Forget Everything You’ve Ever Known About Victorian Fashion

During the Victorian era, women’s fashion was mostly influenced by extravagant skirts which eventually shifted to the back of the silhouette. Though, near the end of the century, a more liberated aesthetic and style emerged. Due to the rigid fashion etiquette, different occasions required different types of outfits. Thus, women from the middle and highborn classes would switch to multiple outfits during the whole day.

Different types of clothing for different occasions

Morning clothing:

The morning attire was usually comfortable and relaxed which they would wear while meeting with their housekeeper or morning guests. Although according to Victorian standards the attire was comfortable it could also be very stiff and constricting, even though it did have a more simplistic style.

Walking clothing:

If any women feel like roaming around in the park she would change into her walking attire. They would wear smaller skirts which allowed them to move more freely. Usually, these walking dresses were made of more expensive fabrics thus, the bystanders can relish while walking out.

Afternoon clothing:

This dress was worn when women were expecting any guests or they had to attend to other people. These dresses usually had a more moderate neckline and used to be worn based on etiquette. For instance, formal attires were kept for the higher-ranked guests.

Dinner clothing:

Women would change into their dinner attires once they had returned home or their guest had left. These dresses were much formal compared to other attires. The dresses were usually made of linen, satin, or velvet and the clothing’s fabric would stroke the ground all the way around.

Evening clothing:

The evening attire or ballgown was the most magnificent garment in a Victorian women’s closet. The trains were long, often stretching 65 inches in length, and the sleeves were small. Trains may be pinned up for dancing, and the fabric used differed according to the woman’s preferences and financial status.

Mourning clothing:

After the death of Prince Albert in 1861 Queen Victoria introduced a fashionable pattern for mourning. The black crepe was a favorite of Queen Victoria’s, and it is one of the few fabrics permitted for mourning. Expensive silks and satins were not permitted, and women were not allowed to wear them.

Obsession with corsets:

The obsessions with corsets were the most severe during the Victorian Era. As a result, women crammed themselves into uncomfortable and tight corsets, damaging their internal organs in the process, all for the sake of achieving the spectacular hourglass figure that had become chic.

After the industrial revolution, corset manufacture became more advanced and the corsets were completed with metal eyelets. Thus, the usage of stern lacing increased and women for instance Empress Elisabeth of Austria were able to narrow their waist circumference to just 16 inches!

No make-up rules:

The Victorians had a very hateful and offensive outlook about makeup, and Queen Victoria even described it as discourteous at one point.

At the time, it was considered that make-up was only applied by actresses, and prostitutes, two occupations that were recognized as indelicate and inappropriate. While it was frowned upon to be seen purchasing or applying lipstick, this did not mean that women did not wear it at all. They merely made the concept of applying make-up more crafty and indirect. Many women rather adopted DIY skincare than applying lipstick to create a desirable glow.

Thank you for reading ❤

Disclaimer: The original version of this story was published on another platform.

Link to original version:

https://afshara71.medium.com/what-was-the-fashion-etiquette-of-victorian-women-527f41e5ae21

References:

Ciara, V. A. P. B. (2019, July 28). 6 crazy facts about victorian fashion etiquette. WordPress.Com. https://stylessed.com/2019/06/13/6-crazy-facts-about-victorian-fashion-etiquette/

James, D. (2018, July 2). Women’s fashions of the late victorian era. 5-Minute History. https://fiveminutehistory.com/fashions-of-the-late-victorian-era/

Johnson, B. (2017, July 18). Victorian fashion and clothing. Historic UK. https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Victorian-Fashion/

Monet, D. (2021, December 13). Victorian era women’s fashions: From hoop skirts to bustles. Bellatory. https://bellatory.com/fashion-industry/Fashion-History-Victorian-Costume-and-Design-Trends-1837-1900-With-Pictures