Book Description

A delightfully illustrated history of women’s wear in Victorian England, with decade-by-decade details of the styles—and the lifestyles they represented. Victorian Fashions for Women explores British styles and clothing throughout the long reign of Queen Victoria, from the late 1830s to the first years of the twentieth century. It provides a superb overview of the dresses, hats, hairstyles, corsetry, undergarments, shoes, and boots that combined to present the prevailing styles for each decade. It reflects a variety of women—from those who had enough money to have day and evening wear and clothes for sports and outdoor activities, to those with limited income and wardrobes, to laboring folk with little more than the clothes they stood up in. All decades are illustrated with original photographs, advertisements, and contemporary magazine features from the authors’ own remarkable collections, accompanied by a knowledgeable and informative text that describes the fashions, their social history context, and influences reflected in the clothes of the time. Laid out in a clear and easy-to-follow chronological order, the key features of styles, decoration, and accoutrements will help family historians to date family photographs and provide a useful resource for students, costume historians, or anyone with a love of fashion and style to enjoy.