Victorian dresses. Victorian children's clothing - Victorian fashion

Fashion trends of the late Victorian period

The 60s of the XIX century became a turning point in the history of the development of world fashion, turning it into a real industry. Such significant changes have occurred largely due to the invention of the sewing machine, as well as the emergence of artificial dyes. At the same time, one of the main directions in the development of modern fashion, haute couture, emerged and institutionalized. From now on, fashion trends have ceased to be some kind of frozen and slowly changing form, turning into something much more dynamic and creative.

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The famous dome-shaped crinoline skirt has sunk into oblivion, it was replaced by a much more elegant elongated shape. However, the very concept of "crinoline" lingered in fashion for quite a while.a long time due to the extraordinary popularity of the creator of haute couture Charles Worth. Worth himself considered the crinoline to be a rather bulky and unattractive structure, but since his name was strongly associated with this particular accessory, he continued to experiment with the form, creating an increasingly sophisticated image. As a result, after a few years, the overskirt rose significantly and was gathered into elegant pleats just below the waist.

Common men's shoes in the second half of the 19th century were cleats and boots with buttons or lacing. Open shoes were worn only at balls. Only black or patent leather shoes or low shoes were worn with the business card. Felt leggings were often worn over patent low shoes. In the 50s. men's shoes were pointed, and in the 60s blunt toes and high heels came into fashion.
In the 50-60s. women wore high heels and lace-up boots.
Casual women's shoes 70s-80s. there were high boots, laced or buttoned, with high or medium heels.

Speaking of crinoline. The crinoline acquires its true meaning only from 1850. It was then that it is a shirred domed skirt, the shape of which was supported by numerous petticoats. Until 1856, six more petticoats were worn under the overskirt, mostly handmade, very elaborate. Making them was difficult and took an infinite amount of time. This was due to the fact that improved sewing machines began to be used in Parisian salons, at best, around 1850. Everywhere, these machines were brought into them only in 1857.

Since 1859, artificial crinolines were introduced, where elastic steel hoops - a technically modernized memory of the former ryfrock with its hoops - seemed to support the lighter modern material like springs. This change affected not only the outer outline of the dress, but also changed the very nature of the clothes. The skirt has taken on a new, unexpected movement. The former petticoats have disappeared, and the faux crinoline has become a machine-made commodity. As soon as the skirt expanded to the crinoline, the sleeves of the bodice narrowed, which in the 40s already tightly fitted the arm, and the bodice itself began to be complemented by a wide frill at the collar, called "berte".

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Small hats, decorated with feathers and veils, came back into fashion; ladies preferred modest hairstyles - a bun or curls, tucked into French braids on the sides. Particularly relaxed ladies experienced the first model haircuts, but they have not yet received distribution.

By 1867, the crinoline had finally disappeared from the fashionable horizon and was replaced by bustles, about which cartoonists did not fail to joke evilly, comparing fashionistas with importantly walking geese. Experiments with upper and lower skirts literally captured almost all sections of English society. As a result, by 1878 the ladies bore a very distant resemblance to their early Victorian predecessors. A thin, graceful silhouette with a long train finally defeated massive forms. From now on, designers began to pay special attention to the figures of customers, giving the latter the desired grace, which meant further improvement in the skill of the couturier, who often had to turn the ugly duckling into a real princess.
Examples of the use of lace in Dresses of the 1900s.

This type of lace was known in Ireland as early as the sixteenth century. At that time it was called "Nuns Work" because it was woven by nuns in monasteries. Later, the lace was slightly improved by Mademoiselle Riego de Blancardier, the daughter of a Franco-Spanish nobleman and an Irish woman. She really liked Venetian lace, and she figured out how to crochet something similar.

The main motifs of such lace are flowers, leaves, insects.

Men's fashion of the Victorian era:

It is characteristic that men's clothing from the beginning of the XIX century. almost didn't change. Only the details and materials changed, but not the cut. After 1875, the type of men's clothing that we know today was established - trousers, waistcoat and jacket, all from the same material - solid English fabrics.
The tuxedo is in fashion. Initially, it was worn in smoking parlors, and then when visiting theaters and restaurants. The tuxedo was worn mostly by young people. The cuffs were starched so that they could be written on.

The former forms of tailcoats and frock coats were preserved, but the waist in them began to be very much underestimated. The sleeves of the clothes were moderately wide, tapered to the wrist and were trimmed with raised cuffs. Pockets had not only jackets and coats, but also frock coats and business cards - a cross between a frock coat and a jacket with beveled rounded or flat cut edges.

The usual daytime costume consisted of a jacket or frock coat, trousers and a waistcoat. If the trousers and jacket were sewn from one material, then the vest was made from another. But striped, checkered or lighter trousers relied on a jacket and a vest made of the same material. With a black frock coat and a business card, in the evening they put on trousers with black or gray stripes, during the day - light gray or in a small black-gray-white check. A large cage, especially on jackets, was a sign of cheapness and bad taste of a man.

See HERE for how to tie ties.

Jackets and frock coats were single- or double-breasted, with a flat collar and lapels, they were fastened only on the top buttons. The most elegant clothes were black frock coats, single-breasted business cards with rounded hem and double-breasted business cards with straight cut hem. Vests were sewn single-breasted, and under a tailcoat they wore either a white or black vest. More closed waistcoats were worn with a jacket and frock coat, and with a deeper neckline with a tailcoat. Collars were made with lapels or a shawl. The tailcoat was sewn deeply cut on the chest, the shelves were cut straight, the waist was lowered, the tails did not reach the knees. Pockets were placed on the tails, the sleeves were made narrow with cuffs.

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In the 70s. the trousers were moderately wide at the top, narrowed at the knees, and also narrowed at the feet. Trouser pockets were made in the side seams. In the late 70s - early 80s. lapels began to be made on trousers, but initially this fashion was not successful. Here lampas were in vogue. In addition, so that the trousers do not wrinkle, they began to be lined with a silk lining. For trousers and suits, fabrics of a smooth texture and with an oblique thread were used - the so-called diagonal.

The shirts were white, linen, with a starched chest, collar and cuffs. The latter were more often fastened. A tie was a must. Ties were worn in black and colored, smooth and in narrow stripes or with a small pattern. Only with an evening tailcoat was a cambric tie with a small bow - a bow tie. They also wore ready-made ties with a knot, similar to modern ones, plastrons pinned with a pin, tie scarves threaded through the ring.


In the 80-90s. men's fashion developed by simplifying the lines. The cut of the trousers gradually approached modern ones, they became quite loose, with smoothed folds, there were no hairpins and even lapels at the bottom. Jackets also began to resemble modern ones, they were worn as casual clothes for visits, receptions and the street. By the end of the century, the frock coat began to mean an official suit, they went to institutions in it. Tailcoats could be used as a professional costume, but still it was more formal wear. The personal taste of a man could manifest itself in the choice of matter, vest, tie. The man who does not catch the eye, does not stand out, was considered well-dressed. The one that still drew attention to itself became a veil.

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Dress-transformer from Charles Frederick Worth
Charles Frederick Worth (born England), 1825-1895 Paris.

During the late Victorian period:

Industrialization is progressing across the planet with leaps and bounds: the telephone and telegraph have already been invented, experiments are being carried out with computers, the Kodak camera has appeared, and the luxurious World Exhibition has died down. Life has become dynamic and hasty, which is reflected in fashion trends. It was at this time that the famous "bloomers" were invented - wide harem pants like the clothes of harem slaves, the skirts became narrower, the silhouette began to take shape, familiar to us now. Tournament and crinoline, although they are worn everywhere, are gradually going out of fashion, giving way to practical strict dresses (most often from the atelier), Amazon cut suits and mermaid skirts (narrow top and puffy bottom). Women begin to cut their hair; perm and bangs are in fashion.

But all this concerns mainly wealthy women, representatives of the aristocracy and the bourgeoisie. For ladies from the lower classes, the clothes remain unchanged - a closed dark dress with a blank collar of the most simple cut, a hard bustle made of cheap materials that mercilessly rubs the skin even through undershirts, coarse (“goat”) shoes or shoes with low heels.

On October 10 in Riga, in the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, the exhibition " Victorian fashion", costumes of the 1830s-1900s from the collection of fashion historian and collector Alexander Vasiliev.
50 mannequins, more than 200 accessories in 36 showcases, backed by enlarged vintage photocopies, watercolors and paintings. Exhibit insurance amount > 500 million euros (!!!).
The opening of the exhibition was attended by the President of Latvia, and for the entire period of work (August 15 - October 10, 2009) the exhibition was visited by 25 thousand visitors. Absolute record. On some days there were as many people at the exhibition as no other exhibition in Riga has seen for many years. I was a week before closing, stood in line at the cashier and pushed through the vintage exhibits among the Russian-Latvian-Spanish-German speech. Filmed 10 minutes before closing, people don't even think about running away, peering thoughtfully into luxurious outfits -

Venue of the exhibition - Decorative and Applied Art Museum in Old Riga

Exhibition poster.

Well, let's start the inspection.
Home dresses of the middle of the 19th century.
Far right - moire dress (waist 58 cm), England, 1840s.


How did they, the poor, relax at home in such dresses?

Ladies' accessories in the style of sentimentalism: bonnet, Adelaide walking shoes size 32, smelling salt bottle, turtle comb, bracelet, purse embroidered with metal beads, poetry album (1849), England, Germany, France 1840s.

Two fashions, two worlds.
Elegant cashmere dress with a printed floral pattern (more than 30 colors were used for printing), fabric from France, sewn in Russia.

Summer dress in striped cambric with a crinoline. Handmade shawl, Brussels lace, France, 1860

Women's accessories from the era of aniline dyes: an embroidered umbrella, a hat, 3 wallets, a hair clip, a bracelet. England, France 1860s.

The lady's portrait in the background is larger. Good, no words!

Carmine striped wool dress (Italy), cross-stitched travel bag (France), 1860s

Bolero made of panne velvet, embroidery with beads and glass beads in the style of "Garibaldi". Italy, 1860s

Photo for a long memory

Men's accessories: Turkish slippers, embroidered fez, braces, lady's medallion with the silhouette of her husband, pewter snuff box. Europe 1850-70s

Travel and walking dresses and dresses for visits.

Visiting dress with gigot sleeves and embroidered appliqué, Miss Lever Fashion House, England, 1892

Art Nouveau floral ecru ball gown with pink muslin and silk flowers appliqué. Fashion House Worth, Paris. From the wardrobe of Princess Stroganova, nee Branitskaya. France, 1900.

Rear view of the train. Just incredible luxury.

Ballroom accessories: mother-of-pearl and silk fan, Brussels lace border, kid glove. France, 1890s. Notice how incredibly long the fingers of the glove are!

I was hooked the most by trains

Visitors

Something to think about when looking at this...

Ivory Duchesse satin ball gown with balloon sleeves, Carney Fashion House, Geneva, 1894. Machine-embroidered tulle scarf with chain stitch and appliqués, Russia, 1890s.

Embroidery closer

Summer walking dress made of rep and machine-made lace. France, 1886

Future fashion historian?
Ball gown bodice in purple panne, Worth Fashion House, Paris, 1887

Girls' corset, cotton fabric with bones (!), handmade lace. Waist 56 cm. France, 1880s.

Women's toilet accessories: 5 powder boxes, a bottle of perfume and soap, shoes, 2 buckles. Europe 1890s

Ecru trended ball gown, trimmed with lace Blondes, France and sortie de bal cape, satin brooch trimmed with lambswool, ermine sleeve, Russia, 1880s.

Author - Herminia Martinez "Beauty from Valparaiso", school of Chile, 1855. Tinted paper, pencil, chalk.

From an interview with Alexander Vasilyev on 10/14/2009:

Baltic Course: Are you satisfied with the results of the Riga exhibition?
A.V.: This is genius! The exhibition in Riga was visited by more than 25 thousand people in less than two months. Undoubted record! For comparison, a similar exhibition in Istanbul was viewed by 30,000 in four months. Calculate for yourself, a ticket to an exhibition in Riga cost 3 lats, multiply by the number of visitors, you get about 75 thousand lats.And this is in an era of crisis!
BK: What's ahead, where will the collection from Latvia go?
A.V.: From Riga, the Victorian exposition goes to Vilnius, where from November 21 until the end of January it can be viewed at the Museum of Western Art in the Radziwill Palace.

Related books
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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.

7. Lead

Deadly pale skin was very popular in the Victorian era, so fashionistas often smeared their faces and hands with white lead-based paint. Although they achieved the desired result, long-term use of arsenic led to a number of consequences, including paralysis of the limbs.

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.