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Key
terms:
Queen Victoria The Great Exhibition Mauve Charles Worth Isaac Merritt Singer sewing machine blockading inflation corset crinoline caged crinoline basque waists chemisette Undersleeves snoods  Charles Frederick Worth
(date unknown)
 Princess
Pauline Metternich by
Winterhalter (1860). Private
collection Patroness of
Charles Worth and
arbiter of Parisian fashion.
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Brief
overview of the time
period: The Victorian period itself was a time of great change- with its efforts to reform complex social institutions and experimentations with mechanical ingenuities. In England, the coronation of 18 year old Queen Victoria marked the beginning of the Victorian period. But it is not until 1850 that scholars begin to classify the rest of Europe and America under the title The Victorian period. It was under Queen Victoria's rule
that the British Empire flourished and overseas trade thrived. In
1851, Victoria's husband, Prince Albert orchestrated the first world's
fair, or The Great Exhibition. This was the first public exhibition in
England to display manufactured goods from around the world; thus
opening the door for an interchange of cultural and artistic ideas all
across Europe.
In 1856, the English chemist William Perkin discovered a way to mass produce color, revolutionizing the fabric dyeing process. And in 1858, he invented a new color known as mauve which the Queen wore to her daughter's wedding. But although Queen Victoria managed to bring the world to Europe, it is also with her rule that rigidity and regulations on decency dictated a woman's every move. Motherhood was cherished and virtue idolized.   Portrait of Empress Eugénie Surrounded by Her Maids of Honor by Winterhalter (1855) Musée national du château de Compiègne In America, the introduction of the sewing machine revolutionized fashion. Although originally introduced in America in the 1840s, it was not until 1851 that Isaac Merritt Singer formed I.M. Singer & Company and patented the first American lock-stitch sewing machine. Although it was offered for sale all over the United States, it was not until 1857 that it was in regular use. In 1861, the American Civil War broke out and fashion trends in the American South abruptly halted. Northern manufacturing, blockading, and inflation left Southern women to rely in their own ingenuity for repairing and patching old or outdated clothing. |
 Victorian Era Corset (c. 1860) similar to those worn in the 1840s. Private collection  Two early Victorian summer gowns
(c.1840-1845).
The Manchester Gallery of Costume  Two silk day dresses (c 1850). The Metropolitan Museum of Art  White cotton walking dress with black soutache braid work (c. 1862). The Metropolitan Museum of Art   Left: Early Hooped or caged
crinoline under petticoat
(c. 1860s) Musee McCord Museum Right: Hooped Crinoline (c. 1865) The Kyoto Costume Institute  Fashion Plate of stylish hats
(c. 1869)
The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine |
Effects
on Women's Clothing: By 1841, the whalebone corset was a necessity- serving as both a foundation garment and as a measure of female decency. Queen Victoria further inhibited women's movement with her influence on fashion. Early Victorian clothing called for tight fitting sleeves that fit low on the shoulder. This kept women from lifting their arms too high while long heavy skirts weighted women down.  Evening gown (c. 1840) of heavy
brocade silk and wool.
New Brunswick Museum By the mid 1840s, the heavy skirt took on a bell shape and stiff crinolines along with petticoats and bustles became necessary to aid the weight of the skirt. Double flounced skirts became popular- furhter adding to the bell shaped look of the skirt. The bodices of the early Victorian period had basque waists (or elongated waistlines which ended with a point in the front). Necklines were wide for both day and evening wear, and oftentimes an interchangeable chemisettes and collars were worn during the day (see left). By the 1850s, increasing skirt widths called for whalebone or metal hooped crinolines to be worn under dresses along with a petticoat. Skirts with multiple flounces became popular. Queen Victoria's love for all things Scottish led to a craze for plaids. Plaid skirts, gowns, bows, neckties, and even sashes appeared in fashion all over Europe and The United States.  Lithograph of a young Queen Victoria wearing her Scottish tartan. In the 1850s, feminized versions of shirts, vests, and waistcoats became popular separates. Due to the introduction of the sewing machine, time involved in making clothing was now drastically reduced, so more and more trim work on clothing became popular. Lavish trimmings such as embroidery, ribbon, braid work, and ruching was used. Jewelry was at a minimum. Necklines rose. Sleeves began to widen and the use of undersleeves became prominent. By 1860, the ever-sought-after bell shaped skirt had disappeared and a preference for an oval shaped skirt became popular. In Europe, as early as 1864 the weight of the skirt had shifted backward and the appearance of a "flat-fronted" skirt emerged. Bodices with dropped shoulders seams still remained popular as did both the wide and narrow sleeves styles (see left). Undersleeves were still a necessity and necklines were ultra-conservative. By the 1860s, undergarments such as chemises, drawers, corsets, and petticoats were extremely important. Now more than ever, tightly fitted corsets molded both the body and the soul.  Artist's Illustration of the normal female form (left) versus the corseted female form (right). |
  Victorian Era dress for older counterpart (right) Leisch, Juanita. Who Wore What?  Boy's Knickerbocker Suit Peterson's Magazine, 1861 |
Effects
on Children's Clothing: During the Victorian period, corseting of girls began at age two. Up until the age of four, both girls and boys were dressed in long gowns ending just below the knee accompanied with their respective gendered pantaloons or trousers. Afer age four, little girls began the process of becoming "little adults" and thus wore shorter versions of women's fashions. Hoops were worn by girls of any age past four and pantalettes continued to be worn by all ages. Pantallette length ended anywhere from mid-calf to the ankle and it was not considered indecent for little girls and young ladies to allow thier pantaloons to peak out from beneath their skirts. By the age of sixteeen, skirts had reached the length of two inches above the ankle and would not reach full length until adulthood. Little boys past the age four wore trousers and coats similar to that of their adult counterparts. Knickers and the Knickerbocker suit were popular as were sailor suits. Overalls had been around since the 1830s and were worn as outer clothing during heavy labor. Young boys who helped their family work in the fields quite often had a pair to wear over their trousers and shirts. |