Women's fashion in the Victorian era
The evolution of the Victorian style during Queen's Victoria reign
INTRODUCTION
The Victorian style, a fashion that covers various realities, follows a year-to-year change during the sixty years (from June 1837 to January 1901) of British Queen Victoria's reign. It is under the spotlight of various fashions and trends that Victorian fashion was born, going through various changes, be it stylistic or technological.
Outline
>
>
Bell shape dress
HIstory
A example, let's zoom
How's the Victorian style was created ?
>
>
From 1870's to 1890's
Textile world
How has textile technology evolved ?
From the trend of the S-shape silhouette to the appearance of the bustle
>
>
Timeline
Women's fashion
To group each évolution during the reign of the Victorian's style
How it's work ?
>
>
ReferEnces
FRom 1840's to 1860's
To fill up on knowledge !
From the hourglass silhouette to the golden age of crinoline cage
HIstory
How the Victorian's style was created ?
Queen Victoria's reign was marked by the industrial revolution and the rapid expansion of the British Empire across the globe. The Victorian era is known for its impressive upheavals during the reign of Queen Victoria, who also contributed to the development of the field of art, be it architecture or, our main subject, fashion. Moreover, fashion was one of the propaganda methods of the British Empire through its various colonies, as Queen Victoria was at the head of an Empire on a par with the world's greatest powers, especially after her appointment as Empress of India (1876). In the 1850s, London was one of the world's largest metropolises, as the British Empire owned a quarter of the world's territory. It was as a result of this global influence, along with cultural progress, that the Victorian style came into being and became so fascinatingly popular. Also, Queen Victoria replaced a freedom of morals by high values and family values but her morality was reflected in fashion, and then, dresses becomes more simple, less bright… and influenced women for what they should wear.
Textile world
How has textile technology evolved ?
natural dye
The appearance of the textile industry in the British era was the first brought about by the invention of the sewing machine. It was the existence of the sewing machine that made Victorian fashion so influential, firstly because the mechanisation of the machine allowed for much faster production at a lower. In another hand, the sewing machine came to be use for the ready-to-wear clothing, which was a big part of the British propaganda which were necessary during the expansion of the British empire. The innovation of the sewing machine allowed for larger pieces of fabric, leading to more fashionable clothing, while lowering the cost of the products.
The textile industry is also experiencing an evolution in the development of natural dyes, such as indigo or other colours that have been created in the basis of dye plants. This development had a great advance thanks to the manufacture of what is called "Indian cloth"
It was in 1850, with the discovery of chromium salt, an ingredient that allowed the dye to be fixed to the fabric fibres, and allow the fabric to no longer lost their brightness, giving rise to the existence of a bright fabric with a range of colours. It was much later, almost 20 years after the discovery of natural dyeing, that chemists developed synthetic dyes, like indigo in 1869.
As for the use of Cotton in England, it is found in the majority of the population's clothing.
Women's fashion
How it's work ?
How women's fashion works ?
There seem to have been two main periods in Victorian women's fashion : from the 1840s to the 1860s, the hourglass silhouette and the golden age of the crinoline ; then from the 1870s to the 1890s, the S-shaped silhouette and the appearance of the bustle.
Firstly, during the Victorian era, women's place was in the home, in contrast to previous centuries. The gender role was therefore already defined, which can be seen from the style of dresses, which showed that they were not conducive to work. Furthermore, the type of dresses worn by different classes was different: for upper class women, there was often a tight corset over a bodice, a skirt with embroidery or the many layers of petticoats; and for middle class women, the style of dress might be similar but there was not as much decoration as for upper class women.
From 1840's to 1860's
From the hourglass silhouette to the golden age of crinoline cage
Let's start with the first major trend in Victorian style : the hourglass figure appeared in 1840s. Skirts with few ruffles at the waist and a very wide hemline were one of the characteristics of this famous silhouette. Reminiscent of the bell shape, this shape gave volume from the triangle of the bustier, a bustier that happened to be longer than the normal waist, ending in a point. It was also the popular years for exposed shoulders. Putting together all the characteristics stated, it is the image of an hourglass that emerges, a time when the corset is emphasized, and continually refines the waist of women.
Bell shape dress
An example, let's zoom
Pagoda sleeves : edged with several flounces, reminiscent of tiered skirts.
Very low armhole seam : forces women to stand straight to give them a distinguished stature.
As for underwear, nothing too crazy : à corset in hourglass shape and several layers of petticoats, giving volume to dresses.
In 1856 the descendant of the petticoat, the crinoline cage, appeared, replacing the many petticoats that were no longer able to support the heavy draperies that made up the dresses. Its creation allowed the advancement of dresses which became even wider than they already were. However, the crinoline cage was more popular with the middle class as petticoat fabrics had become too expensive and only upper class women could afford them.
In 1860, the skirts are no longer curved but still very wide. They are now flat at the front and curved at the back. From then on, the upper part of the body, i.e. the shoulders, were no longer exposed during the day, leaving room for high collars decorated with lace. The sleeves were also now long, covering the whole arm. Only in the evening did the dresses become bare again.
However, the style of dress of the working class was not so extravagant: they were not allowed to expose their skin in the same way as upper and middle class women.On the other hand, despite the popularity of the corset, the bodice was considered bad, often being blamed for diseases: curvature of the spine was one of the most frequent examples, along with deformed ribs. An evolution of the skirt appeared in the 1850s, emphasizing it with the numerous flounces that made it up. They became very popular because they highlighted the work on the flocking or the accumulation of braids. As the skirts widened, the sleeves followed the trend so as not to unbalance the whole. Most interesting was the fact that these dresses were sold in kit form, leaving the ladies free to arrange the number of ruffles to suit the cut. They were like transformable, so many options: for example, there were two types of bustiers: one for the day, rather covered and one for the evening, much more bare. However, the addition of one accessory changed the trend: gloves. They were added to the outfit in a complementary way and went up to the elbow.
The fabrics were now less patterned, being more plain, but matched with ribbons' laces, bows and other accessories to make them more feminine. It was also in these years that the bolero, a headpiece derived from Spanish fashion, became very fashionable and was often worn with dresses with full sleeves.
It was around 1865 that the skirt loses volume ans start to take a more conical shape. However, the warmth provided by the many layers of petticoats was no longer in force, prompting women to cover their crinoline cage with a cashmere petticoat to keep their legs and this entire part of the body, warm. The crinoline cage also underwent a change, becoming flatter in the front and back and then, more pronounced on the sides.
FROM 1870'S TO 1890'S
From the trend of the S-shape silhouette to the appearance of the bustle
From 1870s onwards, corsets disappeared from informal occasions and the crinoline cage gave way to the bustle. The fashion of these years was the surjupe, a form of basque attached to the bustier.
The bell-skirted dress disappeared for a dress with a long silhouette : it is a vertical look that imposes itself, replacing the circular and horizontal lines of the silhouette that the crinoline cage offered.
It was in 1869 that the crinoline began to be replaced by the bustle. The volume of the skirts becomes flat in the front and very voluminous in the back. These dresses often had a large train which took the name of crayfish tail. To keep the petticoats free of dust, women tended to add ruffles so as not to dirty the fabric of the dress.From 1877 onwards, the back of the bustle flattens out and is reduced to a simple padding. The bustiers became longer and the drape of the skirt extended to the knee.
Moreover, the uniform and plain side of the train evolves towards asymmetry: they are more heavily decorated, but mainly on one side. The overskirt disappears under the numerous drapes, while the decorations are there to hide the different seams linking the numerous skirts. And it is in this direction that the skirt becomes narrower and narrower and the bustier longer and longer over the years. From the 1880s onwards, the skirts are very narrow and very long. However, the trend of the train seems to disappear. Bodices were now closed on the bias; necklines for day dresses were more austere, with a straight collar giving the appearance of a jacket; bustiers, for their part, were less and less low-cut and worn over a shirt in the event of a piece of skin being exposed. This is also the trend for the watch: it is the accessory of the decade. It has been found on bracelets, on the end of chains and even on umbrella handles.
Timeline
1856 Crinoline cage arrives
1860 Peplum dress era
1840 Creation of hourglass figure
1850 Tiered skirt appearance
June 1837Beginning of the Victorian style
1837 Victoria becomes Queen
Bell shape dress era
1880 End of the train and dresses getting more long
1869 Crinoline cage give way to bustle + train arrives
1870 S-shape dress era
1877 End of S-shaped dress, dress becomes straight
1865 Dress loss volume, become conical
References
Fill up on knowledge !
- https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Style_victorien
Here, the websites I used for create this project.
- https://www.hisour.com/fr/victorian-fashion-32796/
- https://ki-trouve.fr/la-mode-victorienne/
- Images from Google images
NAUD Caroline - L2 LLCER anglais - BRITISH CIVILISATION PROJECT
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Transcript
Women's fashion in the Victorian era
The evolution of the Victorian style during Queen's Victoria reign
INTRODUCTION
The Victorian style, a fashion that covers various realities, follows a year-to-year change during the sixty years (from June 1837 to January 1901) of British Queen Victoria's reign. It is under the spotlight of various fashions and trends that Victorian fashion was born, going through various changes, be it stylistic or technological.
Outline
>
>
Bell shape dress
HIstory
A example, let's zoom
How's the Victorian style was created ?
>
>
From 1870's to 1890's
Textile world
How has textile technology evolved ?
From the trend of the S-shape silhouette to the appearance of the bustle
>
>
Timeline
Women's fashion
To group each évolution during the reign of the Victorian's style
How it's work ?
>
>
ReferEnces
FRom 1840's to 1860's
To fill up on knowledge !
From the hourglass silhouette to the golden age of crinoline cage
HIstory
How the Victorian's style was created ?
Queen Victoria's reign was marked by the industrial revolution and the rapid expansion of the British Empire across the globe. The Victorian era is known for its impressive upheavals during the reign of Queen Victoria, who also contributed to the development of the field of art, be it architecture or, our main subject, fashion. Moreover, fashion was one of the propaganda methods of the British Empire through its various colonies, as Queen Victoria was at the head of an Empire on a par with the world's greatest powers, especially after her appointment as Empress of India (1876). In the 1850s, London was one of the world's largest metropolises, as the British Empire owned a quarter of the world's territory. It was as a result of this global influence, along with cultural progress, that the Victorian style came into being and became so fascinatingly popular. Also, Queen Victoria replaced a freedom of morals by high values and family values but her morality was reflected in fashion, and then, dresses becomes more simple, less bright… and influenced women for what they should wear.
Textile world
How has textile technology evolved ?
natural dye
The appearance of the textile industry in the British era was the first brought about by the invention of the sewing machine. It was the existence of the sewing machine that made Victorian fashion so influential, firstly because the mechanisation of the machine allowed for much faster production at a lower. In another hand, the sewing machine came to be use for the ready-to-wear clothing, which was a big part of the British propaganda which were necessary during the expansion of the British empire. The innovation of the sewing machine allowed for larger pieces of fabric, leading to more fashionable clothing, while lowering the cost of the products.
The textile industry is also experiencing an evolution in the development of natural dyes, such as indigo or other colours that have been created in the basis of dye plants. This development had a great advance thanks to the manufacture of what is called "Indian cloth"
It was in 1850, with the discovery of chromium salt, an ingredient that allowed the dye to be fixed to the fabric fibres, and allow the fabric to no longer lost their brightness, giving rise to the existence of a bright fabric with a range of colours. It was much later, almost 20 years after the discovery of natural dyeing, that chemists developed synthetic dyes, like indigo in 1869.
As for the use of Cotton in England, it is found in the majority of the population's clothing.
Women's fashion
How it's work ?
How women's fashion works ?
There seem to have been two main periods in Victorian women's fashion : from the 1840s to the 1860s, the hourglass silhouette and the golden age of the crinoline ; then from the 1870s to the 1890s, the S-shaped silhouette and the appearance of the bustle.
Firstly, during the Victorian era, women's place was in the home, in contrast to previous centuries. The gender role was therefore already defined, which can be seen from the style of dresses, which showed that they were not conducive to work. Furthermore, the type of dresses worn by different classes was different: for upper class women, there was often a tight corset over a bodice, a skirt with embroidery or the many layers of petticoats; and for middle class women, the style of dress might be similar but there was not as much decoration as for upper class women.
From 1840's to 1860's
From the hourglass silhouette to the golden age of crinoline cage
Let's start with the first major trend in Victorian style : the hourglass figure appeared in 1840s. Skirts with few ruffles at the waist and a very wide hemline were one of the characteristics of this famous silhouette. Reminiscent of the bell shape, this shape gave volume from the triangle of the bustier, a bustier that happened to be longer than the normal waist, ending in a point. It was also the popular years for exposed shoulders. Putting together all the characteristics stated, it is the image of an hourglass that emerges, a time when the corset is emphasized, and continually refines the waist of women.
Bell shape dress
An example, let's zoom
Pagoda sleeves : edged with several flounces, reminiscent of tiered skirts.
Very low armhole seam : forces women to stand straight to give them a distinguished stature.
As for underwear, nothing too crazy : à corset in hourglass shape and several layers of petticoats, giving volume to dresses.
In 1856 the descendant of the petticoat, the crinoline cage, appeared, replacing the many petticoats that were no longer able to support the heavy draperies that made up the dresses. Its creation allowed the advancement of dresses which became even wider than they already were. However, the crinoline cage was more popular with the middle class as petticoat fabrics had become too expensive and only upper class women could afford them.
In 1860, the skirts are no longer curved but still very wide. They are now flat at the front and curved at the back. From then on, the upper part of the body, i.e. the shoulders, were no longer exposed during the day, leaving room for high collars decorated with lace. The sleeves were also now long, covering the whole arm. Only in the evening did the dresses become bare again.
However, the style of dress of the working class was not so extravagant: they were not allowed to expose their skin in the same way as upper and middle class women.On the other hand, despite the popularity of the corset, the bodice was considered bad, often being blamed for diseases: curvature of the spine was one of the most frequent examples, along with deformed ribs. An evolution of the skirt appeared in the 1850s, emphasizing it with the numerous flounces that made it up. They became very popular because they highlighted the work on the flocking or the accumulation of braids. As the skirts widened, the sleeves followed the trend so as not to unbalance the whole. Most interesting was the fact that these dresses were sold in kit form, leaving the ladies free to arrange the number of ruffles to suit the cut. They were like transformable, so many options: for example, there were two types of bustiers: one for the day, rather covered and one for the evening, much more bare. However, the addition of one accessory changed the trend: gloves. They were added to the outfit in a complementary way and went up to the elbow.
The fabrics were now less patterned, being more plain, but matched with ribbons' laces, bows and other accessories to make them more feminine. It was also in these years that the bolero, a headpiece derived from Spanish fashion, became very fashionable and was often worn with dresses with full sleeves.
It was around 1865 that the skirt loses volume ans start to take a more conical shape. However, the warmth provided by the many layers of petticoats was no longer in force, prompting women to cover their crinoline cage with a cashmere petticoat to keep their legs and this entire part of the body, warm. The crinoline cage also underwent a change, becoming flatter in the front and back and then, more pronounced on the sides.
FROM 1870'S TO 1890'S
From the trend of the S-shape silhouette to the appearance of the bustle
From 1870s onwards, corsets disappeared from informal occasions and the crinoline cage gave way to the bustle. The fashion of these years was the surjupe, a form of basque attached to the bustier.
The bell-skirted dress disappeared for a dress with a long silhouette : it is a vertical look that imposes itself, replacing the circular and horizontal lines of the silhouette that the crinoline cage offered.
It was in 1869 that the crinoline began to be replaced by the bustle. The volume of the skirts becomes flat in the front and very voluminous in the back. These dresses often had a large train which took the name of crayfish tail. To keep the petticoats free of dust, women tended to add ruffles so as not to dirty the fabric of the dress.From 1877 onwards, the back of the bustle flattens out and is reduced to a simple padding. The bustiers became longer and the drape of the skirt extended to the knee.
Moreover, the uniform and plain side of the train evolves towards asymmetry: they are more heavily decorated, but mainly on one side. The overskirt disappears under the numerous drapes, while the decorations are there to hide the different seams linking the numerous skirts. And it is in this direction that the skirt becomes narrower and narrower and the bustier longer and longer over the years. From the 1880s onwards, the skirts are very narrow and very long. However, the trend of the train seems to disappear. Bodices were now closed on the bias; necklines for day dresses were more austere, with a straight collar giving the appearance of a jacket; bustiers, for their part, were less and less low-cut and worn over a shirt in the event of a piece of skin being exposed. This is also the trend for the watch: it is the accessory of the decade. It has been found on bracelets, on the end of chains and even on umbrella handles.
Timeline
1856 Crinoline cage arrives
1860 Peplum dress era
1840 Creation of hourglass figure
1850 Tiered skirt appearance
June 1837Beginning of the Victorian style
1837 Victoria becomes Queen
Bell shape dress era
1880 End of the train and dresses getting more long
1869 Crinoline cage give way to bustle + train arrives
1870 S-shape dress era
1877 End of S-shaped dress, dress becomes straight
1865 Dress loss volume, become conical
References
Fill up on knowledge !
Here, the websites I used for create this project.