Fashion History | 1850:
The mid-nineteenth century lady was a vision of elegance and grace in beautiful gowns lavishly trimmed with frills, flounces, lace, braid, fringe, ruche and ribbons. The fashion conscious Victorian lady created this appearance with a mysterious combination of the "uncomfortable and inconvenient" with the "frivolous and decorative." Numerous heavy petticoats, layers of underclothes, metal hoops, tight corsets under-pointed boned bodices of whalebone and steel were hidden by an array of ornately accented undersleeves, collars, pelerines, fans, gloves, hats, and parasols. The finished look was of elegance and grace with an illusion of ease and comfort. |
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Fashion History | 1850:
This 1850s silk dress has the sloping shoulders and wide pagoda sleeves typical of the period. The full skirt measures over three yards around.
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Fashion History | 1850:
Soft kid side-lace boots were worn outdoors. While indoors, Victorian ladies wore heeled flat shoes or slippers. These ivory kid boots have a Philadelphia label.
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Fashion History | 1850:
Layers of underclothes, including a chemise, drawers, corset and several petticoats, were worn by mid-19th century women. Before the invention of the “cage” crinoline, a lady would wear as many as a dozen starched and flounced muslin petticoats to support the full skirts of her evening gown. After that, to accommodate the growing wide skirts, ladies donned a wired cage or hoopskirt. |
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TOURNURE CORSET
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BUSTLE & SKIRT |
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Fashion History | 1850:
Chemisettes, trimmed with handmade lace and embroidery, were worn as an ornamental under-bodice in the mid-19th century. The front and back were unconnected at the sides.
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Image: Library of Congress LC-DIG-cwpbh-01736
Separate undersleeves, often decorated with lace or broderie anglais, were worn with the wide pagoda or bell-shaped dress sleeves of the mid-nineteenth century. |
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Fashion History | 1850:
Time and again ladies’ fashion magazines, such as Godey’s,
printed color patterns
for day or evening slippers |
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Image: Library of Congress LC-DIG-cwpbh-03057 |
Fashion History | 1850:
During the mid-19th century ladies’ bonnets were made in every imaginable color. Below a silk bonnet is created with brown silk and decorated with purple silk ribbons; added red and yellow flowers complete the colorful hat.
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Fashion History | 1850:
In the 19th century, silk parasols were popular for strolling. Often they were decorated with lace, fringe, and tassels. This silk parasol has a folding or 'carriage' handle.
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 Fashion History | 1850:
The fashionable lady of the mid-nineteenth century carried a small reticule or purse, often made with colorful glass beads or cut-steel beads. This very unusual French purse or reticule is knitted with colorful silks and decorated with silver cut-steel beads. |
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Fashion History | 1850:
Large colorful cashmere shawls or black lace mantillas were fashionable. They were cut full in order to accommodate the wide skirts; some could measure nearly 11 feet wide. |
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Young Victoria - The Movie
The latest about the movie, "Young Victoria." The movie chronicles Victoria's early rise to power, focusing on the romantic courtship and her legendary marriage to Prince Albert. |
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