Victorian Wedding Dresses - Antique Photos.

In clothes he is not subject to the whims of changing fashion. The trend, which originated in the 19th century, still remains relevant. Its founder is considered to be Victoria, who became Queen of Great Britain at a young age and reigned for more than 60 years. What is style, what are its main features?

Women's fashion of the 19th century: main characteristics

Silhouette " hourglass"is a characteristic feature of this direction. The Victorian style of clothing (19th century) was designed to emphasize the captivating lines and curves of the body. Women used corsets, which made it possible to reduce their waist by 30 cm. This was dangerous to health, but the threat did not stop fashionistas. The styles of corsets underwent minor changes from time to time, but their purpose remained the same.

The dresses had multi-layered and fluffy skirts and voluminous sleeves. Crinolines remained relevant throughout almost the entire reign of Queen Victoria, then narrow skirts with bustles became popular. The upper part of the outfit was decorated with all kinds of frills; jabots and high collars were especially popular. Such clothes made it easy to hide figure flaws and looked great on plump young ladies.

19th Century Men's Fashion: Key Features

The Victorian style of men's clothing also deserves the attention of those interested in fashion history. At the beginning of Queen Victoria's reign, representatives of the stronger sex also wore something like a corset; this device made it possible to become visually slimmer. Then loose jackets came to replace them, thanks to which men finally had the opportunity to breathe deeply. Coats were popular, the length of which was constantly changing.

A characteristic feature of that time was the love for vests. The Victorian waistcoat was the centerpiece of any outfit in the 19th century. In the wardrobe of every self-respecting gentleman there were several vests, which were worn with the same suit, most often black. Also, fitted double-breasted jackets - frock coats - were in great demand. It is impossible not to mention tailcoats - knee-length jackets (at the back), in which men attended official events.

Trousers with high waist(approximately at the height of the navel). Men preferred checkered or striped trousers. The length was constantly changing - from very short to very long. They used suspenders that were made of canvas or leather.

Primary colors

Men's and women's fashion The 19th century made certain demands on flowers. The Victorian style was distinguished by a certain stinginess in color schemes. Particularly popular were: passionate red, gothic black and elegant nude. Also, ladies and gentlemen of the Victorian era liked shades of burgundy, blue, and green.

The colors listed above were used not only separately, but also in all sorts of combinations. A love of playing with contrasts was typical of this movement. Eg, black dress decorated with red embroidery. This was typical for the outfits of both sexes.

Fabrics, finishing

The Victorian style of clothing cannot be imagined without noble fabrics. Older generation distinguished by his love for heavy velvet, silk, and satin. Outfits made from these materials looked rich and were intended to emphasize the privileged position in society of their owners.

Young ladies who dreamed of finding a good match preferred lighter fabrics. They chose dresses made of delicate muslin, decorated with flowers or bows, which helped them attract the attention of potential suitors. It was not customary to wear a dress more than twice.

The finishing deserves special mention. All kinds of ruffles, ribbons, bows and frills were considered fashionable; lace was especially loved. Playful embroidery helped refresh snow-white collars and cuffs and make the look less severe.

Hats

What was it like then? During the reign of Queen Victoria, ladies abandoned wide-brimmed hats decorated with flowers and feathers. They were replaced by elegant bonnet hats. It cannot be said that women's headdresses began to look less rich, because they were still decorated with lace, bows, feathers and flowers.

A woman's hat helped tell the world about the character and mood of its owner. She looked like a real work of art. The situation with hats for the stronger sex was much simpler. Men preferred elegant top hats, but other styles of hats were also available. For example, gentlemen wore wide-brimmed felt items and “pie” hats with a flat top.

Accessories

The Victorian style of clothing made certain demands on accessories. A gentleman could not afford to appear in society without a tie. Products varied in style and width; both intricate patterned scarves and thin strips of fabric were popular. Many men accessorized with a pocket watch with a chain that hung from their vest pocket. A variety of canes were also in demand. The stronger sex did not wear belts in the Victorian era.

Gloves were considered the main ladies' accessory. They were made from various materials, generously decorated with lace and ribbons. Products intended for the cold season had fur trim. Appearing in society without them was considered indecent for a representative of the fair sex. Also in demand were silk scarves made in bright colors. They were wrapped around the neck. The fashion for jewelry during the reign of Queen Victoria was constantly changing. Elegant, discreet sets designed to highlight the grace of their owner were always popular.

Contemporary women's fashion

Much has changed since the reign of Queen Victoria, but the Victorian style of clothing remains popular. A modern wardrobe will only benefit from adding a dress in the spirit of the 19th century. Of course, the outfits of our days are more comfortable; they are not complemented by a heap of skirts and crinolines. Corsets are used, but have a mainly decorative function. The dress can be not only long, but also shortened. Chiffon ruffles, contrasting embroidery, and an openwork stand-up collar are welcome.

Blouses made of transparent chiffon are very popular among designers. They are decorated with applications of twisted lace, silk frills and bows, and are endowed with voluminous sleeves. Such products go perfectly with classic trousers, they can also be worn with skirts with fluffy hems, with tight-fitting pencil skirts. On the owners thin waist A lace-up corset that can be worn with trousers or skirts will look great.

Contemporary men's fashion

The Victorian style of clothing is also popular among the stronger sex. Men who want to look like a dandy from a bygone era can adopt any attributes of this trend. A top hat, a tailcoat, a vest, a pocket watch and, of course, a cane - all these details will help create the image of a real gentleman who is unlikely to ever go out of fashion.

The term "Victorian fashion" can be applied to the clothing of the Victorian era, replete with lace, frills, and flowing silhouettes. The styles popular in the time of Queen Victoria emphasized the grace and sophistication of this era, which was considered the pinnacle of civilization, and its distance from everything crude and wild in human nature.

Men's clothing: trousers, coat, jacket, cap for the lower class, bowler hat for the middle class, and top hat for those who belonged to high society (sometimes the top hat was worn by the middle class during formal events).

Women's clothing: Dresses with a skirt long enough to cover the legs. Showing your ankles covered only with stockings was risky and was frowned upon in society.

Mass production of artificial dyes has created a variety of colors in clothing that did not exist before.

Home furniture was decorated with many intricate details. Mass production of furniture allowed the middle class to decorate their homes with beautiful things.

Here are the outfits worn during the day in that era:

A woman's wardrobe included (but was not limited to) the following items: reception dress, visiting dress, walking dress or suit, riding dress, traveling dress, carriage dress, ball gown for private balls, dress for social events (or house parties), ballgown for social balls, ballgown for dinner events, ballgown for dancing only, ballgown for costume ball, dress for dinner.
A man's wardrobe consisted of clothes for visits and walks with ladies, for riding, for hunting on horseback, for hunting on foot, for visits to the club, for attending fist fights, for dinners at home, for dinners out, for balls, a smart suit, a tuxedo and card or other gambling.

Perhaps the phrase “clothes make the man” originated in the Victorian era. Victorian clothing greatly symbolized who the person was, what he did, and how much money he had in his bank account.

For men and women

Etiquette played an important role in Victorian clothing. It was considered good manners to dress appropriately for one's age and position in society.

The fact of owning one's own umbrella served as a certain social barometer. The rich had their own umbrellas, while less wealthy people rented them in rainy weather.

A Victorian costume was not complete without a cane. The cane could consist of several compartments in which a bottle of perfume could be carried.

Victorian fashion included glasses, but they were used only for image, not for vision correction. Often, if glasses had lenses, they would be removed and the empty frame would become part of the outfit.

Although the fabric for Victorian clothing was industrially produced, there was no ready-made dress. Tailors and seamstresses sewed clothes according to individual order. Milliners, glovers and hatters helped complete the look.

If funds did not allow for such attention to be given to clothing, families sewed clothes themselves, or found used ones. The poor visited stores of second-hand clothes, which even several people before them could have worn, but which were still suitable.

Only for ladies

Throughout the Victorian era, clothing underwent significant changes. Skirts changed from straight to wide and were worn with voluminous crinolines. Towards the end of the era, crinolines disappeared from view and skirts became narrower again, but now included bustles.

The sleeves also changed. Narrow sleeves gave way to leg o'mutton sleeves, gathered at the shoulder, which remained fashionable until the end of Queen Victoria's era.

Hats were a separate style. After large wide-brimmed hats decorated with feathers and flowers, small bonnet hats soon became necessary. They looked no simpler than their predecessors, and were also richly decorated with flowers, feathers and lace.

What has always remained in fashion is the corset. The styles of corsets changed throughout the era, but their purpose remained unchanged. To wear a Victorian dress, you had to cinch the waist tightly. The goal of young girls was to make their waists as thin as possible. Older women were allowed to lace their corsets more freely.

During evening outings one shoulder and upper chest could be exposed to the light. Only representatives of the upper and middle class dressed this way. Working class women dressed more modestly. Opening their shoulders, women threw a shawl over themselves to protect themselves from the cool wind.

Fabrics such as satin, silk, and heavy velvet were the norm for the older generation. Younger ladies from society who were looking for a “good match” preferred light fabrics. Their dresses of delicate muslin, decorated with bows or flowers, were designed to attract the gaze of their future husband. As a rule, these dresses were worn only once or twice.

Representatives of the middle class bought other outfits, or ready-made clothes, with the idea that they would last a long time. Sometimes clothes were altered so that children could wear them.

The well-dressed fashionista had a bright silk scarf wrapped around her neck, and her head was adorned with a bonnet with flowers. Carefully polished shoes proudly peeked out from under a whole row of petticoats, reaching ankle length.

Well dressed gentleman

Victorian men's clothing did not undergo such radical changes as women's clothing. The length of the coat changed, the cinched waist (men also wore something like a corset) gave way to a looser jacket, in which it was easier to breathe.

The history of men's fashion can be traced by observing the styles of trousers. In the early years of Victoria's reign, the legs were covered with tight-fitting fabric. This style was soon replaced by a looser one. By the end of the century, straight, loose trousers with pressed pleats at the front and back became typical.

The elegant, smart coat worn during the day gradually gave way to a long frock coat, usually black. . However, the smart coat reappeared from time to time. Official evening dress a gentleman's dress was "white tie and tails," and formal dress during the day was a tailcoat.

Games and cycling were catalysts for change in Victorian men's fashion. By the late 1800s, long johns were introduced and daytime use became more acceptable. free style in clothes. Checkerboard and checkered patterns began to appear more often, although mainly in rural areas.

Like the women, the man tied a silk scarf around his neck. . He had a tight-fitting cap on his head that completely covered his hair. Victorian costume completed long vest and trousers, from under which polished shoes were visible.

Fashion trends late Victorian period

The 60s of the 19th century became a turning point in the history of the development of world fashion, turning it into a real industry. Such significant changes occurred largely due to the invention of the sewing machine, as well as the advent of artificial dyes. At the same time, one of the main directions of development of modern fashion - haute couture - arose and took institutional form. From now on, fashion trends have ceased to be some kind of frozen and slowly changing form, turning into something much more dynamic and creative.

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The famous dome-shaped crinoline skirt has sunk into oblivion, replaced by a much more elegant elongated shape. However, the very concept of “crinoline” lingered in fashion for quite some time.for a long time thanks to the extraordinary popularity of the creator of haute couture, Charles Worth. Worth himself considered the crinoline to be a rather bulky and unattractive structure, but since his name was firmly associated with this accessory, he continued to experiment with the form, creating an increasingly sophisticated image. As a result, after a few years, the overskirt rose significantly and was gathered into elegant pleats just below the waist.

Common men's shoes in the second half of the 19th century were boots and boots with buttons or laces. Open shoes They were worn only at balls. Only black or patent leather shoes or low shoes were worn with the business card. Felt leggings were often worn on patent leather low shoes. In the 50s men's footwear was pointed-toed, and in the 60s a blunt nose and high heels came into fashion.
In the 50-60s. women wore high-heeled shoes and lace-up boots.
Everyday women's shoes 70s-80s there were high boots, laced or with buttons, with high or medium heels.

Speaking of crinoline. The crinoline acquired its true meaning only from 1850. It was then that it took the form of a gathered, domed skirt, the shape of which was supported by numerous petticoats. Until 1856, six more petticoats were worn under the overskirt, mostly self made, very complex. Making them was difficult and took an infinite amount of time. This was due to the fact that improved sewing machines began to be used in Parisian salons, in best case scenario, around 1850. These machines were introduced everywhere only in 1857.

Since 1859, artificial crinolines were introduced, where elastic steel hoops - a technically modernized memory of the former rifrock with its hoops - supported the lighter modern material as if by springs. This change affected not only the external outline of the dress, but also changed the very nature of the clothing. The skirt took on a new, unexpected movement. The former petticoats disappeared, and faux crinoline became a machine-made product. As soon as the skirt expanded to a crinoline, the sleeves of the bodice, which in the 40s were already tightly fitting the arm, narrowed, and the bodice itself began to be complemented by a wide frill at the collar, called “berte”.

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Small hats decorated with feathers and fascinators came back into fashion; ladies preferred modest hairstyles - a bun or curls, tucked into the sides french braids. Particularly relaxed ladies also experienced the first model haircuts, but they have not yet become widespread.

By 1867, the crinoline had finally disappeared from the fashion horizon and was replaced by bustles, about which caricaturists did not fail to make evil jokes, comparing fashionistas to strutting geese. Experiments with overskirts and petticoats literally captured almost all layers of English society. As a result, by 1878 the ladies very vaguely resembled their predecessors of the early Victorian period. A thin, graceful silhouette with a long train finally defeated massive forms. From now on, designers began to pay special attention to the figures of customers, giving the latter the desired grace, which meant further improvement of the craftsmanship of the couturier, who often had to turn the ugly duckling into a real princess.
Examples of the use of lace in Dresses of the 1900s.

This type of lace was known in Ireland as early as the sixteenth century. At that time it was called "Nuns Work" because it was woven by nuns in monasteries. Later, the lace was slightly improved by Mademoiselle Riego de Blancardier, the daughter of a Franco-Spanish nobleman and an Irish woman. She really liked Venetian lace and figured out how to make something similar with crochet.

The main motifs of such lace are flowers, leaves, insects.

Victorian men's fashion:

It is characteristic that men's clothing from the beginning of the 19th century. almost unchanged. Only the details and materials changed, but not the cut. After 1875 the type was established men's clothing, which we know even now - trousers, a vest and a jacket, all made of the same material - solid English fabrics.
The tuxedo is coming into fashion. Initially it was worn in smoking salons, and then when visiting theaters and restaurants. Tuxedos were worn predominantly by young people. The cuffs were starched so that one could write on them.

The previous forms of tailcoats and frock coats were preserved, but the waist in them began to be greatly underestimated. The sleeves of the garment were moderately wide, tapered towards the wrists and were trimmed with cuffs. Not only jackets and coats had pockets, but also frock coats and business cards - something between a frock coat and a jacket with beveled, rounded or flat-cut hems.

An ordinary day suit consisted of a jacket or frock coat, trousers and a vest. If the trousers and jacket were made from one material, then the vest was made from another. But striped, checkered or lighter trousers were worn with a jacket and vest made of the same material. With a black frock coat and business card, they wore trousers with black or gray stripes in the evening, and light gray or small black-gray-white checkered ones during the day. A large check, especially on jackets, was a sign of cheapness and bad taste of a man.

For ways to tie ties, see HERE

Jackets and frock coats were single- or double-breasted, with a flat collar and lapels, and were fastened only with the top buttons. The most elegant clothes were black frock coats, single-breasted coats with rounded hems and double-breasted ones with straight-cut hems. The vests were made single-breasted, and either a white or a black vest was worn under the tailcoat. Closer vests were worn with a jacket and frock coat, and with a tailcoat - with a deeper neckline. Collars were made with lapels or shawls. The tailcoat was sewn deeply cut on the chest, the fronts were cut straight, the waist was lowered, and the tails did not reach the knees. Pockets were placed on the tails, the sleeves were made narrow with cuffs.

In the 70s The trousers were moderately wide at the top, narrowed at the knees, and also tapered at the feet. The trouser pockets were made in the side seams. In the late 70s - early 80s. They began to make cuffs on trousers, but initially this fashion was not successful. Stripes were in fashion. In addition, to prevent trousers from wrinkles, they began to be lined with silk lining. For trousers and suits they used fabrics with a smooth texture and with oblique thread - the so-called diagonal.

Shirts were worn white, linen, with a starched chest, collar and cuffs. The latter were more likely to wear seat belts. A tie was mandatory. Ties were worn black and colored, smooth and with narrow stripes or with a small pattern. Only with an evening tailcoat was a cambric tie with a small bow - a butterfly - required. They also wore ready-made ties with a knot, similar to modern ones, plastrons pinned with a pin, and tie scarves threaded through a ring.

In the 80-90s. men's fashion developed by simplifying the lines. The cut of the trousers gradually became closer to modern ones, they became quite loose, with ironed folds, there were no stripes or even cuffs at the bottom. Jackets also began to resemble modern ones; they were worn as casual clothes for visits, receptions and outdoors. By the end of the century, a frock coat began to mean an official suit; people wore it to institutions. Tailcoats could be used as a professional suit, but they were still more formal wear. A man’s personal taste could manifest itself in the choice of material, vest, tie. A man who is not conspicuous and does not stand out is considered well dressed. The one who still drew attention to himself became a fop.

Transformable dress by Charles Frederick Worth
Charles Frederick Worth (born England), 1825-1895 Paris.

During the late Victorian period:

Industrialization is progressing across the planet by leaps and bounds: the telephone and telegraph have already been invented, experiments are being carried out with computers, the Kodak camera has appeared, the luxurious World Exhibition has died down. Life has become dynamic and hasty, which is reflected in fashion trends. It was at this time that the famous “bloomers” were invented - wide trousers similar to the clothes of harem slaves, skirts became narrower, and the silhouette began to take on the shape that is familiar to us today. The bustle and crinoline, although worn everywhere, are gradually going out of fashion, giving way to practical formal dresses (most often from the atelier), Amazon cut suits and mermaid skirts (narrow top and fluffy bottom). Women are starting to cut their hair; Curls and bangs are in fashion.

But all this concerns mainly wealthy women, representatives of the aristocracy and bourgeoisie. For ladies from the lower classes, clothing remains the same - closed dark dress with a closed collar of the most simple cut, a hard bustle made of cheap materials, mercilessly rubbing the skin even through undershirts, rough (“goat”) shoes or low-heeled shoes.

Romantic young ladies who like to be courted and cherished often choose outfits that will highlight their beauty. That's why, Victorian style of clothing regenerates a new birth into modern world, it is increasingly chosen by fragile and delicate young ladies. We will talk about what this direction represents.

The Victorian style of clothing gained popularity in the 30s of the last century and was relevant until its end. The style received its name in honor of Queen Victoria, who reigned during that era. Queen Victoria introduced fashion original dresses with an hourglass silhouette that favorably emphasized proportions overweight women, because in those days, beauty standards were somewhat different from existing ones. Nevertheless, the dresses looked great on slender young ladies.

Victorian dresses involved wearing corsets, which were harmful to health, but at that point in time no one cared about this. The corset was tightened so tightly that the waist diameter of some Victorians reached only 30 centimeters! The dress required a lot of time and money, because the cut was quite complex and ornate. The outfits were multi-layered, had a rich decor of lace and waves, many petticoats, folds, ribbons and bows. The blouses had puffs and wide sleeves, accompanied by ribbon trim. Dresses were made only from expensive fabrics such as satin, silk, velvet, satin and linen in dark blue, white, burgundy, white and black. The style emphasized the curves of the female body - the waist, chest, hips. With such an outfit, women representing high society were not allowed bright makeup, but jewelry decorated with precious stones.

Victorian style has the following features and characteristics:

Corset. Allows you to advantageously emphasize the waist and lift the chest, which makes female figure more seductive
Crinolines. This is the name given to petticoats that have steel hoops. They allowed Victorian women to maintain their posture
Dresses with an hourglass silhouette. The wide skirts of such dresses made rounded hips more impressive, and deep neckline attracted male audiences to ample breasts
Skirts. They, like the dress, were characterized by multi-layering
Blouses and shirts. Satin, velvet, silk shirts and blouses with decorative embroidery or lace were in demand in the Victorian style.
Expensive fabrics. As we noted above, it can be silk, velvet, satin, linen, organza
Shawl. Used as a complementary or decorative element female image. The shawl was used as a cape over the shoulders
Finishing. Embroidery or lace accompanied any outfit
Jewelry and accessories. Victorian ladies did not hesitate to wear precious jewelry in the form of hearts, snakes, angels, doves, as well as gold fountain pens
High collars. They decorated the necks of fashionistas of that time. Stand-up collars were decorated with frills and wide ruffles
Large sleeves, frills, flounces, ruffles, ribbons and bows
Color spectrum. Blue, burgundy, white, black, purple, yellow shades.

And today, modern designers cannot resist using its individual elements in their collections. So what exactly elements do they borrow and do they offer their own combinations with modern clothing?

Long Dresses made of satin, silk, velvet, decorated with embroidery, collars and corsets that are characteristic of the Victorian era. Dresses no longer have full skirts which would cause inconvenience in Everyday life. But for the gala evening, prom go wedding outfits having original idea, are quite suitable.
Bouffant skirts. They can be worn by emo girls and romantic young ladies who combine such skirts with a simple top - a shirt or top of a simple cut.
Color scheme and finishing. The heritage of the Victorian era was the colors of antique silver and gold, as well as bright colors in clothes - blue, purple, turquoise. Modern designers do not forget to pay tribute to the past and “in the old fashioned way” they decorate blouses, tops, skirts and dresses with rhinestones, hand embroidery, pearls, gold and silver threads.
Decorations. As in past times, the looks of modern designers are complemented by pendants, medallions and earrings in the form of doves, angels, snakes and hearts.
High collars. Designers such as Ralph Lauren and Alexander McQueen love to include them in their collections.
Corsets. Fashion trends suggest combining them with jeans, a pencil skirt and shorts. La Perle and D. Deacon show corsets in their collections.
Finishing. Ruffles, frills, flounces, bows and ribbons are actively used when creating outfits in a romantic style. Not only blouses, skirts and dresses are decorated with hand embroidery, but also trousers and denim clothing.
Emphasized feminine silhouette. Dresses and suits with graceful lines are represented by Vivienne Westwood and Christian Lacroix, who create collections in bright blue, yellow and purple color variations.

Features of the Victorian style are also used by subcultures such as goths, steampunks, and Japanese women who adhere to the loli style. Representatives of these trends wear corsets, fluffy dresses, decorated with lace and ruffles, blouses with flounces and frills.

How to dress in Victorian style?

If you don't have time to watch fashion collections from famous designers, then follow the tips that will allow you to incorporate Victorian features into your everyday look.

Wear clothing that covers your body as much as possible. For example, blouses with puffy flared sleeves and a high collar in tandem with a full maxi skirt.
Choose clothes that have a lot of detail. For example, a dress richly trimmed with ruffles and embroidery.
Wear a corset. If you have perfect shapes, you may not follow this recommendation. And if you have curvy shapes, you can emphasize them with a corset, which will also allow you to “shape” your waist.
Do simple hairstyle and makeup. A bun at the back of the head or a short haircut is enough.
Add accessories. This can be jewelry with precious stones or simple jewelry with elements in the form of hearts, angels, and snakes.

The Victorian style of clothing is more suitable for celebrations where you want to outshine everyone with your outfit and beauty. For everyday life, a couple of simple elements are enough to give the suit Victorian features.