18th Century Rococo Style Pink Marie Antoinette Inspired Prom Dress Wedding Ball Gown

18th Century Rococo Style Pink Marie Antoinette Inspired Prom Dress Wedding Ball Gown

 

Deluxe Black & Red Gothic Renaissance Queen Costume/Carnival Themed Costume

Deluxe Black & Red Gothic Renaissance Queen Costume/Carnival Themed Costume

The dress is absolutely terrific, very well made and beautiful material. I’ll use it for a theatre play about Casanova and my actress will be fabulous on stage! It’s a pity I had to pay 43,29 Euro customs, but I paid the insurance to get the sum back. I send you the receipt and a picture of the dress.

Women’s Fashions 1825 – 1840/Cheap Victorian Costumes/Women’s Suit/Dresses for Women

If asked to draw a sketch of the American or European woman of fashion at the beginning of the 1820s, most of us would think of the recent Jane Austen movies and draw a woman whose lithe figure resembled an exclamation point clad in a simple high-waisted dress of thin muslin with short puffed sleeves. If asked to draw the silhouette of a woman of the latter half of the 1840s, the sketch would resemble a dinner bell. The fashions of the transitory period 1825 to 1840 are often very vague in the mind’s eye. That fifteen year period is perhaps the least studied era of Western women’s clothing of the last three hundred years. Although largely overlooked, however, important styles came and went within that period and changes occurred which effected fashion for decades.

 

The 18teens was a time of great freedom for women — freedom in speech and in manners and in movement. Society as a whole was less restrictive in the early 1820s than it was to be for another one hundred years. Perhaps the natural reaction to those years of freedom was a pendulum swing in the opposite direction. By the mid 1820s the Ideal of Womanhood had begun. Women were told from all quarters that their job was to stay close to the home and shape the world only through their calm and morally pure influences on the men in their domestic circle. Men were to protect women from a world thought to have grown harsher with the advances of technology.

Part of the schooling of women to their new role came through the trends in fashion. British fashion historian C. Willett Cunnington wrote in the 1950s that the 1820s was when costume began to develop the expression of class distinctions and the age of the genteel had begun in grim earnest…From the beginning of this period for nearly a century, petticoats and prudery combined as a gigantic force.

THE RETURN OF THE NATURAL WAIST:

The most noticeable change in fashions at the beginning of this period was the dropping of the waistline of women’s clothing to the position of a woman’s natural waist. The high waisted dresses of the early 1820s had hid stomachs but with the natural waistline, corset use began in earnest. Women laced themselves tighter and tighter as this fifteen-year period progressed and the criticisms about tight lacing were not to be heard until well after 1840. In fact, in the 1830s lacing was sometimes linked to moral ideas of the period as lacing was thought to be a tangible way of teaching a woman moral restraint and seriousness.

A few jacket bodices were separate garments from the skirts, but most bodices had the skirt attached in gathers. Bodices themselves often showed gathers as the top layer, but the under construction was generally tightly fit to the body. Bodice gathers and decorations emphasized a V look and as the period progressed the base of the V dipped to slightly under the waist in a fashion that was termed ala Marie Stuart. Period fashion magazines hailed the late 1820s as a revival period and such names were popular. Another example of revival naming is that a scalloped edge at the base of the bodice, or scallops on the collar edge or skirt bottom were called ala Van Dyke.

 

FABRICS:

The thin muslin favored in the 18teens lingered into the beginning of this fifteen-year period, but when muslin was used after 1825 it was used in greater quantities per dress. Before 1825 there was gossip that European society women in thin muslin dresses would douse themselves with so much water that the garments which clung to them seemed almost nonexistent. Even if a woman in a muslin dress of 1825 had considered dousing herself with water to make the garment cling, the voluminous folds would still have modestly concealed her bodily charms.

Not only was muslin adopted to the new cuts but it was also trimmed and accessorized quite differently than it had been earlier. An 1828 letter describing the wedding of a woman from a wealthy North Carolina family includes this description of attire: The bride and bridesmaid were dressed in swiss muslin trimmed with white satin, and handsome turbans on their heads. [1]

Despite the wide use of muslin in the early part of this transitory period throughout this fifteen-year period, there was a trend toward heavier material. In August of 1826, fashionable British belles Jane Hogg and Jane Milner sent an Indian muslin dress to their cousins in America as they had no use for it any longer.

Even more interestingly, the belles also sent a silk gown about fifty years old and advised their cousins to remake it. [2] For the first time since the 1780s, the heavily figured silks were popular and many c. 1825-1840 garments are made of earlier fabrics which bear testimony to having been remade from an earlier gown. In 1825 white was the favored color for evening dresses with cream and yellow gaining in popularity by 1830. Colors and figured materials grew more popular in this period. White dresses survive in the largest numbers both because the lack of dye helped preserve the fabric and because white material was less likely to be reused later in the century.

Muslin, gauze over satin and rich silk fabrics were always favored for evenings and used whenever economically possible but even among well-to-do Americans homespun was popular day wear. In July of 1828, Mira Lenoir a woman from a very wealthy North Carolina family wrote to her niece Julia Pickens offering her a homespun dress. Let me know how you like Louisa’s, and if you had rather have yours some other stripe, and whether you want it checked and all about it. [3]

The majority of the day dresses which survive from 1825-1840 are those made of fairly heavy cotton. Medium to heavy weight cotton has withstood the test of time better than has the thinner cottons and silks. Figured calico was extremely popular and from the fabric samples which survive and the descriptions in period letters we know the designs were innovative. A letter written in Virginia in April of 1832 contains this description, I got beautiful calico figured doves’ breast with black flowers one of the prettiest calicoes I ever saw. [4]

Many of the dresses of the best quality fabrics were destroyed when the fabric was reused a few years later. Miraculously, moths have left us some dresses of wool which first began to be used for womens’ clothes in the late 1820s and was one of the most lasting innovations of this period.

 

THE SKIRT:

April 1827…Anna C is here, she says the dresses are full all around the skirt…Anna says the only trimmings worn are large tucks and broad hems, two are silk one satin rouleau at the bottom — it is a convenient fashion… [5] Throughout the years, 1825 to 1840 the skirt continued to widen. The skirt hem did not touch the floor until 1835 and for the ten years preceding that there was great attention to the bottom edge of the skirt. Decorations and trims such as the padded rouleau mentioned above were often stiffened to help hold out the ever widening skirt. Applied stuffed cords of decorative silks acted almost like hoops on the outsides of the skirts. Small bustle pads tied on with tapes were in use by the mid 1830s to help hold out the upper part of the skirt as well. When the hems sank to the floor in the mid 1830s and the decorations on the bottom edges were less popular, women wore numerous petticoats to hold out the skirts. Petticoats were stiffened and it was common to wear three. Six petticoats worn at a time were not unusual. Flannel was the favored fabric for the material closest to the skin with the layers of stiffened petticoats following. Stiff horse hair underskirts were first sold in 1840. No wonder the whale bone hoops of 1856 were hailed as an improvement, freeing women from all that fabric weight.

 

SLEEVES AND COLLARS:

Perhaps the most obvious features of the period were the sleeves. The Placement of the Puff would be a good title for this section. At various times, from 1825-1840 the sleeves were puffed at the top with a tapering lower sleeve, puffed in a huge billow from shoulder to elbow, puffed only at the elbow, puffed from shoulder to wrist in a tapering billow, and puffed in suspension from a dropped shoulder. This dropped shoulder turned into a full epaulette collar or jockeis around 1839 and this fullness took the place of the puffed sleeve which was not seen again in such proportions until the 1890s.

As may be guessed, new terms were coined for each sleeve innovation. (Yes, period detractors really did use the term imbecile sleeves and gentlemen’s’ magazines showed drawings of women turned sideways to go through doors.) The sleeves which were very wide at the shoulder and tapered gradually to the wrist were called the gigot sleeves and required their own set of underpinnings. A strip of gathered glazed cotton with whalebone at the edge usually held out the sleeves although stuffed pads and even hoops on the arms were occasionally used. Costume historian Nancy Bradfield dates the gigot sleeve being in use from about 1824 to about 1836.

The Victoria sleeve was actually not much favored by Queen Victoria who knew her build was not enhanced by tight shoulder and wrist fittings with volume in the mid sleeve section. No matter where the puff was placed armholes were small and high, so despite the volumes of material used arm movement was restricted.

As a balance to the large puffed sleeves, collars were also enormous at various times from 1825 to 1840. The pelerine en ailes d’oiseau collar covered the sleeves like a bird’s outstretched wing. Sometimes the collars were split at the top of each sleeve and often there were two layers of a collar. The bertha whose name and look are still familiar became popular near the end of the period. Lace and embroidered collars were widely made and worn.

 

ACCESSORIES:

Of course bonnets, gloves and parasols were the staples of a woman’s accessory wardrobe in the period 1825-1840, but sashes, ribbons and bows were at the peak of their popularity. As it may be guessed, it was difficult to find a coat to go over those gigantic sleeves so shawls, mantles and stoles were popular wraps for day and evening wear. Shoes were sensible in shape and fragile in construction. They tended to be flat heeled with a wide square toe area.

 

THE ROMANTIC ERA?

Some costume historians call the transition period of 1825 to 1840 the Romantic Era. They justify the term as there is a crossover in dates with the era of the romantic novel and the romantic poets. Also, the excessive use of ribbons and bows is seen as highly feminine. Other historians see the changes in fashion which began around 1825 as the beginning of the modern dark ages for Western women since after the respite of the 18teens womens clothes again became confining and some styles were injurious to the health. Corsets restricted the development and functioning of internal organs and prohibited deep breathing. The placement and structure of the sleeves barred many arm movements. The weight of the numerous petticoats discouraged much exercise. The total wants of fabric over the neck and an upper chest exposed women to the cold. The complicated and frequently changing styles meant that most women spent vast amounts of time on clothing preparation. About such hours spent sewing early twentieth century novelist Elizabeth von Arnim wrote I believe all needlework and dressmaking is of the devil, designed to keep women from study. For many women alive in 1825 to 1840, however, the changing clothing styles were a delight and period diary and letter references indicate that most women enjoyed the challenge of each season’s innovations. If our ancestors were slaves to the styles of their times, at least they were happily ignorant of their servitude.

 

NOTES:
The dresses shown are on exhibit at Kent State University Museum, Kent, Ohio, USA.
1. Laura Leah Lenoir to Julia Pickens from Hickerson, Thomas ECHOES OF HAPPY VALLEY, published by the author in 1962.
2. ECHOES OF HAPPY VALLEY, op.cit.
3. ECHOES OF HAPPY VALLEY, op.cit.
4. Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis, granddaughter of Martha Washington, to a married daughter who was living in an isolated part of lower Louisiana. Letter in the collection of Woodlawn Plantation, a property of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
5. Woodlawn collection, op. cit.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Heather Palmer, has served as the Curator of three historic house museums and was also the Historian of Blair House, the President’s Guest House. She lectures at colleges and publishes articles in the fields of 18th and 19th century women’s lives, clothing and needlework, and in the area of material culture. She does free-lance editorial work and writing.

Fabulous Downton Abbey Costumes (PHOTOS)

Downton Abbey (PBS) Season 1, 2010 Shown from left: Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern Photo credit: © Carnival Films

Biltmore announces a new exhibition, “Dressing Downton: Changing Fashion for Changing Times,” opening February 5 and continuing through Memorial Day, May 25, 2015. Designed by Exhibits Development Group in cooperation with Cosprop Ltd., London, the exhibition features more than 40 costumes from the popular PBS series “Downton Abbey.” The clothing will be showcased in rooms throughout Biltmore House in groupings inspired by the fictional show and by real life at Biltmore, the grand Vanderbilt estate of the same era.

Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham Purple Print Day Dress. Photo Credit: Exhibits Development Group.

Although “Downton Abbey” is fictional, the show depicts an era of great change. The period costumes in the exhibition act as a window into history beginning in 1912 with the sinking of the Titanic, moving into the tumultuous years of World War I, and finally through the dawn of the Jazz Age in the early 1920s. The waves of social change felt abroad also had lasting impact on the Vanderbilts, their servants, and Biltmore as a whole. New stories will be shared about George Vanderbilt, his wife Edith, and their daughter Cornelia, who lived in the 250-room Biltmore House.

Photo Credit: Exhibits Development Group.

The Vanderbilts’ home bears striking visual resemblance to the show’s setting at Highclere Castle, making it easy for visitors to blur storylines and experience for themselves a bit of life a hundred years ago. “The day-to-day running of the house was surprisingly similar to that of Downton Abbey,” says Biltmore’s Director of Museum Services Ellen Rickman. “Just like Downton has Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes, Biltmore had its own cast of fascinating characters. Displaying these fabulous costumes from the show gives us an unparalleled opportunity to delve into Biltmore’s stories.”

 

 

Ladies’ Evening Dress

Guidelines for Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s 1890s Evening Attire

Ladies’ Evening Dress

Ladies’ Evening Dress

Ladies’ evening dress of the 1890s

highlights an hourglass figure and usually consists of a fitted bodice with and open neckline, the shoulder-line is on the shoulder, with sleeves ranging from extravagant puffs to small or even almost non-existent ruffles or lace. The skirt sweeps the floor and is A-line, usually cut in a circle with gored pattern pieces. Fabrics range from rich brocades and velvets to lightweight chiffons and organdies. Colors are deep rich jewel tones or light and youthful pastels. Trims can be rich, heavy, and historically influenced or very femminine and fluffy.

Components of an 1890s Evening Gown

BODICE: FIT:The bodice fits smoothly, with many shaped bodice pieces and boning on each seam.
NECKLINE: The neckline is open, scooped, vee, or square cut, not very low cut. The shoulder-line is on the shoulders to support the sleeves and not fall off the shoulder, and enhance the vertical and slim look of the bodice. The neckline usually has a drawstring for a snug fit.
WAISTLINE:The waistline is often pointed in front and back, can be slightly below the natural waist, or the waist can be cut straight at the waist, often with a sash. Princess-line gowns are cut with the bodice and skirt in one piece.
CLOSURE: The closure is in the center back or center front, with either hooks and eyes (most common) or center back lacing with hand sewn eyelette holes (not very common). Surplice wrap fronts are common, where the front overlaps on a diagonal (a nice style to facilitate later size alterations).
SLEEVES: The sleeves are extravagantly large puffed in the mid century, but during the decade they can range from huge puffs, small puffs, draped fabric, to simply a frill of cloth or lace.
TRIM: Very feminine lace flounces are popular, contrasting silk or ribbon sashes, panels or bows; beadwork.Ladies’ Evening Dress,Evening Gown,Event Gown,Funcation Gown, Holiday Gown

Victorian Ball Dress – 1844-48

Ball Dresses - 1844Ball Dresses - 1844Ball Dresses - 1844

Evening gowns of the mid-1840s were worn off the shoulder and featured short tight sleeves with either puff decorations or lace trimming. Bodices presented a rigidly boned elongated shape with a waist that formed a perfect point in the front.

Victorian Ball Dress 1844-48

Showcased is a marvelous young lady’s French silk ball dress. The evening gown features short tight sleeves ornamented with puffs, lace and silk ribbon — characteristic of the mid-1840s. The exquisite fabric is a rose pink moiré silk patterned with blossoms and leaves. The elongated bodice is rigidly boned with a glazed cotton lining and features lacing holes to the back. The ball dress is trimmed with handmade black Valenciennes lace and pink striped silk ribbon and bows. The voluminous full skirt measures 164 inches and is slightly trained.

wholesale victorian dresses, wholesale victorian evening dresses, wholesale gothic prom dresses, wholesale victorian wedding dresses, wholesale victorian ball gown ,wholesale victorian corset dresses, wholesale victorian formal dresses ,wholesale prom dresses

Victorian Robe

During the last quarter of  the nineteenth century robes for private dress ranged from the lavishly decorative to the unadorned and practical. Most had front openings with high necklines and long sleeves. This luxurious silk morning Victorian robe from the mid-1870s is the quality that would be worn by an affluent Victorian lady of leisure. This quilted Victorian robe is richly embroidered in colorful silk threads in an exquisitely detailed floral design. During the mid-1870s, robes such as this rare Victorian robe, were made in Japan for the Western market and often found in Liberty  catalogs, a well known department store in Regent Street in central London.

How to Have a Victorian Ball

Civil war dressIt was in the ballroom that Victorian society was on its best behavior. Everything there was regulated according to the strictest code of good-breeding, and as any departure from this code became a grave offense, it was indispensable that the etiquette of the Victorian ballroom was thoroughly mastered. The following hints on 19th century Victorian ballroom dancing concentrate on the period from the 1840s to the mid-1860s.

PREPARATIONS: There were various ways of organizing a Victorian ball — the most common one was for several people, interested in dancing, to meet together and choose a Committee of Arrangements or Managers, as they were sometimes called. It was their duty to procure a hall, engage a quadrille band, make arrangements for the supper, and issue invitations to those they wanted to attend the dance.

It was the special duty of one or more of the committee to attend to each of the above duties for the Victorian dance. The number of the committee varied from five to twenty, according to the amount of services to be performed. If the invitations for the dance were to be sent to adjoining towns, at least one of the committee was chosen from each town, or in case there were several villages in the town, one from each village. On the evening of the Victorian ball, two or more of the committee would be chosen as ballroom dancing floor managers, to see that the sets were full, and that all persons wishing for dancing partners were supplied; and also to direct the music, as well as to decide any questions that may arise in the Victorian ballroom.

 

Victorian military and fire engine companies, clubs and associations often gave a single dance or perhaps a series of parties—the same committee officiating during the different evenings. Furthermore, it was the custom for teachers of ballroom dancing, in connection with their schools, to open their rooms to the public after nine o’clock in the evening.  Any proper person could, for a small sum of usually fifty cents, join in the amusements. These Victorian parties usually ended at about twelve o’clock, while Victorian dances generally continued some hours later.

Sometimes Victorian balls were organized by some speculator, who generally managed the whole matter himself. Victorian balls of this class were not always select, as the invitations were given to the public in general, and persons deemed “improper” too frequently gained admission. Refreshments would be provided for the guests during the evening; and, as nothing would be passed around the Victorian ballroom, a refreshment room was absolutely necessary. Provided in the refreshment room was tea and coffee, ices, biscuits, cakes, cracker-bonbons, cold tongues, and sandwiches.  If a regular supper was served it would be laid in a separate room. To order it in from a confectioner or caterer was the simplest plan, but it often proved somewhat expensive. If provided at home, it was done on a liberal, but not vulgarly profuse, scale. Substantial fare, such as fowls, ham, tongue, etc., was absolutely necessary. Jellies, blanc-mange, trifle, tipsy cake, etc., would be added at discretion. Nothing upon the table would require carving; the fowls would be cut up beforehand, and held together by ribbons. Whatever could be iced would be served in that way.

VICTORIAN DRESS FOR LADIES

A Victorian lady, in dressing for a ball, first needed to consider the delicate question of age; and next, that of her position, whether married or single. She would then reflect on the simplicity of her attire, the elegance of the design of her gown, and then the propriety of colors. As everything about a Victorian ballroom would be light, gay, and the reverse of depressing, it was permitted for elderly ladies who did not dance to assume a lighter style of dress than would be proper at the dinner table, concert, or opera.

The gown of the married and unmarried lady, however youthful the former, would be distinctly marked. Silk dresses were, as a rule, objectionable for those who danced; but the married lady could appear in a moiré of a light tint, or even in a white silk, if properly trimmed with tulle and flowers. Flowers or small feathers were stylish for the head; jewelry would be very sparingly displayed, a single bracelet was quite sufficient for those who danced.

Young unmarried ladies would wear Victorian gowns of light materials — the lighter the better. Tarlatane, gauze, tulle, areophane, net, the finest muslin, lace, and all similar fabrics, were available; such Victorian dresses would be worn over a silk slip.

Victorian ladies in deep mourning would not dance, even if they permitted themselves to attend a Victorian ball.  For those in mourning, black and scarlet or violet was the proper attire. When the mourning permitted dancing, white with mauve, violet or black trimmings and flounces was proper. A black satin dress looked best when covered with net, tarlatan, or crape—the latter only to be worn in mourning.

In the selection of colors a lady would consider her figure and her complexion. If slender and sylph-like, white or very light colors were generally suitable; but if inclined to be plump, these colors would be avoided, as they had the reputation of apparently adding to the hulk of the wearer. Moreover, the harmony of Victorian dress involved the idea of contrast and would be chosen with reference to the wearer; thus, a blonde appeared to most advantage in delicate hues, such as pink, salmon, light blue, maize, apple green, white, and so forth. The brunette would, on the contrary, select rich and brilliant colors.

The head-dress for the evening would be in unison with the Victorian gown, though ladies who had a profusion of beautiful hair required little or no artificial ornament; a simple flower was all that was necessary. To those who were less gifted in this respect, wreaths were generally thought becoming. A tall lady would avoid wearing anything across the head, as that added to her apparent height. A “chaplet” or a “drooping wreath” would, therefore, be preferable.

All the accessories for the evening — gloves, shoes, flowers, fans, and the opera cloak—would be fresh and new. Inattention in this matter spoiled the effect of the most impressive gown. White gloves were appropriate for the Victorian ballroom: in mourning they were sewn with black. The gloves would be faultless as to fit, and never be removed from the hands in the ballroom. It was proper for those who dance to be provided with a second pair to replace the others when soiled or in case they split, or if the buttons came off. White satin shoes were worn with light colored dresses; and black or bronze with dark dresses. It was also stylish for boots to be worn in the ballroom; these were of kid, satin, or silk, either white or matching the dress in color.

 

VICTORIAN DRESS FOR GENTLEMEN

The attire in which a Victorian gentleman could present himself in a ballroom was strictly defined. He would wear a black superfine dress-coat, pair of well-fitting pants of the same color, and a black Ballroom Dancingor white vest. The Victorian ball-suit would be of the very best cloth, new and glossy and of the latest style as to the cut. The waistcoat would be low, so as to disclose an ample shirt-front, fine and delicately plaited; it was not embroidered, but small gold studs were used for decoration. He would also have a black or white cravat, tie or stock—the necktie would be of a washing texture, not silk, and not set off with embroidery. In addition, included were a pair of patent leather boots with low heels; white kid gloves–not straw-color or lavender; and a white linen cambric handkerchief. The hair would be well dressed, without too many curls; the whole effect would be in perfect keeping with the general appearance. Excess of jewelry would not be worn: simple studs, gold solitaire sleeve-links, and a watch chain—massive with charms and appendages. Perfumes would be avoided as effeminate; if used at all, only for the handkerchief, they would be of the very best scent so as not to offend.

Ballroom DancingNIGHT OF THE VICTORIAN BALL

In calling for the lady invited, the Victorian gentleman would be punctual at the hour appointed. If he ordered a carriage, he handed her in first, and sat opposite to her unless she requested him to change his position. They were not obliged to go exactly at the appointed hour; it was even fashionable to go an hour later. Victorian married ladies were accompanied by their husbands; unmarried ones by their mother or by a chaperon.

In leaving the carriage, the Victorian gentleman preceded the lady and assisted her in descending, he would then conduct her to the ladies’ dressing room, leaving her in the charge of the maid, while he went to the gentlemen’s apartments to divest himself of overcoat, hat, and boots.

The lady in the meantime, after arranging her Victorian dress, retired to the ladies’ sitting-room or awaited the gentleman’s arrival at the door of the dressing-room. A cloak-room for the ladies was usually provided, with one or two maids to receive the shawls or cloaks. The maids would also render any assistance in the way of arranging hair or dress, repairing a torn dress, or any necessity of that kind.  In this room there would be several mirrors, with a supply of hair-pins, needles and thread, pins, and similar trifles.

A hat room for Victorian gentlemen was also available with tickets, numbered in duplicate for the articles belonging to the ladies and gentlemen that were left in the charge of the attendants. With two tickets of each number, one of these was pinned on the coat or cloak as it was handed in, and the other given to the owner. By this means the property of each guest was identified, and confusion at the time of departure was prevented.

More Info: 19th Century Dance Instructions
IN THE VICTORIAN BALLROOM

The floor-managers gave the order to the orchestra to commence, and also took the lead in entering the Victorian ballroom. The Victorian gentleman either joined in the promenade, or conducted his lady to a seat.  Upon entering the ballroom, the gentleman’s first duty was to procure a program for his Ballroom Dancingpartner, and to introduce his friends, who placed their names on her card for the dances engaged. The sound of a trumpet was generally the signal for the assembly to take their positions on the floor for dancing. A gentleman would, in all cases, dance the first set with the lady in company with him, after which he could exchange partners with a friend; or dance again with her, as circumstances or inclination would dictate.

A Victorian lady could not refuse the invitation of a gentleman to dance, unless she had already accepted that of another, for she would be guilty of an incivility. Ladies who danced often, would be very careful not to boast of the great number of dances for which they were engaged in advance before those who danced but little or not at all. They would also, without being seen, recommend these less fortunate ladies to gentlemen of their acquaintance.  At a private ball or party, a lady would show reserve, and not show more preference for one gentleman than another; moreover, she would dance with all who asked properly.

The master of the house would see that all the ladies danced; he would take notice particularly of those who appeared to be wall-flowers, and would see that they were invited to dance.  But he would do this wholly unperceived, in order not Ballroom Dancingto wound the self-esteem of the unfortunate ladies. Gentlemen, whom the master of the house requested to dance with these ladies, would be ready to accede to his wish, and even appear pleased at dancing with the lady recommended. Frequently, some young Victorian gentlemen breached the rules of proper etiquette; they were so very particular that they considered it a remarkable inconvenience to dance with a lady unless she happened to be very pretty and interesting. Those young men rarely brought ladies with them, and were constantly bothering their friends and the floor managers to be introduced to the best dancers and the prettiest young ladies that they saw in the room. If there were not as many gentlemen as ladies present; two ladies were permitted to dance together in order to fill up a set, or two gentlemen could dance if there were a shortage of ladies. But it was not proper for ladies to refuse to dance with gentlemen, and afterwards dance together, or for gentlemen to do the same after having refused to be introduced to ladies. Engaged persons would not dance together too often; it was in bad taste; furthermore, it was considered a violation of etiquette for man and wife to dance together.

When introduced to a lady, a Victorian gentleman was particular about how he asked her to dance, and the manner in which he bowed to her, and also of requesting to see her card; ladies were susceptible of first impressions, and it depended a good deal upon the manner in which the gentleman first presented himself.  In requesting a lady to dance, he stood at a proper distance, bent the body gracefully, accompanied by a slight motion of the right hand in front, he looked at her amicably, and respectfully said, “Will you do me the honor to dance with me;” or “Shall I have the pleasure of dancing with you;” or “Will you be pleased, or will you favor me with your hand for this or the next dance.” He remained in the position he had assumed until the lady signified her intention, by saying, “With pleasure sir,” or “I regret I am engaged sir.” The gentleman would then place his name on her card, and after having made the necessary arrangements, he would politely bow and withdraw.

When a Victorian gentleman danced with a lady to whom he was a stranger, he was cautious in his conversation.  When the music ended, he bowed to his partner, presented his right arm, and led her to her seat; if the seat was occupied, he would politely ask her to what part of the hall she would like to be conducted; he would also bow as she took her seat.  The gentleman was not at liberty to sit by her side, unless he was on terms of intimacy.  Would he wish to dance with a lady with whom he was not acquainted, he applied first to his friends, who would try to procure for him the desired introduction.  If not, the Victorian gentleman would make application to one of the floor managers, who would introduce him if he was acquainted with the lady; otherwise the floor manager would not present him without first demanding the consent of the lady. The etiquette of the ballroom differed slightly in the country.  In country ballrooms, generally a gentleman would ask any lady to dance with him and, after an introduction, could enter into conversation or promenade with her through the room without being considered guilty of breeching proper etiquette.

Ballroom Dancing Victorian gentlemen would attempt to entertain the ladies who danced with them with a little conversation, hopefully more novel than the weather and the heat of the room; and in round dances they would be particularly careful to guard them from collisions, and to see that their dresses were not torn. A gentleman would not engage a lady for more than four dances during the evening, as it could deprive her of the pleasure of dancing with those of her friends who may arrive at a later hour; besides much familiarity was out of place in a ballroom. At the end of the dance, the gentleman conducted the lady to her place, bowed and thanked her for the honor which she had presented. She also bowed in silence, smiling with a gracious air.

Nevertheless, no Victorian gentleman could take advantage of a ballroom introduction because it was given with a view to one dance only, and would certainly not warrant a gentleman in going any further than asking a lady to dance the second time. Out of the ballroom such an introduction had no meaning whatsoever.  If those who had danced together met the next day in the street, the gentleman would not venture to bow, unless the lady chose to recognize him—if he did bow, he would not expect any acknowledgment of his greeting nor take offense if it was withheld.

In a private Victorian ball or party, it was proper for a lady to show reserve, and not manifest more preference for one gentleman than another— she would dance with all who asked properly. Ladies would avoid talking too much during the dance; it was also in bad taste to whisper continually in the ear of her partner. Ladies would avoid affectation, frowning, quizzing, or the slightest indication of ill-temper.  No loud laughter, loud talking, or staring would be seen in a lady’s behavior.  It was recommended that every lady stop dancing the moment she felt fatigued, or had any difficulty in breathing.  Married or young ladies could not leave a ballroom, or any other party, alone. The former would be accompanied by one or two other married ladies, and the latter by their mother, or by a lady to represent her.

Victorian Dresses for May 1881

 

The figure to the left highlights an Iris Promenade Toilette of blue satinette, trimmed with plaid. The jacket is fastened by a belt while the sleeve consists of puffs, plisses, and cuffs. The basque is edged by a band of plaid, opened on each hip, and trimmed with aiguillettes and cord. The skirt is composed of a pleated flounce, edged with plaid and a drapery caught by gathers rather high on the right side and lower on the left. The back is well draped. This Victorian dress requires 12 yards of satinette, 2 1/2yards of plaid fabric and is trimmed with 18 buttons.

Back View

 

The center figure features a Maynard Visite Mantilla of cachemire de l’Inde, trimmed with Spanish lace, fringe, and satin bows. It will take2 yards of cachemire de l’Inde, 7 yards of fringe, 12 yards of Spanish lace, and 4 yards of ribbon.

The figure to the right is costumed in a Curzon Afternoon Dress of drab cashmere trimmed with brown plush. The body is pointed in front and forms a slight coat tail behind. The overskirt is well draped over a plisse underskirt. The whole toilette looks very elegant and stylish. Quantities required: 13 yards of cashmere; 2 yards of plush; 12 buttons.

 

To the left we see a Badminton Lawn Tennis Costume, composed of a triple-flounced underskirt with an overskirt elegantly draped to the front and back. The round jacket is  ornamented with an elegant and suitably designed sleeve. This Victorian Lawn Tennis ensemble will require 8 yards of satinette for the skirt and sleeves; 6 yards of pompadour; and 12 buttons.

Back View

 

The center Steenbock Afternoon Visiting Toilette is of mousseline de laine and satin. The jacket is very elegant, trimmed with revers behind and a satin collar and satin puffs at sleeves. The overskirt is gathered under a loop of satin on the right side. At the left side it flows gracefully over the underskirt, which is made of alternate pleats of satin and mousseline de laine. At the back the skirt is ornamented with three mousseline plisses. The Victorian afternoon dress will take 6 yards of double-width mousseline de laine; 4 1/2 yards of satin; and 18 buttons.

The Vera Carriage Toilette on the right features blue pompadour and gold-colored satinette, trimmed with broderie Anglaise. This toilette is very simple: it is composed of a jacket trimmed with a band of satinette and embroidery. The back forms a plisse while the overskirt is draped elegantly on each side over a plain skirt that is ornamented by a band like the jacket and overskirt. Quantities required: 9 yards of pompadour; 2 yards of satinette; and 14 yards of embroidery.

 

The figure to the left features a Young Lady’s Promonade Toilette of mauve cashmere. The body is cut en pointe at the back, and has two points in front. The tablier is composed of double draperies, crossing in front on a plisse petticoat of spotted material. The cuffs and collar of this young lady’s Victorian dress match. It will take 8 yards of cashmere; 6 yards of spotted material; 12 buttons; and 2 yards of ribbon.

 

The Santurce Reception Toilette in the center is of black satin, trimmed with passementerie. The body forms a jacket in front while at back it is gathered and falls very elegantly on the skirt. The jacket is ornamented at the end of the gathers by a large bow and long ends while the front is very gracefully draped on the plisse underskirt. The whole is ornamented with rich passementerie. Quantities required: 24 yards of satin; 19 yards of, or 18 yards of cashmere; 5 yards of pastementerie; 3 yards of sash ribbon; and 12 buttons.

The Brooke Dinner Toilette on the right is of pink crepon de l’Inde. This elegant toilette is composed of a body with waist-band and skirt all in one. The front is well draped on an underskirt bouillonne, and gathered. The back of the body is plisse, and gathered. The fulness is caught up here and there on the underskirt and ornamented with bows and bands of satin ribbon. This Victorian dress will take 14 yards of crepon de l’Inde; 6 yards of satin ribbon; and 8 buttons.

 

 

Victorian Bustle: Hidden Secret Behind the 1880s Silhouette

By the 1880s, the soft curve bustle dresses of the early 1870s were replaced with a new distinct silhouette featuring a severely tailored figure from the front and added draperies to the back. The train had disappeared and a bustle or tournure with a fitted gored skirt produced a profile straight in the front, hugging the hips, and exploding into a back fullness that was gathered or pleated.

Bustle silhouette highlighted in Victorian dresses from 1888.

Many of the Victorian costumes of the 1880s featured long draped overdresses, which reached to the top of a narrow flounce, side by side with a very short tunic, which was not more than a large scarf. The skirt would fall straight and flat in front and a small tournure or bustle was worn to support the back drapery, giving the skirt below the waist a bouffant appearance.

Basques, pointed waists, coat bodices, and round waists with belts were all worn with the new bustle skirts; the selection of the particular style of top was made to suit the figure of the wearer. Sleeves were placed high up on the shoulders making the shoulder seams quite short, giving a narrower appearance to the broad-chested woman but a rather unbecoming look to the very thin woman. The 1880s dresses were styled quite high about the neck at the back to accommodate the hair, which was worn generally high.

“]An absolute necessity for this Victorian style of dress was a well-fitting tournure or bustle and it soon became an indispensable accessory to a lady’s costume. The bustle was a device to expand the skirt of the dress below the waist.

 

Victorian Butles from the 1880s.

 

These padded devices were used to add back fullness to the hard-edged front lines of the 1880s silhouette. The various styles of bustles were made with wires, springs, mohair padding and fabric, appearing both archaic and torturous. Although lace appeared out-of-place on the bustle, it was often incorporated into the design. But, although the tournure was suitable for a walking dress, it was not always sufficient to maintain the voluminous trained skirt of an evening dress.

The best way of providing a well-shaped foundation for the considerable skirt of an 1880s evening dress was to wear a jupon, a style of underskirt, with a shaped front piece, a side gore, pleated to fit the figure over the hips, and a straight breadth at the back. In the back breadth, casings were made to admit a number of rows of steel graduated in length. The steels were bought in sets, each steel being bound at the end with metal, and having a pierced hole, to allow it to be easily secured. Tapes were sewn at the end of every other steel, which, being tied, formed a well-shaped and securely fitting tournure. Nevertheless, if the lady preferred to wear the tournure separate and apart from her skirt, it would be made comparatively secure by fastening broad bands of elastic to either side, and by sewing weights round the bottom edge under the kilt.

Two 1886 Victorian ball gowns featuring trained skirts supported by bustles.

Mrs. A. Taft with Maria Herron and Fanny Taft wearing similar Victorian fashions.