Amelia Bavin – BA (Hons) Costume – Victorian Supervision
What do I want to research/ achieve
• For this project take advantage of all the universities resources as well as my own research to create an in-depth research project on the clothing of the Victorian era that culminates at the end in a photoshoot with pieces I have found and styled from the costume store.
• I want my research project to be varied so I want to create looks for both Victorian men and women.
• I will research into all of men's and women's wear from the undergarments they would wear all the way to the accessories they would use.
• For my outcome I want to collaborate with makeup students to recreate Victorian photographs.
• To inform the makeup artist when I am collaborating, I will also have to research into Victorian hair and makeup to send them inspiration photos. I will have to consider which ones would be appropriate for my photographs as some of the models will be wearing hair accessories and hats.
• For my research I want to use a range of primary and secondary sources, like the archive, museum visits and library books.
• I will use 4 models to create different looks, and to make them more varied I will focus some models on daywear and other models on eveningwear.
• I will then have to research into social history of the Victorian era as the social history always informs and changes the current fashion
RESEARCH
Fig 1. Portrait of Queen Victoria
Fig 2. Photograph of late Queen Victoria
VICTORIAN WEDDINGS
From starting my research on the Victorian era, I was focused on Queen Victoria and her life story, and I quickly became fascinated with her wedding and how she influenced weddings in the future for good. I wanted to research into how she had such an impact, the connection between clothing and culture.
Queen Victoria’s wedding dress
• When I was researching Queen Victoria, I was really intrigued by her wedding dress and how she started a fashion trend of wearing white to a wedding, through being a monarch.
• Therefore, I wanted to recreate a Victorian wedding dress look.
• When she was married to Prince Albert in 1840 it was a monumental public event. This contrasted with previous royal weddings as the monarchy used to be very detached from the public and to improve their popularity, they made society feel involved.
• The dress was made from a white silk satin fabric, with a white Honiton lace sewn around the wide off the shoulder neckline.
• The bodice was made up of 8 panels that were sewn to make a pointed waist front. The hemline of the bodice was very finely piped.
• The skirt was very full as it was deeply pleated at the waistline as well as having a debatable 6-yard-long train which made the skirt even more dramatic.
• The sleeves were a drop shoulder short puffed sleeve with matching lace attached as a flounce.
• All the fabric and making that went into this magnificent gown all happened in England as the Queen was all about strengthening the British trades and economy.
• The wedding look also involved a Honiton lace veil that was also commissioned to be made to improve the British lace industry.
• Also seen in portraiture, Victoria was wearing a flower crown upon her head on her wedding day.
• We know from Victoria's personal diary that she also wore a Turkish diamond necklace and earrings, as well as a broach made from sapphire that her fiancé Prince Albert gifted her for the occasion
Fig 3. Queen Victoria's wedding dress
Fig 4. Portrait of a young Queen Victoria on her wedding day
Victoria and Albert: The Royal wedding on BBC iPlayer
I wanted to research more into the wedding of Victoria and Albert because they changed the traditions of Victorian weddings after theirs in 1840; it would also help me better understand the social history of the era. I found this documentary on BBC iPlayer that deconstructs and recreates their wedding day.
Although the marriage between Victoria and Albert was based upon love it was also driven by political force as they needed to become more involved in their subjects' lives as they were beginning to question the role and use of the monarchy. An uprising was likely if they didn’t make the public like them as her Uncle George VI was very frivolous and unpopular. Their families had hoped they would marry and were planning since they were children, so they had many outside forces controlling what was going to happen.
Harriet explains that not most people realise that the shape of clothes in this era was created almost completely from the undergarments. On her wedding day she would have worn a corset, chemise, a few petticoats and a crinoline. This would have accentuated her petite figure as she had a 24-inch waist and was only 5 foot 1
The documentary crew went to historical costume maker Harriet Waterhouse, to recreate the iconic white wedding dress. She decided to stay historical and sew the dress all by hand; this was because the style and construction of her wedding dress was relatively simple for a royal wedding- clean cut and timeless.
For inspiration for Prince Alberts … Jacket they went to the National Army museum because it holds the largest collection of military memorabilia which includes different uniforms. A few days before the wedding he was made an honorary field marshal at the request of Queen Victoria which meant he would be wearing a British officers red coat for his wedding; because of the time frame it would have been made very fast by very experienced tailors. This did not make him very popular though because he was given this role with no military experience at 20 years old.
Fig 5. Portrait of the Royal wedding
Fig 6. Wedding portrait of the royal couple
Fig 7- 10. Screenshots from the royal wedding documentary
Other Victorian wedding dress examples
I created this mood board of other similar wedding dresses to Victoria's ranging from the beginning of the Victorian era in the 1830s to late in the era to see how the fashions changed. I wanted to stick with white wedding dress examples and just focus on how the shape of the dress changed over time. I could tell from these examples the skirts followed the other fashion trends of having a large skirt; then it slims with the volume going out the back
Fig. 11 Wedding dress from 1856
Fig. 14 Wedding dress from 1850
Fig. 16 Wedding dress from 1859
Fig. 15 Wedding dress from 1889
Fig. 12 Wedding dress from 1851
Fig. 13 Wedding dress from 1841
Victorian women's wedding accessories
Floral Bouquet-
Another trend that Queen Victoria is said to have started, or at least made much more popular was holding a bouquet down the aisle. As we know the Victorians were very interested y the romantic hidden language of flowers so brides would have chosen flowers that signified love and loyalty among other things.
Wedding wreath-
Queen Victoria wore a floral headpiece made from orange blossom flowers on her wedding day. Much like the floral bouquet and wearing a white wedding dress her subject soon replicated this wedding accessory for their own celebrations. The crown represented a women's femininity. The symbolism of orange blossom flowers was taken from Chinese culture as they wore them to promote and symbolise fertility.
Wedding shoes-
The shoes brides wore were usually white silk satin, with small heel appearing from the 1850s onwards. The shoes were very pointed making the ladies feet appear very slim. This pair from the 1880 had a silk bow attached at the front.
From the 1800s1850s flat soled ‘slipper’ shoes were worn for weddings. They were very fragile and would not stand much wear.
Gloves-
White gloves made from kid leather or silk were worn for weddings. To make them more special for the occasion they might be trimmed with laces. The gloves symbolised the bride's modesty and purity. The brides wedding ring would be worn underneath her gloves
Lace veil-
If a flower crown was worn, the lace veil would have been attached to this. The wedding veil has much longer history before the Victorian era, they were originally worn to cover the bride completely for modesty reasons as lots of weddings the groom wouldn’t have seen the bride before the ceremony. Veils were worn for religious reasons mainly for weddings. The styles of veils in the Victorian era copied the style of Queen Victoria's.
Fig. 16 Victorian wedding bouquet
Fig. 17 Victorian silk shoes
Fig. 18 Women's white gloves
Fig. 19 Victorian floral wedding headdress
Fig. 20 Lace veil
Men's wedding fashion Waistcoats
• The embroidery on some wedding waistcoats was sewn by the bride to be herself, as a gift for her husband; or by other members of the family.
• On this example of a Victorian waistcoat from the V and A collections this was exactly the case. The bride had chosen to embroidery forget me nots which in the language of flowers meant fidelity. This would have been an appropriate choice for wedding embroidery as it would represent the strength of the marriage they wanted to create, like a sense of good luck. Often silver thread was used for embroidery.
• Wedding Waistcoats
• In Victorian weddings men would wear a white/ cream waistcoat usually made from silk fabric.
• The shape and style of the waistcoats followed the fashion trends for eveningwear of the period, the main difference was the choice of fabric and style of embroidery.
• In many of the linings of the waistcoats there were the names of the groom and the date of the wedding sewn onto a label
• The waistcoats were also adorned in matching covered buttons down the centre front.
Fig. 21 Men's wedding waistcoat
Fig. 22 Men's silk wedding waistcoat
Fig. 23 Men's wedding waistcoat
Fig. 24 Men's wedding waistcoat and trousers
Men's wedding fashion
Jackets-
The style of men's jacket that was worn on their wedding day depended on the era, I found it hard to find reliable sources of what men wore on their wedding day as it was mainly focused on the history of the wedding waistcoat.
At the beginning of the Victorian era from the 1830s onwards men wore frock coats at their weddings. Men would have worn their best jackets and wouldn’t have been specially made for their wedding days unlike their waistcoats unless they were very wealthy. Therefore, it is harder to find historical archive pieces of wedding jackets as they wouldn’t have been specially preserved. Some sources say the colour of coats the groom would wear would range from a dark red like claret, mulberry or dark blue and would hardly ever wear black but from the research I have found from wedding photos of the time this doesn’t seem to be the case. Then in the later Victorian era men would wear morning coats as their wedding jackets.
Trousers-
A popular choice for men was light coloured wool trousers on their wedding day like a greylighter than the colour of their jackets. As patterned trousers were becoming more polar from the 1870s onwards this was the same for wedding day fashion. Stripes were particularly popular for light trousers as it made the man look even taller. In the late Victorian era, the switch was made to wearing black trousers that matched the man's jacket of choice. This was because weddings could now take place not just in the morning so the range of fashion men could wear on their wedding day expanded.
Boutonnieres became popular for men's fashion not just for weddings. The men's jacket changed so that the collar became more open, and a buttonhole was added so that the men could put a Boutonniere in the hole. This was only for men of higher classes as it was purely decorative rather than practical. Boutonnieres were placed only on the left side of the jacket, close to his heart.
Top hats-
These hats were worn at almost all formal occasions, which included weddings. However, the etiquette of wearing hats applied; hats would have to be removed when a man entered a church, so they would be taken off during the actual ceremony.
Shirts-
Men would wear a white cotton shirt; the style would depend on what the man could afford as he would just wear his best on the day. Shirts had moved away from having dramatic ruffles at the CF and instead ,like this wedding shirt example from the V and A, had small pleats down the front. Sometimes the man's wedding shirt would also be embroidered with small fine flowers of significance.
Fig. 28 Victorian portrait of men on their wedding day
Fig. 29 Victorian wedding portraits
Fig. 30 Victorian wedding portraits
Fig. 31 Victorian formal wedding shirt
PRIMARY RESEARCH
Wedding dress primary researchAUB Archive
• This was a Victorian wedding dress from around 1890, even though this wedding took place after Queen Victoria's wedding it was not white and is peppermint green, which is interesting as lots of research says it became the fashion to do this.
• The dress is made up from a 10-panel bodice and a pleated matching skirt. The undergarments were not kept just the dress, but we assume a bustle and petticoat would have been worn as well.
• As this a wedding dress it is made from expensive Jacquard silk which was very delicate. The inside is lined with cotton which would have given it a better structure.
• The owners have done their best to keep it in a good condition as it is a sentimental piece of clothing, however because of its ages it is stained in many places like the armpits and the skirt panels. Though the armpits have dress shields sewn into place like how we use in costumes now which would have added extra protection.
• On the inside the 10 panel seams, they have been hand whipped stitched into place, as well as being cut into where it curves so that they will stay flat. The boning tape has then been sewn on top of the open seams instead of being encased and hidden. This may have been so they could have been easily replaced.
• The bodice has a high 2.5 inch collar which was the style of the time. Another recognisable style from this archive piece is puffed sleeves, the volume mainly at the shoulder created from gathers
• The bodice is fastened at the front with hook and eyes. The front of the bodice is decorated with intricate pleating.
Wedding bodice front
Wedding bodice back
Archive session
• The bodice is made up of 8 panels that are sewn together to create a pointed front which makes the ladies waist seem smaller.
• the fabric that is used is a blue silk, and the lining is a cream glazed cotton. This would have been to protect the silk from damage as well as being comfortable fabric against the wearers skin.
• Blue bodice from 1860
• This bodice isn’t in as good condition as the other pieces I have looked at from the archive, it has been altered which could be misleading to the shape and style of bodices from the era.
• The sleeves have been removed from the bodice, as I can tell there were stitch marks along the armhole. Maybe because they were damaged, or the piece had been passed down and they were changing the sleeves to fit the fashions of the era better and it just never happened.
• If there were sleeves, they would also be a drop shoulder large volume sleeves.
• The bodice is also damaged around the armpits from sweat stains.
• The neckline is also very wide to show off the ladies' shoulders.
• The seams and neckline are piped with very thin piping cord.
• The seams are hand sewn open using whip stitch.
• The bodice has 11 hand sewn eyelet holes so the bodice would have been laced at the centre back.
• Where the seams are, there are boning channels that enclose whale boning to give the bodice structure.
• This bodice is a great archive piece to study because of the bright colour of the fabric.
• This was created through aniline dyes that were invented in 1856.
• As this bodice is from 1860 this was a very new invention which meant the combination of this new expensive dye and how finely the bodice has been sewn this would have been worn by a very wealthy women.
Front of bodice from 1860
Back pf bodice
Inside the bodice
Archive session
• Day dress from 1837 made from printed Indian muslin.
• Despite how old this dress is, it's in a good condition with very minimal damage. This is rare because most dresses from the era that are still in very good condition are either evening or wedding dresses.
• The print of the dress is very impressive and intricate, with burgundy, brown and blue fuchsia flowers. This stands out against a stark white base fabric.
• The dress is lined with cotton on the inside, and it seems like most of the seams are hand stitched down.
• The dress has a very wide-open neckline that is delicately piped on the edge. The neckline of the bodice is then very gathered into the waistline of the bodice. The waistband is also gathered but the gathers are horizontal instead of vertical like the bodice gathers. The waistband is about 1.5 inches.
• The shoulders are also pleated, the pleats are covered with shoulder panels that sit right on the shoulder. The top of the sleeve is slouched, a drop sleeve and are very full then slim at the wrists, a gigot sleeve.
• The waist is pleated with cartridge pleats that are enclosed by the waistband. The cartridge pleats create a lot of volume and movement in the skirt.
• The bodice is fastened at the centre back, with hand sewn buttons and buttonholes, covered with a placket.
• Even though this dress is a couple years before the Victorian period it is very useful to research to see how dresses at the beginning of the era would have been similarly made; as well as to see the progression of the styles
• It is also helpful to see a real-life example in such great condition as it helps to see the final shape and construction techniques without damage that could change how it would look.
Day dress front
Skirt inside hem
Bodice fastening
Archive session
• Green dressing gown from 18851895.
• This piece from the archive is very damaged and fragile due to it being hand stitched which means I couldn’t get a great look at construction and mainly was focusing on the surface decoration.
• The dressing gowns top fabric and lining is a green and pink silk. Sandwiched in between these fabrics is a lambswool quilting fabric.
• The gown is then hand quilted which makes it very fragile, but a unique and special piece.
• The green silk is stained in many places, which just shows to me it was worn a lot and a valued piece to the original wearer. The green is still a striking colour despite being faded.
• The thing that catches my eye the most in this dressing gown is the embroidery that is all over the centre front opening, the collar and the cuffs.
• The embroidery is hand done using silk thread. It depicts different flowers and leaf foliage like it is growing up and down the gown.
• Because it is handmade the embroidery would have been catered to the taste of the person who made it.
• The gown could be made more fitted at the back with a tie that would cinch in the waist.
• This sort of garment would only be worn at home and only in front of trusted people or close family members. It would be thrown on over different nightwear.
Dressing gown embroidery Dressing gown front
Sleeve cuff
Dressing gown hem
Dressing gown collar and opening
Archive session
• The shape of the bodice accentuates the women's waist and the panels that have been attached to make up the bodice have been piped with red velvet.
• The shape would have been even more accentuated through the shape of the skirt. This would have been supported with a bustle and petticoats underneath.
• On the inside of the skirt at the hem the lining fabric has been very finely pleated to create support and a better hang on the skirt.
• The seams have been hand stitched down and the boning channels have been sewn on top.
• This was a 19th century dress from the Hooton Pagnell collection, and it was too fragile to handle and was just another one to look at the shape and the fabrics used.
• The front panel of the bodice and the skirt was made from a dark red velvet fabric.
• The rest of the dress’s top fabric is a cream printed cotton.
• The front panel of the dress is very gathered and ruched giving the skirt a lot of volume.
• More volume is created with the short overskirt that is attached at the waist near the side seams scooping round to the back. It is decorated with the same red velvet fabric in a 2-inch gathered trim.
• The red velvet is reinforced around the neckline with a netting fabric.
• The sleeves are ¾ length just above the elbows, with a matching lace trim for decoration sewn inside the sleeve to come out the end.
• The neckline of the dress is quite low and wide, but it is hard to tell exactly how it would sit without being able to touch it.
19th century evening dress
Museum trip- V and A
• Pink corset currently on display at the V and A in the diva's exhibition.
• From the early 1890s, it shows the changes in corsetry that allowed women to feel less restricted.
• This was because the busk at the front of the corset allowed the women to put it on this way instead of being laced in.
• It was shown in this exhibition because although it was about women who are divas throughout history it was also linking the changes in women's fashion coinciding women's liberation and freedom.
• Women's day dress from 1840 made from printed cotton.
• The design on the cotton fabric was inspired by patterns from India from when the East India trading company was trading with Britain. The company was used for trading things like silk and cotton.
• Afternoon dress from 1895 ,made from red and black silk, which was then covered in a black lace material which was also beaded.
• Large puff sleeves that tightened underneath the elbow.
• Princess style evening dress from the 1870s.
• What makes this style of dress recognisable is the fact there is no waist seam and the bodice and skirt are cut together as one.
• Made from jacquard silk.
Victorian corset from the Diva exhibition
Victorian day dress from 1840
Afternoon dress from 1895
Princess style evening gown
Museum trip- V and A
Fashion plate from the 1850s on display showing the size of skirts still in fashion created with Crinoline undergarmentsrange of colour fabrics highlighted. Paintings from the Great exhibition, previously mentioned.
Showing the fashion of men and women of all classes as over 6 million people attended at Crystal Palace when it was on.
• Fabric samples from the Victorian era, highlighting patterns and styles that were popular during Victoria's reign.
• Very colourful and floral woven textiles that were used for both upholstery and clothing.
• These examples were showcased at the Great Exhibition to highlight the advancements in fabric production.
• Fabrics like the white floral silk were displayed in the higher-class section of the exhibition, as it was divided that way.
Woven fabric samples from the Victorian era
Museum trip- V and A
• Cage crinoline and day dress from the 1860s showing how technical the undergarments were to keep the weight of the dress stay in shape.
• The circles are constructed from steel and then covered in red wool fabric.
• Surprisingly, the crinoline would have been quite light and would not weigh down a women as she walked.
• Poster/ advertisement highlighting the rise in women's sport like cycling, showing the need for rapidly changing women's fashion for comfort and durability.
• This was created at the very end of the Victorian era, which you can also tell from the fashion of the riding jacket with large sleeves.
• Her petticoat is on show slightly which could be a nod to the views of women who do partake in cycling saying it is not modest.
• Dolman jackets from the late Victorian era.
• The shape was to successfully cover the large bustle shape the dresses changed to.
• These examples are particularly extravagant lined with artic fox fur and braiding.
Red cage crinoline
Blue day dress from 1860s
Late Victorian cycling advertisement
Victorian dolman jackets
Museum trip- V and A Wedding primary research
• Wedding dress from 1883 made from cream silk satin fabric.
• The shape of the dress was identical to the style of dress for women's fashion of the time, with a large bustled skirt, and covered button fitted bodice that almost resembles a jacket; the only difference being the fabric used- made in white.
• The dress is trimmed with lace in panels, and around the edge of the ¾ length sleeves.
• Another example of a Victorian wedding dress but from earlier in the century in the 1850s.
• This was an example of a wedding dress that was worn in the summer as the fabric was a white lightweight muslin. The bodice features a lot of pleating coming to a point at the waistband and several layers of gathered pleating around the skirt hem.
• Also seen here was ana example of a lace wedding veil, lace was a very expensive fabric so was often passed down through generations of families to be worn again which would explain colour and style differences in the veil compared to the dress. A floral headdress like the one Victoria wore on her wedding day is also on display.
• White silk waistcoat worn by a man on his wedding day in 1845
• Embroidered with forget me nots which were a flower in the Victorian language of flowers that meant fidelity or faithfulness in a marriage.
Victorian wedding dress from 1883
Victorian wedding dress and accessories
Men’s silk topper
Men's wedding waistcoat
Museum trip- V and A- Menswear
• Shirt from 1845 made from white linen.
• You can tell it's from the earlier Victorian era as it has a large ruffle down the front rather than pleating.
• Morning coat from the 1870s- this was a more informal style of the morning coat that was sometimes known as the university style.
• Men's embroidered silk waistcoat from 1846.
• The waistcoat is embroidered with red flowers with green leaves.
• It is fastened with black silk covered buttons down the centre front.
• The back is made from black linen that was used for the lining as well.
• The waistcoats of this time were very fitted with rounded lapels .
• Waistcoat from the 1850s
• Similar in shape and construction to the other waistcoat shown, expect this was made from raised velvet fabric to create texture, and to match the dark fabrics used for coats.
• Fashion plate from 1852 showing the style of men's fashion, exaggerating the slim waist men wanted to achieve.
• Floral braces made from leather as the base fabric and covered in embroidered silk.
Men's waistcoat from 1846
Men’s shirt from 1845
Morning coat from 1870 Fashion plate from 1852
Museum trip- V and A- Menswear
• Patchwork men's dressing gown from the 1860s
• This patchwork material was made from fine waistcoat silks sewn together to make a rather loud print, which was the antithesis of men’s usual fashion at this time which was quite reserved.
• This was because it was a dressing gown that would only be own in the comfort of his own home, maybe only in front of his wife so it did not need to conform to societal norms.
• The dressing gowns were usually constructed in the same shape as a men's coat the only difference being in the fabric choice for comfort.
• Display of men's waistcoats- in tartan fabric from the 1850s
• Worn during the day as double breasted.
• Also, on the rail different men's day jackets, contrasting in colour and fabric choice.
• Grey and black wools used for coats, reserved compared to brightly coloured tartans that would have been worn underneath.
• Collection of men's socks from matching tartan seen on the waistcoat to more common white and black cotton and silk socks.
• Socks became very popular in the 19th century because of the shift to wearing trousers instead of breeches where they would have worn stockings instead as they were more on show.
• Also shown is the display of men's braces, showing the colourful designs as it was another hidden element of men's clothing
Patchwork dressing gown
Men's waistcoats and jackets
Men’s socks and braces
Russell Cotes Gallery
For more primary research I wanted to visit the Russell Cotes gallery in Bournemouth town centre as it was a historical Victorian house full of classic art and architecture of the time. Apparently, it was one of the last historical Victorian houses to be built, which would be great inspiration for my project as I wanted to focus on later years of the Victorian era. The house was given as a gift from Merton Russell Cotes to his wife Annie and they filled it with art and objects from their life and travels. I wanted to mainly focus on the portraiture that was on display in the gallery but took note of the design in the house so that it might inspire the style of my fi al photographs.
I was really drawn to this painting within the gallery called ‘Good news and bad news’ painted in 1876. This was because it highlighted different styles of clothing across classes as well as highlighting some traditional mourning wear. As there were not descriptions of what the painting was about, I imagined the lady receiving the bad news was the one sitting down cloaked in a black cape which was worn in mourning, so I imaged that she was receiving bad news about a death and the black clothing was used as a foreshadowing within the portraiture.
Examples of Victorian portraiture I investigated for inspiration for my own
This was a historical recreation of a Victorian costume that would have been worn by ladies like Annie Russell Cotes. Behind this dressed mannequin there was a selection of children's dress up clothes that reminded me of some of the other AUB students last term project where they had to make similar historical clothing for Salisbury museum. Activities like this at museums are great for children's hands on learning as it simplifies history into something exciting like costume.
DRESS RESEARCH
Victorian corsets
• Corsets were still worn in the Victorian era to create the desired hourglass shape for the women's body.
• As the era progressed changes were made to the corsets that allowed the wearer to have more movement and ease.
• This came in the later part of the Victorian era in the 1860s as the corsets were boned less and had a metal busk at the front which meant they could be fastened easier.
• Straps were very popular before this era on corsets but because of the changing necklines they were gone from corsets.
• In the early Victorian era corsets were usually quite plain with minimal decoration and in ‘sensible’ colours like white and beige cottons. This changed again around the 1860s like seen in this example very colourful corsets became fashionable.
• They were now made from colourful silks or satins
• They were also decorated with lace trim and ribbons at the top from the 1880s onwards.
• Corsets lengthened from 1875 and became more elaborate again in the boning.
• The shape of the corset became more extreme with even smaller waists and long pointed fronts. This exaggerated shape was made through steam moulding
Lace or ribbon trimming, sometimes with a bow at the front
Some boning was reinforced with leather strips
Metal busk front fastening
Elaborate boning channels in different sections
Long torso, small waist
Pointed front that was sometimes visible underneath bodice if decorated
Strapless
Fig. 32 Victorian women's corset
Fig. 33 Bright satin corset
Fig. 34 Corset illustration
Victorian undergarments- timeline
• Crinoline, 1850-1860s
• Large wired underskirt using whalebone
• Created support and shape for numerous petticoats and overskirt.
• Made the overall shape of the skirt very large and round
• Very plain no decoration, sometimes was just boning sewn into petticoats
• The skirts were still voluminous, but it was instead large at the back and flatter at the front
• They also became narrower at the sides
• More boning or padding was added at the top of the Crinolette to make the lady's backside even larger
• This undergarment created a cone shape that was half between a crinoline and a bustle.
• Horsehair bustle 1870s
• The crinoline was gone, skirts were now supported by this
• Made the shape of a very exaggerated backside.
• Made from horsehair that was ruffled to create the explosive shape
• Bustle, 1870s onwards
• Very dramatic half tube shape usually fastened with a tie around the waist.
• Shape made with steel boning encased in cotton fabric
• The tie waist allowed it be adjusted easily
• It was very hard to sit down in it unlike the crinoline as it was much stiffer, and all the volume was at the back.
• Some bustles were not encased in fabric and was just the steel boning.
• They could either be very short just round the bum or long to support the whole skirt.
Fig. 34 Cage crinoline illustration
Fig. 35 Lobster tail bustle
Fig. 36 Horsehair bustle
Fig. 37 Victorian bustle
Victorian undergarments
• Chemise with falling flap
• Chemise
• This was worn underneath corset to project skin from the corset. As it was tied very tightly and could cause friction burns.
• The chemise also protected the corset from bodily fluids like sweat.
• This example had a wide neckline and straps that were adjustable with covered buttons
• During the Victorian era like corsets chemises could be very decorated, with embroidery and laces around the neckline and sleeves.
• This chemise was similarly constructed with a front and back panel and protected the skin and corsets.
• Chemises sometimes had short sleeves or even long sleeves for colder months
• They were made from easily washable fabric like cotton or linen, that were also very breathable
• This chemise had a falling flap which could fold down over the front of the corset as well
• Combinations 1830s onwards
• This was like the name said a combination of a chemise and drawers together
• Sort of looks like modern day romper or jumpsuit
• There was a hole in the crotch of the undergarment which meant it didn’t all need to be taken off when going to the toilet
Fig. 38 Victorian chemise
Fig. 40 Victorian chemise with falling flap
Fig. 39 Victorian chemise illustrations
Petticoats
• As skirts became larger more petticoats were needed to support them and give it an attractive shape. Rarely would one petticoat be worn and there were several types of petticoats as well.
• This example was great for supporting skirts as it was a horsehair petticoat from the 1840s.
• This was usually constructed with multiple tiers of horsehair fabric.
• But because this fabric was particularly scratchy and uncomfortable a plainer softer petticoat would have been underneath for comfort.
• Another type of petticoats that were worn were quilted petticoats
• They were usually worn for either informal wear or during the winter months for warmth.
• They were often highly decorative made from brightly coloured fabrics and quilted using a diamond pattern.
• More intricate patterns were often sewn around the hem of the petticoats.
• The top fabric was often silk satin, and the quilting thickness was created through wool backing.
• This type of petticoat was also very stiff and made a triangular cone shape when it was worn.
• Even the simplest cotton petticoats of this era were still more decorative than previous eras even though they would never be seen by anyone but the wearer.
• This didn’t stop lace trims and frills from being added to the bottom.
• Tiered petticoats were also used as an undergarment.
• The petticoats all had a waistband that were either fastened by a tie or fastenings like hook and eye closures.
Fig. 42 Horsehair petticoat from 1840s
Fig. 43 Quilted petticoat
Fig. 44 White petticoat trimmed with lace
Fabrics and prints:
Day dresses-1840s/ 50s
The shape and style of women’s day dresses changed dramatically throughout the period of the Victorians, as did every other part of their fashion.
• Early Victorian day dresses featured pleated front bodices, with intricate pin tuck designs coming to a v front, long bodices; known as a fan pleated bodice. The pleating could also be featured along the neckline of the dress
• The necklines were wide and open, revealing a lady's collarbones. The necklines were usually trimmed with a type of bias binding or lace trim.
• The skirts were round and full, with deep pleats concealed at the waist underneath the pointed bodice.
• The style of sleeves varied, because of the wide neckline the sleeves were drop shouldered. The most popular sleeve style at this point in time in the 1840s was a slim fitted sleeve, With fullness around the elbows, the sleeves are cut on the bias.
• As this decade continued another style of sleeve appeared called a bell sleeve, still slim at the top of the sleeve around the armhole restricting a women's movement but flaring out at the bottom.
• Common fabric choices for day dresses in the early Victorian era were floral printed muslins.
• The industrial revolution made it easier for fabrics to be printed so there was a rise in floral patterns such as these, The busy patterns also made the skirts seem larger than they were.
• Muslins and cottons were also easily starched so that they could retain the shape of the deep pleats better.
• Silk was also used for day dresses, though if silk was used there was a noticeable lack in trimmings, letting the expensive fabric speak for itself in its elegance.
• Going into the 1850s skirts for day dresses got larger with the help of steel cage crinoline underpinnings.
• Necklines also got higher and more round, white lace ‘collars’ were popular to wear underneath.
• The waistline of bodices now sat at the natural waistline instead of being dripped, long and pointed. This was also because skirts and bodices were now commonly made as sperate pieces.
Fig. 45 Early Victorian day dress
Fig. 46 Bell sleeves on day dress
Fig. 47 Cotton printed muslin fabric dress
Fig.
Day
dresses-
Mid to late Victorian
• In the 1860s there was a noticeable shift in the shape of the skirt seen on women's day dresses. While they were still very large in size and volume, the direction of the volume changed to starting to be fuller and more concentrated at the back, and flatter at the front.
• There was also less deep pleating at the waist, and instead to create the fullness of the skirts they were constructed in triangle panels known as gores.
• Also, during this time as seen in the images of 1860s day dresses, there was a revival in inspiration from 18th century gowns. This is seen in the overskirt layer, like a double skirt like polonaise gowns. This also helped bring volume to the back of the skirt.
• Similarly to before, silk satin and cotton muslins were the most popular fabrics.
• Beading was used as decoration like in the white day dress seen to the left, this intricate beading was inspired by Indian surface decoration techniques.
• Fringe trimmings were particularly popular in the 1850s/60s.
• The Bustle style dress then became the most popular style of day dress from the 1870s until the end of the Victorian era.
• The skirt from the front perspective was now slimmer and straight, while the back protruded over the shape of the bustle.
• As seen in the images from the V and A on the right, drapery over the long straight skirts was very fashionable, as well as layers of pleating around the hem.
• The style of bodices began to be heavily influenced by men's tailoring at this time, with very high stand-up collars, and covered buttons down the centre front.
• As sewing machines were even more efficient now pleating could be made faster and even smaller. This combined with jacquard printed fabrics made the dresses seem even more impressive from distances even if the construction is simpler than previous dresses.
Fig. 50 Day dress from 1873
Fig. 51 Day dress from
Fig. 52 Day dress from 1868
Fig. 53 Day dress from 1885
Fig. 54 Day dress from 1883
Fig. 55 Day dress from 1885
Skirt suits
• What started as a riding fashion that was inspired by historical men's tailoring soon became and everyday fashion for women by the 1870s.
• The fashion known as skirt suits were worn by women in the Victorian era for outdoor wear, they comprised of a matching tailored jacket and skirt. As women began to become more independent and try new things, they needed more durable fashion to wear to allow them to do so.
• What made them so durable was the choice of fabric which was wool and the lack of decoration which would have simplified the upkeep and washing of the garments.
Even though these suits were made for outdoor activities they weren’t always the most comfortable as they will still intricately be constructed to highlight the women's figure. The tailors who would make these ensembles would manipulate their traditionally male tailoring skills and add in elements like bust darts and volume in the sleeves to follow the female fashion trends. Most jackets were still constructed like male tailoring on the inside though, with collar canvas and linings to stiffen the shape of the jacket in place.
Fig. 56 Skirt suit from 1895
Fig. 57 Riding habit from 1900
Fig. 58 Skirt suit from 1895
Fig. 59 Victorian photograph of women cycling from 1898
Evening dresses- Late Victorian
Princess line dress-
• This was a style of evening dress seen from the 1870s onwards.
• A slim fitting style of dress highlighting a women's figure, with no seam at the waistline; the dress was cut all in one not as a separate bodice and skirt.
• Down the front panel was usually gathered/ ruffled.
• There was no obvious fastenings on these dresses, and they were usually done up with a hook and eye closure at the side of the front panel.
• Similarly to day dresses, drapery was very popular in late Victorian evening dresses, held in place at the waist.
• From the 1880s onwards, trimming and decoration was very popular on evening dresses, the more the better. This included things like large bows or flounces sewn onto different layers of the long skirts. Lace was also commonly used as a trimming
• Despite the fashion of high-necked bodices for the daytime, wide open necklines were still popular for evening gowns.
• Bodices were tightly fitted and boned to create a slim sleek look
• The sleeves on evening gowns were also much shorter, small puffed or cap sleeves.
• Fabrics used for evening gowns included silk and velvet.
• In some evening dresses of the late Victorian period the sleeves dramatically changed, especially in the 1890s.
• They became large, almost comically enormous puffed sleeves, to make their waists look smaller.
• The sleeves on day dresses also followed this leg of mutton style of sleeve, except the sleeves of day dresses usually went to the wrist while evening dress puff sleeves stopped at just below the elbow.
Fig. 60 Princess line dress from 1878
Fig. 61 Victorian princess line dress
Fig. 62 1880s evening dresses
Fig. 63 1880s evening dresses
Fig. 64 Evening dress from 1894
Blouses
Although most people think of women wearing blouses as a later historical fashion like the Edwardian era some women adapted to the fashion of wearing blouses in the late Victorian era, because of the dress reform movement.
Garibaldi blouse
• In the 1860s a style of women's top emerged called the garibaldi blouse inspired by military uniform from Giuseppe Garibaldi.
• The style of blouse is very similar in look and construction to men's shirts. However, the sleeves were slightly dropped and very full in volume, with a tailored cuff.
• These bodices were usually made from a red wool fabric very similar to the military uniform. They were also made in white which was known as a Canezou.
• They were usually decorated down the centre front with pleating and trim around the collarless neckline.
• The shirt was also feminised by gathering in the shirt at the waist where it would have been tucked into a very full skirt that was popular in the 1860s.
The 1890s was the period when shirts were seen much more in women's fashion.
They were known as a shirtwaist or a waist as it described a women's shirt that looked like a man's.
These shirts had buttons as the closure down the CF and could also have detachable collars much like men's shirts.
These were worn in very informal settings firstly, with long skirts but then became more elaborately decorated with lace trimmings and other decorative techniques so that they could be worn in the evening as well.
The blouses ranged in decorative techniques to fabrics depending on the occasion, lightweight white ones would have been worn for summer day wear. The introduction of these shirts meant there were even more options and freedom for women to wear.
Fig. 65 Garibaldi blouse
Fig. 66 Garibaldi blouse
Fig. 67-68 1890s women's blouse
Jackets
Decoration on capes
Capes were usually made from wool for warmth purposes.
Cloaks were a very popular choice of outwear for ladies during this time. They were usually long and un-shapely, covering up a woman; often they did not have sleeves and was instead like fabric wrapped around attached together at the neck.
These capes were also known as mantles. Shorter cloaks or capes known as mantlets came into fashion for daywear in the 1850s.
If the cloaks were for evening use, they could be made from silk as it would just be for fashion and decoration. Feathers from peacocks or cocks were admired on capes, they would be densely sewn together onto the capes and would show off their wealth. This would be reserved for capes in the evening.
Softer feathers could be used for trim around the hem of shorter mantles as a sign of opulence, these were usually attached to the silk capes.
Lace was common decoration for day capes around the shoulders particularly.
Braiding and fringe were the most common type of decoration for capes because of the way they hung over the ladies' shoulders, it gave the cape more movement and femininity.
Beading and velvet could also be incorporated.
Pelisses-
• This was a popular piece of clothing for daytime wear, it was a style of jacket that would have been worn over a dress.
• They were worn outside usually when women would be walking, promenading or visiting people.
• Unlike other jackets this was known as a dress robe which meant the shape of the pelisse mimicked the style of the dress that the lady was wearing underneath.
• The style of them was dependent on the wearer, some were very decorative and would have things like cord or piping sewn on them.
Fig. 69 Victorian women in cloaks
Fig. 70 Victorian long cloak
Fig. 71 Wool cloak
Fig. 72 Lace day cape
Fig. 73 Victorian Pelisse
Dolman jackets
Jackets
Riding jackets
Riding habits were worn by women much before the tailored jacket came into fashion for everyday wear.
These jackets were also similarly inspired by men's tailoring and jackets so were often following the trends for what was fashionable for menswear at the time.
In the Victorian era that meant dark wool fabric like blacks, greys and navy's.
Military inspired designs were also seen often, like military braiding and buttons being used as the fastenings.
What made them different from men's riding jackets were the darts creating a small waist, and more gathering and the shoulders to create feminine slightly puffed sleeves.
Whale boning was also used to create the feminine structure, this meant that even though the jackets were made for horse riding if the lady fell off, they weren’t the safest.
As the shape of dresses for women changed in the late Victorian era from the 1870s onwards the shapes of the jackets had to as well, therefore the Dolman jacket was created. The jacket was fitted around the chest area with long flowing sleeves that curve towards the front, the sleeves were not fully detached from the rest of the jacket only becoming detached at the elbows.
The main feature of the Dolman was the large back panels that would fit over the large bustles that were worn at this time, the panel was pleated with deep pleats, or would be split to allow it to spread over the bustle. Similarly to capes dolmans could be trimmed with luxurious feathers around the hems and sleeve ends.
Rosettes made from braids could be attached at the back pleats, it was popular to use trimmings that were seen on curtains on these types of jackets. The jackets could be made from wool, velvet or furs like mink, wool dolmans usually would have very ornate patterns woven into the fabric that could be accentuated with beading.
Fig. 74 Women's riding habit
Fig. 75 Velvet mantle
Fig. 76 Long Dolman jacket
Fig. 77 Fur Dolman jacket
Shoes
For formal dress ladies would wear delicate slippers made from silk. The shape of these slippers were very slim making the wearers feet look smaller which was no doubt not very comfortable. The toe was very square, and the hell was usually very small or would have no heel at all. To give these shoes more support they were lined with kid leather, the same kind of leather that was used to make ladies gloves; but still they were very fine that is why they would only be worn for occasions.
These slippers could be made from all colours of silk ,depending on what a woman was going to wear them with, and became more vibrant when aniline dyes were invented. Quite often they would be decorated at the toe with a rosette or bow from matching silk. Boots-
The most popular type of shoe worn by women in the daytime from the 1850s onwards were boots, this was a new fashion trend that was inspired by men's footwear. The original men's boot shape and style was adapted to become more ‘feminine’, the toe became more pointed and slimmer, a small heel was added, and the boots usually ended around the mid-calf so that a lady's ankle would be hidden while walking.
The boots were usually made from leather, a thicker sturdier type of leather would have been used for walking boots so that they could withstand more and more delicate leather for carriage boots. If the boots were not for walking like carriage specific boots, they would have extra decoration like scallop edges or more ornamental buttons. The buttons on these boots would start at around the toes and extend up the calf, off to the side. A button hook would be used to do them up.
Fig. 78 Black silk shoes
Fig. 79 White silk evening slippers
Fig. 80 White leather boots
Fig. 81 Illustration of Victorian women's boots
Hats
Hats
Bonnets
This type of headwear was most worn by women at the beginning of the Victorian era like the 1830s/ 40s/50s. Bonnets were particularly worn by women in the countryside but were also seen within towns and cities as well.
The bonnets of this era had a rather large stiff brim that protruded forward and blocked the eyesight of the women wearing it. This was typical of straw bonnets known as Leghorn bonnets.
As the Victorian era progressed the shape of the bonnets changed, instead of being very cone like and closed off around the face the brim shape became more open.
As the brim was more open the bonnets were worn further back on the head, giving the impression they were sliding off. The crown of the bonnets were usually highly decorated with flowers, lace trims and other ribbons, and had long ribbon ties keep it secure on a head.
• Hats were one of the most popular accessories for women in this era, which meant there was a very large range of styles which changed very often.
• Hats were usually made from felt as it could be easily steamed into different shapes.
• Particularly in the 1880s it became very fashionable to have stuffed animals or birds on hats, the more exotic the better as it highlighted the wearers wealth. This included many manners of feathers as well, which could have been dyed to coordinate more with the style of other hat decorations.
• One very popular style of hat was the Gainsborough. This hat had a very large brim that went all the way around the head, but one side would be titled upwards at the front of the face. This was seen from the 1870s onwards.
• A smaller style of hat but with a much larger almost pointy crown was the Tyrolean hat. The brim was slightly turned up all the way around and reminds me a lot of modern hats.
• However, these are just a few styles of hats that were particularly popular throughout the Victorian era as much more could be written about them.
• The main takeaways of the styles of hats was that for women of higher classes they were very extravagant and over the top, almost like it was a competition of who could fit the most on their hat.
Fig. 83 Bonnet styles
Fig. 84 Victorian hat illustration
Fig. 85 Hat with feathers
Fig. 86 Late Victorian hat style
Accessories
Fans-
Victorian ladies used fans as not just an accessory but as a status symbol and a tool to communicate. Though a lot less like the traditional portrayals of fans in era, as they were slightly less poplar now. Though if a Victorian lady was attending a social event, she would always be carrying a fan.
Like many things in the Victorian era the changes in production methods meant that there were countless number of styles of fan at this time. Some were made with ivory and hand painted silk designs, while others were covered in feathers and other decorations.
Parasols-
• These were a very poplar accessory with Victorian ladies during the summer months as it would protect their skin and eyes from the sun whilst also looking stylish.
• From the 1830s onwards parasols could now be collapsed and folded down which made them much easier to take while travelling.
• They were usually made from lace or silk with the most expensive examples having ivory carved handles.
Gloves- Women's gloves were very dainty and tight fitted as it made them seem elegant. This slimness could also be accentuated through the long lines of stitching on the top of the gloves that makes the fingers seem longer.
Usually, longer gloves were worn in the evenings and shorter during the daytime.
The gloves were made from kid leather which is very thin soft leather, and the gloves could be made from all ranges of colours.
Fig. 87 Lace covered parasol
Fig. 88 Victorian fan
Fig. 89 Long black gloves Fig. 90 Kid leather gloves
MALE DRESS RESEARCH
Undergarments
• Undervests
• Men's drawers
• These were the Victorian men's version of underwear.
• The length of them usually depended on the length of the man's trousers, if he was wearing breeches that finished just below the knee, they would obviously have to be shorter than if they were wearing full length trousers.
• They were usually made from wool or cotton fabric, but sometimes upper classes might even wear silk drawers.
• They were fastened either at the back with ties or had a button front closure
• There is a lot less historical examples of drawers as according to research upper class men had tens of shirts and only a couple of drawers.
• These were introduced into society in the 1840s particularly for working men
• They were made from wool or calico cotton and were worn under shirts as a form of protection that would soak up the workers sweat.
• They were not worn before as the shirts themselves were seen as an undergarment during this era.
• The ones made from wool were worn for warmth as well
• Corsets and stays- for men
• Just like for women, Dandy men also desired a cinched waist- although some were ridiculed for being effeminate.
• Military men also wore stays underneath their uniform to look professional and smart, as it would give them a very upright posture.
• The corsets worn by men would cover their stomachs as that was usually the area of the body, they wanted to flatten out, especially for older men wanting to appear more youthful and in shape.
Fig. 91 Men's Drawers
Fig. 92 Men’s undervest
Fig. 93 Men's corset illustration
Undergarments- Shirts
The reason I am categorising my men's shirt research under undergarments is because that is what men at the time viewed them as. Men would never be seen with just a shirt therefore they are technically underwear, the shirts were used to collect dirt and sweat from a mans body and protect the rest of his clothing; like what a chemise does for a woman.
The heads of sleeves were pleated to create volume, though the amount of volume decreased as the era progressed because of the change in fashion becoming slimmer and more fitted. A baggy undershirt would not be comfortable to wear underneath this. Most shirts evening had holes for collar studs and detachable collars, this increased the longevity of the shirts as they could be changed depending on the occasion.
Shirts from the regency era are most recognizable from their large ruffle down the front of the shirt, very flamboyant and showed off a mans wealth and taste; these types of shirts were worn in the daytime and the evening. However when the Victoria era came about these shirts were quickly going out of fashion, the large frills were relaced with pin tucks and pleats down the front panel of the shirt. This was mostly seen in shirts that were for formal evening attire though, and shirts for the daytime were quite plain in their decoration. Shirts for daywear were plain because they were largely hidden by a number of layers like a cravat, waistcoat and jacket, therefore they had no reason to be decorative.
Most shirts were made from a lightweight linen or cotton, in a cream or a white colour. White meant that the man had a lot of money because it meant that he could afford to have many shirts, or had a way to keep shirts clean easily
Fig. 94 Day shirt
Neckwear and collars
Detachable collars were attached using collar studs and were mainly worn by men but as the era progressed, they became popular among women as well as it allowed both genders to freshen up their looks and look more put together; this was because if their shirt wasn’t clean, they could add a clean collar onto it as it would usually be the only thing visible, and no one would know any different. For formal eveningwear, a detachable collar that was pointed and upright would be worn, and during the day collar styles that could be downturned were more popular.
The style of neckwear were rapidly changing in the Victorian times, different styles for different occasions. At the beginning of the era a white cravat was the most popular style of neckwear, still being influenced by dandyism. This style of cravat was still quite large in width which made it large in volume as well. As time went on the trend for neckwear was to reduce this width and volume become slimmer and sleeker
The ascot was known as the day cravat, the fabric that wrapped around the neck was pleated and slimmer and could be tied numerous different ways. Unlike before, the ascot was made in different colours not just white.
A different style of neckwear was invented when the dinner jacket was in the 1880s, it was a white bow tie. Worn for formal but more relaxed evening dress.
As neckties got slimmer, they started to look more like modern day ties. The trend of wearing dark ties that matched the man's jacket or waistcoat was started by a man called Count d’Orsay. Tie pins were also invented in the late 19th century as thinner neckties would need to be held in place more.
Fig. 97 Collar styles
Fig. 98 Tying a cravat
Fig. 100 Illustration of Ascot
Fig. 99 White necktie
Fig. 101 White bowtie
Trousers- daytime
The main changes in trousers in the Victorian era was the shape of them, at the beginning of the period trousers were tight fitting and then as it progressed, they became looser, straighter legged and billowing.
The style of fastening or closure on the trousers changed as well; fall front trousers were first worn which is a type of square flap that opens and fastens with buttons, then fly fronts were invented and took over completely.
Trousers that were worn in the daytime were a lot looser than formal evening trousers which is an easy way to tell them apart. Cossack trousers
• These trousers were worn in the daytime in the 1830s/40s
• As was popular at the time Cossack trousers had straps that would wrap around the bottom of the foot, that were attached with buttons. This strap would stop the trousers riding up as they were not skintight.
• These trousers were pleated at the waistband making them very full around the man's thigh. They then slimmed down going down the leg to a relatively slim fit around the ankle.
• Trousers worn during the daytime were made from fabrics that were lighter than the colour of jacket they were wearing, particularly in early Victorian times.
• Trousers often featured checks or stripes in brown or grey wool. As previously stated, when researching wedding fashion stripes were favoured as they made the man seem taller.
• Trousers made from this material and pattern were worn with morning coats.
• In the 1860s patterns of trousers started to become more unconventional because more dying techniques became readily available like aniline dyes, which meant fabric could be made much brighter than ever before.
If a man was wearing a sack coat for more informal daywear from the 1850s onwards, he could wear trousers that were made from matching material.
Fig. 102 Cossack trousers
Fig. 104 Striped trousers
Fig. 103 Matching wool trousers
Fig. 106 Illustration of men's trousers
Fig. 105 Tartan trousers
Trousers- evening wear
Pantaloons
• These were tight fitting legwear that ended just above the ankle; they were particularly popular with men who wanted to show off their toned physique of legs.
• Pantaloons were the style of trousers that were worn by men until the 1850s for formal evening wear.
• They were inspired by military wear which is why some had braided cord as decoration. Pantaloons and breeches were a lot more popular in previous times like the regency era.
• They were usually made from white or cream cotton and depending on the style had buttons around the ankle or a strap that went underneath the foot.
Dress Trousers-
• In the late Victorian times black trousers with a crisp fold down the front of each legs were often worn for evening attire.
• They were made from the same material as the man's jacket making it a matching dress suit. Dark 3-piece suits were worn to formal occasions like dinners in the 1880s onwards.
• Sometimes the trousers had black braiding down the side seams.
• These trousers had a button fly front unlike the pervious fall front style.
• By this time trousers were still slimmer than seen in modern days but were certainly looser than pantaloons, falling straight down the leg.
Fig. 107 White pantaloons
Fig. 108 Black dress trousers
Waistcoats- Vests
Shape and style
Waistcoats in this era were worn to help create a desirable shape for a man, a small waist and broader shoulders, as well as to cover the shirt which was seen as underwear. What made waistcoats in Victorian times different than previous vests were that they were a lot shorter and tighter to create this proper shape.
In the 1840s/ 50s very rounded collar or shawl lapel that means the collar and the lapel are the same connected together. After this time, you could see notched lapels on a waistcoat.
A general trend in the style of waistcoats was that double breasted were worn in the daytime and single breasted for eveningwear. But it also depended on the general style of the man wearing it
Construction
On the backs of waistcoats there is a strap that is used to tighten and fasten to waistcoat to the right size. This could either be done with a buckle or an eyelet lacing system. Usually, the buttons on the front of the waistcoats were either covered in the same material as the actual waistcoat or were decorative brass buttons.
Fabrics
As the rest of Victorian menswear is rather plain, especially compared to previous eras the main decoration which usually highlighted the man's personality came from his waistcoats. Different types of patterns and fabric were seen on waistcoats throughout the century.
More expensive waistcoats would have been made from silk, with a cheaper cotton lining on the inside. But they could have also been made from wools or velvet.
Tartan and checked fabric was popular in 1850s/60s, and sometimes a matching check would be used to make the trousers as well.
Floral designs on waistcoats were also popular from the 1840s/50s. The Victorian language of flowers would play significance into what flowers were displayed on the fabric.
Embroidered peacock feathers like in this red silk waistcoat from the V and A were also quite common to be seen from the later parts of the Victorian era.
Fig. 109 Men’s waistcoat from 1850s
Fig. 110 Tartan waistcoat from 1860s
Fig. 111 Shawl pattern waistcoat from 1839
Fig. 112 Peacock father waistcoat from 1840s
Men’s Jackets- Daytime
Sack coat
• This was a style of coat that was also worn in the daytime of the Victorian era, but it was worn for informal settings unlike the frock coat.
• What made the coat seem more informal was the way it was constructed; the frock coat was usually made from 4 pieces the sack was made from 2.
• As they were made from less pieces this meant they wouldn’t have as good fit compared to frock coats and would be a lot looser.
• If the sack coat was going to be worn in the summer, it could be made from linen and wool was used for other seasons.
• It would have been worn by working men like doctors and other professions like this.
Frock coat
• This style of coat was worn all throughout the Victorian era as the most popular style of coat for formal daywear.
• The frock coat was very long like the coat it was inspired by, the great coat, as it usually ended below the knee.
• Unlike the great coat it was slimmer in overall fit highlighting the man's waist. However, the skirt of the jacket was still very full. This fullness was sometimes created through a vent at the back.
• The lapels and collar of the jacket were very large and were sometimes covered in different types of contrasting fabric.
• The frock coat was usually double breasted with two rows of button down the CF.
• The shoulders of the frock coats were greatly padded to make the man's shoulders look very broad.
• In the earlier Victorian era, some frock coats also had a small cape that just covered the shoulder portion of the coat
• They usually had very large pockets that were at the front of the jacket.
Fig. 113 Men's frock coat
Fig. 114 Fur lined frock coat
Fig. 115 Sack coats
Fig. 116 Photograph featuring sack coat
Men’s Jackets- Daytime
Morning coat
• This was a style of coat that took over the frock coat in popularity for daywear. The morning coat was particularly popular with young men from the 1870s onwards
• The shape of the coat was adapted from the frock coat and the tailcoat together.
• The morning coat was first worn as a style of coat worn for horse riding, but it soon came into society and became more and more formal.
• The tail of the morning coat is slightly sloped towards the back like a less dramatic tailcoat. This style of tail makes the man's waist seem slimmer.
• The construction of the chest and shoulders which were padded to give structure. They were not as highly padded as previous coats of the era which were very exaggerated.
• The morning coats were usually made from dark coloured fabrics like black or grey wool.
• The front was closed with buttons and there could be as little as two or as many as 6. it was fashionable to just do up the top button or the jacket or wear it open; this was to show off their decorative waistcoats.
• The lapels were pointed and rather wide, sometimes decorated with contrasting fabric.
• These jackets were very tightly tailored as the fashionable style was very slim fitting Boating jacket
• This style of jacket as the name suggests was worn in the summer for boating, often with a matching waistcoat and trousers to make a suit.
• The suit was quite loose fitting to make it more breathable in the warm seasons.
• The front of the jacket opening is curved and sloped towards the back.
• The suits were usually made from cream striped flannel fabric.
• These jackets would have been worn with a straw boater hat as well.
• This style of jacket was created as men wanted something else to wear in the evening that was less formal and restrictive than the tailcoat. This was seen in men's fashions from the 1880s onwards. But was first seen in the 1860s on the Prince of Wales
• The dinner jacket was like a shorter sack coat and the fabrics used to create it would have made it more acceptable for eveningwear.
• The lapels on the dinner jackets were usually covered in silk fabric, and most dinner jackets were made from black worsted.
• This style was then the foundation for modern tuxedo suit jackets.
Tailcoat
• This was the style of coat worn by men in formal evening settings. The popularity of the coat started in the early 1700s and the style adapted through the Victorian period as well.
• The tailcoat was tightly fitted with slim fitting sleeves. These jackets were able to be so well fitted to the wearer because tape measures were invented in 1818.
• The lapels on tailcoats were usually quite wide and pointed, epically in the early Victorian era as this is what was fashionable.
• What makes this coat recognisable are the tails, they extend usually to the back of the man's knee in a cutaway style from the front. The style of these tails depended on the era and could be sloped from the front or cutaway in a straight hem.
• Tailcoats usually had hidden pockets on the inside as they would have been worn at dinner parties and would need to be safe from pickpocketing.
• Early Victorian tailcoats had a centre back vent that would have been decorated with gold buttons either side.
Fig. 121 Tailcoat
Fig. 122 Dinner jacket and suit
Men's outdoor wear
Knickerbockers
• These were a style of men's trousers that were worn for outdoor activities like hunting and usually worn with a Norfolk jacket.
• They were popular in the later Victorian era in the 1890s.
• They were very loose fitting sometimes created through deep pleating gathered at the waistband and just below the knee, with a knee band.
• They were usually fastened with button fly front or even a buckle on the waistband.
• They were longer than regular men's breeches and made from wool tweed fabric.
• This jacket was known as a Norfolk jacket, named after the Duke of Norfolk as he was the original one who requested such a jacket.
• It was an outdoor jacket specifically used for activities like hunting and horse-riding, introduced in the 1860s.
• The jacket was made from tweed wool for warmth.
• It was seen as a very casual, country jacket only until the late 1890s where only some men would wear the jackets within cities as well.
• The jacket is recognisable from the large belt around the waist, and matching tweed straps.
• The jacket also had very large pockets on the front which would have been very useful during hunting.
Fig. 123 Norfolk jacket
Fig. 124 Hunting outfits
Fig. 125 Hunting outfits
Fig. 126 Knickerbocker trousers
Accessories
Gloves
Cane
The cane was seen as a proper gentleman’s accessory. The style and decoration of a man's cane showed his wealth and status and was another way of showing off.
A range of styles could now be produced from advancements in manufacturing processes from the first industrial revolution. The base of most canes would have been carved from wood, as canes made from materials like ivory had largely died out at this point. The handles of canes were gold, silver or brass and would sometimes have carvings like initials or ornate decoration.
These were another accessory that were meant to highlight a man's social standing. Men who did not work in laborious jobs wore fashionable gloves instead of ones for practicality like farming. White gloves were the colour to be worn by men in the evening. Darker colours like black, grey and navy were worn for formal daywear. And colours like tan were worn when a man was visiting the countryside.
Like ladies gloves they were particularly tight fitted and made from leather.
Fob- Pocket watches
The fob is the chain that is connected to the end of the pocket watch, it could also be referring to a decorative charm that would hand off the chain. They were usually quite ornate as they were seen on the outside of a man's waistcoat.
Actual pocket watches were less popular at this time but instead the chain known as the fob was the centrepiece, and often men opted to wear just the chain and not the watch. Pocket watches were made from gold or other precious metals so where therefore very expensive, which explains why some men would just wear the chain if they couldn’t afford the watch itself.
Some very eccentric Victorian men were known to wear fobs that were made from their partners hair,
Fig. 127 Victorian photograph showing men’s cane
Fig. 130 Men's leather gloves
Fig.128 Pocket watch chain
Fig. 129 Pocket watch
Fig. 131 Chain with fob
Hats
Bowler hat
• These came into fashion for working men at the end of the Victoria era.
• It was stated to be invented as a riding hat, as top hats were getting taller, they would be knocked off by branches when on a horse.
Top hat
• The Victorian era is known as the era for top hats, they were the most popular style of hat for men.
• Unlike nowadays and in 20th century top hats were only worn for very formal occasions, and for events like the races, in the Victorian era top hats were worn for almost every occasion.
• There were two different types of top hats depending on what they were made from.
• A silk topper was made from wool and silk blended, and a beaver was made from beaver pelts.
• When the hats were being made before they were steamed into their iconic shape, the raw material would have been treated with mercury which we now know is poisonous. These would cause hatters to fall ill or even go mad which is what the character the mad hatter is based on.
• Top hats were either made in black or grey, as Beau Brummel style inspiration of the era stated that brown was a taboo colour.
• Because it was made for this use the crown of the hat was very solid, and the brim was turned upwards to not get in the wearer's eyes
• The hats were then worn not just by riders and groundkeepers but by working men like bankers in the city.
• As every proper man was to be seen with a top hat it meant there was often problems when they went to the opera as everyone's views was being blocked
• The opera hat was created around 1812 to solve this problem
• The opera hat was a type of hat that could collapse in on itself to make itself flat and easily slide underneath their seats during the performance
Fig. 132 Silk topper
Fig. 133 Grey bowler hat
Fig. 134 Collapsible opera hat
Shoes
Half boots-
Buckle shoes were only fashionable for court dress in the early Victorian era. They were made from black leather and had large gold buckles just above the toe box.
Like women's fashion the most popular style of shoes at the time were lace up or button boots. Most of these shoes were made from black fabrics like leather however some were made from leather for the soles and bottom of the shoe and wool cloth for the top; brown was also worn but less popular. They were most common for daywear, but smarter pairs would have been worn in the evening for dinners and dances. A version of the half boot without buttons or lacing was known as the congress boot
Tall boots-
Oxfords-
These were another style of lace up shoes, that were shorter than the half boot. These leather shoes were laced up using eyelets, and the toe cap would sometimes be adorned with decorative stitching. Oxfords first came into fashion as sporty shoes or walking shoes for daywear however as the century progressed the shoes were seen as more formal and could be worn in the evening as well. Like other shoes they were made from mostly black or brown leather.
This was the style of shoe that was worn by working men, or by men of all classes when they would be partaking in outdoor activities like walking, hunting or riding. These were made from tough leather and would be pulled on with the assistance of a shoehorn.
Fig. 136 Men’s half boots
Fig. 137 Men’s oxfords
Fig. 138 Men’s tall boots
HAIR AND MAKEUP
I found examples of women's hair and makeup that I want to try to recreate for my final photoshoot. These are the photos I sent to the makeup artist I am collaborating with. They were found in the book Victorian & Edwardian fashion - a photographic survey by Alison Gernsheim. I wanted to find updo hairstyles that would work if I was adding accessories like bonnets or flowers in their hair. The makeup is very simple and is mostly, so they look well with the camera lights.
PHOTOGRAPGHY INSPIRATION
The day of the photoshoot I will be collaborating with a makeup student, Leon Tough, in the morning to get the models hair and makeup complete, I will be assisting with the hair styling using my research in this area to support the makeup student. The makeup will be completed from 9-12 on the day of the shoot. Then the photos will be taken in the afternoon after getting them dressed, making sure the models are not eating in the costumes.
• The final plans for the costumes are shown within my costume breakdowns
• For my models Charlie and Rachel, I will be taking photos of them together replicating the style of mid-Victorian wedding photographs- 1840s/1850s.
• I want to also create a story using Rachel and have her photographed in a ladies evening gown from a later part of the Victorian era. This is to show the progression of the Victorian style of dress (I have created a story in my mind to help with my styling that Rachels husband is no longer in the picture).
• Then using my models Seren and Anthony I will be styling them as a late Victorian era couple- 1880s/1890s . As I would have created looks for women only using dresses so far, I was inspired to make a look using a skirt and a blouse to show a different style of women's clothing. They will both be dressed in day fashion which is contrasting to the formal evening wear shown in my other looks.
MODELS
CHARLIE
Photos of model- Charlie
Costume breakdown
Final photos- Wedding
RACHEL
Photos of model- Rachel
Costume breakdown- Wedding outfit
Costume breakdown- Wedding outfit
Costume breakdown- evening dress
Costume breakdown- evening dress
Final photos
Wedding flowers
For the final photoshoot I wanted to curate a bouquet of flowers that didn’t just look beautiful but would take my research of the Victorian language of flowers and would represent qualities
Victorians wanted in a marriage
Daisies- Symbolising loyalty and innocence
Yellow Welsh poppysymbolising wealth and prosperity
Orange tulips- symbolising an excitement for new life and a love an understanding between a relationship
White wildflower spraysymbolising unity and harmony
Yellow and orange peonies- symbolising new beginnings
Orange blossomsymbolising chastity and purity
Final photos
SEREN
of model- Seren
Photos
Costume breakdown
Costume breakdown
Final photos
ANTHONY
Photos of model
Costume breakdown
Final photos
FINAL PHOTOS
Final photos
Final photos
Final photos
Final photos
Final photos
Final photos
REFERENCE AND FIGURE LIST
• Fig 1
• Portrait of Queen Victoria (1859) Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Victoria_in_her_Coronation_robes.jpg
• Fig 2
• Photograph of late Queen Victoria (1882) Source: https://www.history.com/topics/european-history/queenvictoria
Victorian portrait of men on their wedding day (unknown) Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/whatsthatpicture/6649802661/in/photolist-b8BYFV-hXV4nJ-jQA1mg-aYvuqe7epQm-b8BYE2
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