Victorian era costume. From the history of world fashion: Victorian fashion
In clothes, he is not subject to the vagaries of changeable fashion. The direction, which originated in the 19th century, still remains relevant. Its founder is Victoria, who became Queen of Great Britain at a young age and ruled for over 60 years. What is style, what are its main features?
Women's fashion of the 19th century: the main characteristics
The hourglass silhouette is a characteristic feature of this trend. The Victorian style of clothing (19th century) was designed to emphasize the captivating lines and curves of the body. Women used corsets, which made it possible to reduce the waist by 30 cm. This was dangerous for health, but the threat did not stop fashionistas. The styles of corsets underwent minor changes from time to time, but their purpose was preserved.
Dresses had multi-layered and puffy skirts, voluminous sleeves. Crinolines remained relevant almost throughout the reign of Queen Victoria, then narrow skirts with bustles began to become popular. The upper part of the outfit was decorated with all kinds of frills, frills and high collars were especially popular. Such clothes made it easy to hide figure flaws, and looked great on full young ladies.
Men's fashion of the 19th century: the main features
The Victorian style of men's clothing also deserves the attention of those who are interested in fashion history. At the beginning of the reign of Queen Victoria, the representatives of the stronger sex also put on something like a corset, this device made it possible to become visually slimmer. Then loose jackets came to replace, thanks to which men finally got the opportunity to breathe deeply. Coats were popular, the length of which was constantly changing.
A characteristic feature of that time is the love of vests. The Victorian waistcoat in the 19th century was the centerpiece of every outfit. In the wardrobe of every self-respecting gentleman there were several vests that were worn with the same suit, most often black. Also, fitted double-breasted jackets - frock coats were in great demand. It is impossible not to mention tailcoats - knee-length jackets (on the back), in which men attended official events.
Trousers with a high waist (approximately at the height of the navel) were in demand. Men preferred plaid or striped trousers. The length was constantly changing - from very short to very long. Suspenders were used, which were made of canvas or leather.
Primary colors
Men's and women's fashion of the 19th century made certain demands on colors. The Victorian style was distinguished by a certain stinginess in color schemes. Particularly popular were: passionate red, gothic black and elegant flesh. Also, ladies and gentlemen of the Victorian era liked shades of burgundy, blue, green.
The colors listed above were used not only separately, but also in all sorts of combinations. For this direction, there was a typical love for playing in contrasts. For example, a black dress was decorated with red embroidery. This was typical for the outfits of both sexes.
Fabrics, finishing
The Victorian style in clothes cannot be imagined without noble fabrics. The older generation was distinguished by its love for heavy velvet, silk, and satin. Outfits made from these materials looked rich, designed to emphasize the privileged position in the society of their owners.
Young ladies who dreamed of finding a good match preferred lighter fabrics. They chose outfits made of delicate muslin, decorated with flowers or bows, which helped them attract the attention of potential suitors. It was not customary to wear a dress more than twice.
Finishing deserves special mention. All sorts of ruffles, ribbons, bows and frills were considered fashionable, lace was especially fond of. Mischievous embroidery helped to refresh snow-white collars and cuffs, making the look less strict.
Hats
What it was then During the reign of Queen Victoria, ladies abandoned wide-brimmed hats decorated with flowers and feathers. They were replaced by graceful bonnet hats. It cannot be said that women's headdresses began to look less rich, because they were still decorated with lace, bows, feathers and flowers.
A women's hat helped to tell the world about the character and mood of its owner. She looked like a real work of art. Much easier was the case with hats for the stronger sex. Men preferred elegant top hats, but there were also other styles of hats. For example, gentlemen wore wide-brimmed felt, flat-topped hats.
Accessories
The Victorian style of clothing made certain demands on accessories. A gentleman could not afford to appear in society without a tie. Products differed in style and width, both intricate scarves with patterns and thin strips of fabric were popular. Many men used as an accessory a pocket watch with a chain that hung from a vest pocket. A variety of canes were also in demand. The representatives of the stronger sex in the Victorian era did not wear belts.
Gloves were considered the main ladies' accessory. They were made from various materials, generously decorated with lace and ribbons. Products intended for the cold season had a fur trim. To appear in society without them was considered indecent for the fair sex. Silk scarves made in bright colors were also in demand. They were wrapped around the neck. The fashion for jewelry during the reign of Queen Victoria was constantly changing. Elegant discreet sets, designed to emphasize the grace of their owner, enjoyed continued popularity.
Contemporary women's fashion
Much has changed since the reign of Queen Victoria, but the Victorian style of dressing remains invariably popular. Modern wardrobe will only benefit if you add a dress in the spirit of the 19th century to it. Of course, the outfits of our days are more comfortable, they are not complemented by a pile of skirts and crinolines. Corsets are used, however, they have a mainly decorative function. The dress can be not only long, but also shortened. Chiffon frills, contrasting embroidery, openwork stand-up collar are welcome.
Sheer chiffon blouses are very popular with designers. They are decorated with twisted lace appliqués, silk frills and bows, and endowed with voluminous sleeves. Such products are perfectly combined with classic trousers-pipes, they can also be worn with skirts with puffy hemlines, with tight-fitting pencil skirts. On owners of a thin waist, a corset with lacing will look great, which can be worn with trousers or skirts.
Modern men's fashion
The Victorian style of clothing is also popular with the stronger sex. Men who want to look like a dandy from a bygone era can adopt any attributes of this trend. A top hat, a tailcoat, a waistcoat, a pocket watch and, of course, a cane - all these details will help create an image of a real gentleman who is unlikely to ever go out of fashion.
The term "Victorian fashion" can be applied to the Victorian era clothing, replete with lace, frills, flowing silhouettes. The styles popular during the time of Queen Victoria emphasized the grace and sophistication of this era, which was considered the pinnacle of civilization, and the removal from everything rough and wild in human nature.
Men's clothing: trousers, coat, jacket, cap for the lower class, bowler hat for the middle class, and top hat for those who belonged to high society (sometimes the top hat was worn by the middle class during formal events).
Women's clothing: dresses with a skirt long enough to cover the legs. Showing ankles covered only with stockings was a risky business, it was not approved of in society.
The mass production of artificial dyes has given rise to a variety of colors in clothing that did not exist before.
Home furniture was decorated with many intricate details. The mass production of furniture allowed the middle class to decorate their homes with beautiful things.
Here are the outfits worn in that era during the day:
- A woman's wardrobe included, but was not limited to, the following items: reception dress, visitation dress, outing dress or costume, riding dress, travel dress, carriage dress, ball gown for private balls, gown for social events (or house parties), ball gown for social balls, ball gown for dinner events, ball gown for dancing only, ball gown for costume ball, dinner dress.
- A man's wardrobe consisted of clothes for visiting and walking with a lady, for riding, for hunting on horseback, for hunting on foot, for club visits, for visiting fisticuffs, for dinners at home, for dining out, for balls, a smart suit, a tuxedo. and card or other games of chance.
Perhaps the phrase "clothing makes a man" appeared in the Victorian era. Victorian clothing to a large extent symbolized who the person was, what he did, and how much money lay in his bank account.
For men and women
Etiquette played an important role in Victorian clothing. It was considered good form to dress according to age and position in society.
The fact of owning one's own umbrella served as a certain social barometer. The rich had their own umbrellas, while the less wealthy rented them on rainy days.
The Victorian costume was not complete without a cane. The cane could consist of several compartments in which it was possible to carry a bottle of perfume.
Victorian fashion included glasses, but they were used only for image and not for vision correction. Often, if the glasses had lenses, they were removed, and the empty frame became part of the outfit.
Although the fabric for Victorian clothing was industrially produced, there was no ready-made dress yet. Tailors and seamstresses sewed clothes to order. Millioners, glove makers and hatters helped complete the look.
If funds did not allow such attention to be paid to clothing, families sewed clothes themselves, or found worn ones. The poor went to shops for second-hand clothes, which even a few people before them could wear, but which were still suitable.
For ladies only
Throughout the Victorian era, clothing underwent significant changes. Skirts from straight lines became wide, they were worn on voluminous crinolines. By the end of the era, crinolines disappeared from view, and skirts became narrower again, but now they have bustles.
The sleeves have also changed. Tight sleeves gave way to leg o "mutton sleeves, gathered at the shoulder, which remained fashionable until the end of the Victorian era.
Hats were a separate style. After large, wide-brimmed hats decorated with feathers and flowers, small bonnet hats soon became necessary. They looked no simpler than their predecessors, and were also richly decorated with flowers, feathers and lace.
What has always been in fashion is the corset. The styles of corsets have changed throughout the era, but their purpose has remained unchanged. To wear a Victorian dress, you had to pull the waist tight. The aim of the young girls was to make the waist as thin as possible. Older women were allowed to lace up the corset more freely.
During evening outings, one shoulder and upper chest could be bared. Only representatives of the upper and middle class dressed like this. Working class women dressed more modestly. Opening the shoulder, women threw a shawl over themselves to hide from the cool wind.
Fabrics such as satin, silk, heavy velvet were the norm for the older generation. Younger society ladies who were looking for a "good match" preferred lightweight fabrics. Dresses of their delicate muslin, decorated with bows or flowers, were designed to attract the gaze of the future husband. As a rule, these dresses were worn only once or twice.
The middle class bought other outfits, or ready-to-wear clothes, with the idea that they would last long enough. Sometimes the clothes were redesigned so that children could wear them.
A well-dressed fashionista wrapped a bright silk scarf around her neck, and a flowered bonnet hat adorned her head. Carefully polished boots peeked out proudly from under a row of ankle-length petticoats.
Well dressed gentleman
Men's clothing of the Victorian era did not undergo such radical changes as women's. The length of the coat changed, the tightened waist (men also wore something like a corset) gave way to a looser jacket, in which it was easier to breathe.
The history of men's fashion can be traced by observing the styles of trousers. In the early years of Victoria's reign, the legs were covered with tight-fitting cloth. This style soon gave way to a freer one. By the end of the century, straight, loose-fitting trousers with ironed pleats at the front and back became typical.
An elegant dressy coat, which was worn during the day, gradually gave way to a long frock coat, usually black. 
. However, a smart coat occasionally reappeared. The gentleman's formal evening attire was "white tie and tailcoat" and the daytime formal wear was tailcoat.
Games and cycling were catalysts for change in men's fashion during the Victorian era. By the end of the 1800s, long johns were introduced, and a looser style of clothing became acceptable during the day. Chess patterns and checks began to appear more frequently, although mostly in rural areas.
Like women, a man tied a silk scarf around his neck. 
. On his head was a tight-fitting cap that completely covered his hair. The Victorian costume was completed by a long waistcoat and trousers, from under which polished boots could be seen.
28.08.2016
During the Victorian era, casual wear was much more formal than it is today. Etiquette played an important role in Victorian clothing. Throughout the Victorian era, clothing underwent significant changes. Men's clothing of the Victorian era did not undergo such radical changes as women's. Aside from clothing, the most basic accessory for any Victorian gentleman was the tie. The term "Victorian fashion" can be applied to the Victorian era clothing, replete with lace, frills, flowing silhouettes.
The styles popular during the time of Queen Victoria emphasized the grace and sophistication of this era, which was considered the pinnacle of civilization, and the removal from everything rough and wild in human nature.
Victorian era. Corset, bustle, crinoline, crinolette.
Women's clothing: dresses with a skirt long enough to cover the legs. Showing ankles covered only with stockings was a risky business, it was not approved of in society. The mass production of artificial dyes has given rise to a variety of colors in clothing that did not exist before.
Victorian Inspiration - 10 Films About the Victorian Era
The cane could consist of several compartments in which it was possible to carry a bottle of perfume. Often, if the glasses had lenses, they were removed, and the empty frame became part of the outfit. Although the fabric for Victorian clothing was industrially produced, there was no ready-made dress yet. Tailors and seamstresses sewed clothes to order.
By the end of the era, crinolines disappeared from view, and skirts became narrower again, but now they have bustles. What has always been in fashion is the corset. The styles of corsets have changed throughout the era, but their purpose has remained unchanged. To wear a Victorian dress, you had to pull the waist tight. The aim of the young girls was to make the waist as thin as possible.
The history of men's fashion can be traced by observing the styles of trousers. In the early years of Victoria's reign, the legs were covered with tight-fitting cloth. The Victorian costume was completed by a long waistcoat and trousers, from under which polished boots could be seen. If it's your first time dressing in the Victorian style, keep in mind that you'll need a vest, coat, and hat first, perhaps with one or two accessories.
For a basic Victorian wardrobe, get a vest first.
The Victorian waistcoat was the centerpiece of any outfit. But evening fashion was still dominated by silk vests, as it is today. Throughout the Victorian period, other styles of hats were also found, including wide-brimmed fedoras and flat-top "patty" hats.
In the 1880s, frock coats were worn both during the day and in the evening. The frock coat was the most practical item in the Victorian wardrobe. In the 1870s and later, the men's suit gains popularityMen's suits: classic and modern with a spacious jacket. This may seem rather strange to modern people, but to the gentlemen of the Victorian era it seemed fashionable.
While in many ways Victorian shirts resembled modern shirts, they were much looser cut as the sewing and cutting technology was limited. The author actually has very mixed feelings about Victorian fashion. Loves it aesthetically, but terrifies in terms of practical sensations. But the benefit of this was, and in truth, little, to put it mildly.
There were models that allowed you to sit, in the 90s at least
Victorian style included additions to dresses in the form of luxurious lace shawls or capes. On the neck were massive jewelry with stones and amulets of that era in the form of: doves, hearts, snakes or cupids.
“Decent” clothing covered the entire body, except for the hands and head, although these were often covered with gloves and hats. Bathing suits of that time covered the entire body, and consisted of many meters of fabric. The exception was the costumes, where the arms were open from the elbows.
Shoes made of good, high-quality leather could always be made to order. In the 1850s, shoes began to be mass-produced, which could be bought in a store. It was considered good form to dress according to age and position in society.
The rich had their own umbrellas, while the less wealthy rented them on rainy days. If funds did not allow such attention to be paid to clothing, families sewed clothes themselves, or found worn ones. The poor went to shops for second-hand clothes, which even a few people before them could wear, but which were still suitable.
Tight sleeves gave way to leg o'mutton sleeves, gathered at the shoulder, which remained fashionable until the end of the Victorian era. They looked no simpler than their predecessors, and were also richly decorated with flowers, feathers and lace. During evening outings, one shoulder and upper chest could be bared. Only representatives of the upper and middle class dressed like this. The length of the coat changed, the tightened waist (men also wore something like a corset) gave way to a looser jacket, in which it was easier to breathe.
Chess patterns and checks began to appear more frequently, although mostly in rural areas. Like women, a man tied a silk scarf around his neck. On his head was a tight-fitting cap that completely covered his hair.
Modern square-toed boots, black trousers and a modern white tuxedo shirt can complete a Victorian look with a touch of flair.
By the end of the century, wool and cotton waistcoats in more conservative colors became more typical of casual wear, and the three-piece suit was gaining popularity.
Like waistcoats, hats came in a variety of styles. The second half of the 19th century was dominated by frock coats - men's double-breasted jackets, fitted front and back, which reached almost to the knee. Tailcoats - jackets, the length of which reached the knee in the back, black What colors go with black: less gloom and pathos, have been popular for almost a century.
Victorian gentlemen wore many different waistcoats, in almost all colors, styles and fabrics. Games and cycling were catalysts for change in men's fashion during the Victorian era. By the end of the 1800s, long johns were introduced, and a looser style of clothing became acceptable during the day. The Victorian costume was not complete without a cane. Victorian fashion included glasses, but they were used only for image and not for vision correction.
Victorian style wedding dresses and the Victorian style in general can be said to be the oldest style that is well illustrated in photographs. Less fortunate, because there were no photographs then, so we can only remember them from paintings, engravings and drawings.
Paintings by artists of the first half of the 19th century and earlier works are often genuine art, but even good paintings cannot convey all the details of wedding dresses and other attire in the way photographs can. Let's look at old photos of brides in wedding dresses of the Victorian era and remember the history of that time.
Victorian Wedding Dresses
Many people are not satisfied with an ordinary wedding, where everything is like with people, or rather, like with the most ordinary inhabitants. Therefore, some couples spend their weddings in a certain style. If you are also planning a wedding soon, and have not yet decided in what style it is better to organize a celebration, pay attention to the Victorian era.
A Victorian-style wedding is a bright, luxurious celebration, where everything is thought out to the smallest detail, despite the royal scope of the celebration. If you can't afford such a luxury, you can limit yourself to just a Victorian dress and some decorative elements for tables and interior.
As you can see from the photo, in the Victorian era, the color of wedding dresses was white, but according to the rules, only brides who got married for the first time wore a white dress. If the wedding was not the first for the bride, she did not wear a white dress and wedding flowers, because these symbols personified purity and innocence.
Queen Victoria ruled for a very long time, and during this time the dresses changed. The early ones had a fitted bodice, a narrow waist and a full skirt. The dress was made from different fabrics - from organza, tulle, lace, gauze, silk, linen and even cashmere. And the wedding image ended with a veil made of translucent cotton fabric or lace.
Modern Victorian style wedding gowns may have a corset that accentuates the waist, tight sleeves, and puffy, layered skirts. To finally decide whether this style suits you or not, look at the original wedding photos of the brides.
Victorian wedding dresses are quite varied, sometimes they borrow elements from other styles, so you can choose an outfit for any girl.
Many people profess their love for the Victorian era, but few people know that even the fashion during this time could lead to the death of the owner. Here are the most common dangers for mods at that time.
1. Toxic dyes
In the 18th century, a mixture of yellow and blue dyes was used to dye clothes green. But in the late 1770s, the Swedish-German chemist Scheele invented a new green pigment by mixing potassium and white arsenic in a solution of copper sulfate. The pigment was named "Green Scheele" and immediately became a real sensation. Ballerinas were at particular risk, often using tulle tutus. For example, the British ballerina Clara Webster died in 1844 when her dress caught fire at London's Drury Lane Theatre, getting too close to the lights on the stage. But it wasn't just the performers who were in danger. There were a huge number of accidents involving women and children whose nightgowns and underwear caught fire.
5. Arsenic stuffed
In the 19th century, stuffed dead birds were often attached to ladies' hats as an accessory. Millions of small songbirds have been killed as a result of this fashion. But the problem was not only that. Taxidermists used arsenic everywhere to make scarecrows. Needless to say what the wearing of hats with accessories literally soaked in arsenic led to. 6. Mercury
It's hard to imagine a Victorian aristocrat without a hat. However, most hats and caps were made using mercury. Although the harmful effects of mercury have long been known, it was the cheapest and most effective way to turn the hard fur of rabbits and hares into soft and silky.
In the 20th century, it was proven that mercury can quickly enter the body through the skin or air and cause a range of terrible health effects. Fashionistas wearing hats often suffered from convulsions, abdominal cramps, involuntary tremors, paralysis, reproductive problems, and many other disorders.
