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Dressing-Up
Women's Fashions 1855-1860
by Joanne Haug
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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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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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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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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 |
BUSTLE & SKIRT |
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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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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 |
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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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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 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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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 upcoming movie, "Young
Victoria." The movie will chronicle Victoria's
early rise to power, focusing on the romantic
courtship and her legendary marriage to Prince
Albert. |
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