Women's Costume

Costuming Overview | Women's Costume | Men's Costume

The fashionable Victorian lady wore a multiplicity of garments that reflected her station in life. Her clothing was restrictive and confining. Servants or other women who had to work for a living wore much simpler clothing in fewer layers.

The basic shape was tightly corseted on top and a rounded "bell" shape from the waist down. Everyone wore many petticoats, even the poor. The "crinoline" or hoop skirt was all the rage.

Sleeves were usually long with a variety of widths from tightly fitted jackets to the wide "pagoda" sleeves with a second set of narrower sleeves underneath. Necklines were high.

No respectable London woman would go out without a hat! Look for hats that can be shaped into bonnets to be tied underneath the chin, or a "mob cap" if you're one of the working class.

Aprons, shawls, brooches, market baskets, reticules, and lace collars can complete your costume.

Undergarments:

Proper undergarments are crucial in achieving the Victorian silhouette. The wasp waist was a gift of the tightly laced corset, and the skirts were borne out by a vast number of petticoats, starched and flounced, or a lesser number of petticoats and a hoop. The undergarments worn by most women included:

Chemise: A sleeveless or short-sleeved scoop-necked lightweight cotton or linen blouse
Pantalets or drawers
Corset: Not usually worn by lower class women.
Petticoats: As many as six or seven; once the crinoline was developed, some of these layers could be left off. The hoop skirt gained a foothold in the mid-1850s and eventually replaced the large number of petticoats formerly worn.

Blouses:

Blouses were always long-sleeved and high-necked and were usually worn with a wide belt of some kind and sometimes a jacket or bolero. A blouse worn without a jacket was considered very informal, on about the same level as a housedress.

Blouses were almost always made of plain white cotton, sometimes embroidered or trimmed with lace and buttoned up the front.

Skirts:

Although a great variety of skirt styles were available, all were very full, at least 120" around the bottom hem. Waist bands were about 2" wide. Skirts should be hemmed so that they do not drag.

Bodices:

Generally speaking, a day dress bodice had a high neck and long sleeves. It buttoned or hooked up the front (occasionally up the back) and was usually sewn to the skirt, though it was almost always constructed separately. The skirt and bodice fabric matched.

A ballgown bodice was cut very low in the neck so as to expose the shoulders. The sleeves were short to above the elbow. This bodice was usually tightly laced up the back and, like the day dress, was constructed separately and then sometimes sewn onto the skirt.

Jackets:

Jackets and jacket-type bodices were commonly worn in the 1850s and almost completely replaced the back lacing or hooking bodice for day wear. They usually had bell-shaped or pagoda sleeves; fastened with ties, frogs, or hooks; and were cut very wide over the hips or had a separate flared skirting sewn to it at the waistline.

Another popular jacket style was the zouave, or bolero, that came down only to the waist or a little above. The sleeves were long and cylindrical and sometimes slit up the back of the arm to the elbow. This collar-less jacket was cut away in a curve in the front and had no front fastening, except maybe a hook and eye or button and loop at the neck.

Outerwear:

Choices for outerwear include the shawl, cape or cloak, coat, or pelerine (a shoulder cape with long lappets hanging down the front).

Hats:

No one would be on the streets without a hat. You can choose from a variety of bonnet and hat styles (all elaborately trimmed) or, for the lower classes, wear a simple mob cap. Hair should be tucked under your hat or tied back, not left loose, and all modern hairstyles and colors must be covered.

Accessories:

Cosmetics were used with discretion and consisted mostly of a little face powder.

Shoes were either laced-up boots for outdoor wear or low-heeled slippers for evening wear. Stockings went over the knee and were knitted out of cotton, wool, or silk and were often embroidered.

Gloves were either colored kid leather or lace. Generally short gloves were worn with day dresses and long gloves were worn with evening gowns.

Reticules or purses were made of fabric to match or coordinate with the gown, or were knitted, crocheted, tatted, or netted of fine silk. These purses could also be embroidered or beaded.

Jewelry for daywear was generally less elaborate than for evening wear and included small earrings, rings, brooches, and pins. Cameos were very popular, as were pearls. Fancier earrings, necklaces, and bracelets were reserved for wear with dinner dresses or ball gowns.

Other accessories include muffs, fans, parasols, aprons, and market baskets.

Do not use obvious makeup -- no eye shadow, glitter or metallic makeup, nail polish, or bright lipsticks.
It goes without saying that Victorians did not have their noses, lips, eyebrows, etc. pierced and neither should you.
Modern accessories of any kind that could destroy the illusion we are trying to create should be avoided.