skirts with the sides of bodices stopping at the natural waistline with sleeves that were tight at the top, but wider from the elbow to the wrist. Necklines of day dresses also tended to be in a low V shape therefore the bust area was covered with a chemisette.

Later in the era, skirts expanded with the use of a crinoline in a dome shape. The purpose of the crinoline was to create an artificial hourglass silhouette by accentuating the hips, and fashioning an illusion of a small waist, along with the corset.

During the 1880s as cycling and tennis became acceptable feminine pursuits, a greater ease of movement in women's clothing became essential. The diversification in options and adoption of what was considered menswear at that time coincided with growing power and social status of women towards the late-Victorian period.

What is Victorian fashion? (2)

Hats (and gloves) were crucial to a respectable appearance for both men and women with upper and middle class men donning the top hat as standard formal wear. For women hats were modest in size and design, straw and fabric bonnets being the popular choice.

By the end of the Victorian era, those typically Victorian garments changed yet again with the stand out feature in women’s clothing a wide-brimmed hat covered with elaborate creations of silk flowers, ribbons, and exotic plumes as decoration, a full upper body with puffed sleeves, no bustle, and a skirt that narrowed at the ankles (thehobble skirtwas a fad shortly after the end of the Victorian era).

Men’s fashions

Victorian mens fashions consisted of tight-fitting, calf lengthfrock coatsand awaistcoator vest that was single- or double-breasted. For more formal occasions, a cutaway morning coat was worn with light trousers during the daytime, and a dark tail coat and trousers was worn in the evening. Shirts were made of linen or cotton with low collars, occasionally turned down, and were worn with widecravatsor neck ties. Breecheswere used for formal functions and when horse riding. Men woretop hats, with wide brims in sunny weather.Bowler hatswere worn by the working class.

During the1870s, three-piece suits grew in popularity along with patterned fabrics for shirts.

The end of the era – men’s clothing habits that endure

In the mid 1880s, the dinner jacket ortuxedo became the modern clothing of choice for more relaxed formal occasions. TheNorfolk jacketand tweed or woollen breeches were used for outdoor pursuits such as shooting. Knee-length topcoats, often with contrasting velvet or fur collars, and calf-length overcoats were worn in winter. Men's shoes had higher heels and a narrow toe.By the1890s, theblazerwas introduced, and was worn for sports, sailing, and other casual activities.

Clothes for the poor

The poor would rely on the huge second-hand clothes trade during the period, and take time altering old clothes for themselves and their families to make them fit or to make them more like what the affluent classes were wearing. Clothes could be dyed and the good parts of a garment made into children's clothes or accessories, and areas of wear could be patched. There was even a market for ragged clothes that had been through several owners - these were still worn by the destitute.

What is Victorian fashion? (2024)

FAQs

How would you describe Victorian era fashion? ›

The typical Victorian dress shape was an elongated V-shaped bodice, and full skirts with the sides of bodices stopping at the natural waistline with sleeves that were tight at the top, but wider from the elbow to the wrist.

What was the main focus of most Victorian era fashions? ›

Some credited the change in silhouette to the Victorian dress reform, which consisted of a few movements including the Aesthetic Costume Movement and the Rational Dress Movement in the mid-to-late Victorian Era advocating natural silhouette, lightweight underwear, and rejecting tightlacing.

How to dress like Victorian? ›

Dress Like A Victorian!
  1. Long dark skirt.
  2. White blouse.
  3. Mop cap or straw hat.
  4. Pinafore.
  5. Shawl.
  6. Apron.
  7. Dark socks and shoes.

How did Victorian fashion influence modern fashion? ›

Clothing created for high-society women during the Victorian era was manufactured from some of the world's most opulent and luxurious fabrics, such as silk, satin, velvet, and lace. Today, the runways of many high-end fashion designers are still dotted with these decadent, expensive fabrics.

How would you describe Victorian style? ›

Key Elements

Victorian homes are usually large and imposing. Wood or stone exterior. The majority of Victorian styles use wood siding, but the Second Empire and Romanesque styles almost always have outer walls made of stone. Complicated, asymmetrical shape.

How would you describe the Victorian era? ›

The Victorian era spans the 63 years of Queen Victoria's reign over Great Britain and Ireland from 1837 until her death in 1901. It was a time of great power and wealth for Britain as it expanded its empire across the globe.

What makes Victorian fashion unique? ›

If there's one word to describe Queen Victoria's wardrobe, it's rich. Her silk and satin evening gowns were trimmed with lace and velvet (Russian velvet was particularly sought after), while dresses, blouses and skirts were fastened with pearl buttons and gemstone brooches.

What is the Victorian style era? ›

Victorian architecture is a series of architectural revival styles in the mid-to-late 19th century. Victorian refers to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901), called the Victorian era, during which period the styles known as Victorian were used in construction.

What was attractive in the Victorian era? ›

Clear faces, bright eyes and tinted lips were desirable, but everything had to look natural. It was believed that cheeks painted with blush had to look flushed, and lips had to look bitten rather than painted.

Is Victorian fashion modest? ›

In many ways, the period's fashion trends changed as quickly as the 19th century's industrial landscape. Though the emphasis on modesty and austerity was persistent throughout the decades, the Victorian era's fashion trends changed constantly.

What did Victorians wear under their skirts? ›

Chemise (or shift): In the Victorian era, it was made of fine fabric such as linen, cotton or silk, and was often embroidered or decorated with lace. 2. Pantalets (or bloomers or drawers): These appeared with the advent of crinolines. They were designed to protect a woman's modesty if she fell and her skirt came up.

What would a Victorian girl wear? ›

The normal schoolgirl dress would be knee length and be of a dark cotton or woollen material, often black and would be worn with long black stockings. The shoes would be flat and boot like. Girls did not wear the mob cap (sometimes wrongly called a mop cap) as this was worn by servant girls.

What is a fact about Victorian fashion? ›

Since 1904 there had been new emphasis on the shoulders, and until 1908 sleeves were to be puffed out almost square. The smoothly flowing skirt is supported on petticoats almost as pretty as the dress itself. Hats were always worn, perched on the puffed-out coiffure. The parasol was a popular accessory.

What was popular Victorian fashion? ›

Evening gowns had a rather low neckline and were worn off the shoulders or just on the shoulders. Skirts with many layers of fabric creating horizontal valances were very fashionable. This flouncy style supported the bell-shape and width of the skirt even more.

Will Victorian Fashion comeback? ›

First and foremost, fashion proceeds in cycles; so specific trends will keep on returning after so many years. In the case of Victorian-inspired garments, we have also seen a rise in popular films and series, quite often with great costume designers, that have maybe reintroduced this era to us.

What best describes the Victorian era? ›

Victorian era, in British history, the period between approximately 1820 and 1914, corresponding roughly but not exactly to the period of Queen Victoria's reign (1837–1901) and characterized by a class-based society, a growing number of people able to vote, a growing state and economy, and Britain's status as the most ...

How is the Victorian era usually characterized? ›

The Victorian Age was characterised by rapid change and developments in nearly every sphere - from advances in medical, scientific and technological knowledge to changes in population growth and location.

How would you describe the 1800s fashion? ›

Instead, fashionable gowns were simple and restrained, featuring empire waistlines and white or pastel flowing fabrics. Men put aside their powdered wigs and donned tight-fitted trousers, high-collared linen shirts, and buttoned waistcoats in neutral blacks, blues, and browns.

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