Victorian Clothing

Women wearing 1860 day dresses from Godey’s Lady’s Book, a popular Victorian publication.

The Victorian Era is the nickname given to the period during the reign of Queen Victoria, and this period lasted from 1837 until 1901, when Queen Victoria died and King Edward VII took power. Clothing of this period was characterized by a very full skirt, long skirt for women.

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A Note about Victorian Mourning

The Daughters of Victoria Mourning the Death of Prince Albert

In the Victorian Era, some very strict rules for “mourning” were developed. When a loved one died, women were expected to enter a period of mourning where they followed very strict rules about decorum. These rules consisted of wearing a specific type of dress for a prearranged amount of time and sometimes included wearing jewelry made from the hair of a deceased loved one.

During the 19^th century, the process of mourning the death of a loved one was structured. Following the death of her husband, a woman was bound by tradition and was expected to mourn her spouse for a period of no less than two and a half years. Mourning took place in stages and began with solid black from head to toe. This included a black crepe veil. Eventually a widow was able to wear lighter shades of lace, followed lastly by solid colors of grey and lavender after an appropriate mourning period. However, during the Civil War, due to death being commonplace as well as financial hardship, many women were forced to abandon the elaborate customs of the past in favor of simpler tradition and dress.

For more about women’s mourning customs, visit the website for Death Becomes Her: A Century of Mourning Attire, an exhibit presented at the Metropolitan Museum of Art: http://www.metmuseum.org/about-the-museum/press-room/exhibitions/2014/death-becomes-her

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About Our Pieces

• Replica Riding Hat, c. 1871 (Built by Sylvia Hall)

A riding hat was a fashionable hat that could be worn while making social calls, riding in a carriage, or on horseback. This hat would have been worn by either middle or upper class women.

• Replica Blue Chip Bonnet, 1860 (Built by Sylvia Hall)

The Chip hat was a small bonnet that a woman would wear when outside the home. This hat design, depending upon the quality of the trim or fabric, could have been worn by a woman of the working, middle, or upper classes.

• Replica Calico Dress, c. 1863 (Built by Deanna Carter)

Calico was a popular fabric during the mid-1860s. It featured small, simple print designs on a plain field of cotton fabric. The calico design could be small flowers, leaves, or geometric designs. This replica features reproduction tortoise shell buttons, white lace, and broadcloth at the hem. The pattern used was a modified 1863 Garibaldi blouse pattern with matching skirt. This dress would have been worn by a middle-class woman while visiting or while shopping.

• Replica Working Dress, c. 1870 (Built by Deanna Carter)

Women who could not afford finer fabrics had to make their own clothes or could purchase less expensive items from the store. The skirt in this replica is representative of homespun fabric. Although not glamorous, homespun pieces were nonetheless serviceable and economical. The pinner apron would have been made from various scraps of fabric available around the home. In this example, the bib of the apron is made from a replica 1860s calico. The blouse, patched and worn, was made from an authentic 1863 Garibaldi blouse pattern. Buttons were made of materials which were readily available such as bone and oyster shells, as seen here.

• Glass Bead Crochet Draw String Purse and Art Nouveau Steel Cut Beaded Evening Purse with Carpet Motif, c. 1890

Both of the above purses are made from crocheted glass beads. Though the smaller of the two is missing its lining, you can still see the crochet pattern on the inside of the bag. The larger purse has maintained its original silk lining. At one time, the larger purse had a narrow chain attached to it as a strap; however the chain is now unfortunately missing. Despite the wear which has occurred naturally over time, the features of the two purses are still identifiable. Although purses were not particularly in fashion during this time period, as women had no need to carry money and little to no makeup was necessary, purses were occasionally used to hold small trinkets and various personal items. Most purses carried during this time period were worn with the strap around the wrist and were used by wealthy women.

• Decorative Brooch with C-Clasp and Small Hinge and Bone Chrysanthemum Brooch, c. 1890-1910

For thousands of years, people have used decorative brooches for both fashion and function. In the early modern period, brooches had no safety clasps and consisted of a long, sharp pin used to fasten the brooch to clothing. Over time, safer brooches with clasping mechanisms were developed. The c-clasp and small hinge on both of these brooches indicate that they are from about 1890-1910, which was during the Edwardian Period. Edwardian Period jewelry integrated many design elements from the preceding Victorian Period, and maintained the dainty, elegant femininity of the idealized Edwardian woman. The Chrysanthemum design on the bone brooch, often attributed to Japanese workmanship, was a favorite in the early twentieth century. Regarding the decorative brooch, the stone inset registered 1.45 or 1.55 on the Refractive Index during different tests. An opal registers between 1.43-1.47. Quartz measure between 1.544-1.553. This brooch is thus believed to be either quartz or a low-grade opal. This piece would have been considered an inexpensive brooch that could have been worn by a middle class woman.