Women’s Fashions of the Late Victorian Era

During the Victorian Era, advances in technology and distribution saw fashion change from an exclusive privilege of the wealthy elites to something that could be enjoyed by ordinary people.

The Industrial Revolution inspired a flowering of creativity in architecture, literature, and decorative and visual arts, all playing a part in influencing the latest fashions.

Changing attitudes to traditional gender roles and the rising middle class meant that by the late Victorian Era, a new age of mass consumerism had begun.

Unlike earlier centuries, when it was commonplace for women to help with the family business, Victorians thought a woman’s place was in the home.

1885 Fashion plate
1885 Fashion plate

Victorian fashion wasn’t utilitarian, it was an expression of position in society.

1888 Fashion Plate
1888 Fashion Plate

The upper class wore clothes adorned with embroideries and trims; the middle class, less extravagant; and the working class, whatever they could afford.

Depicted in this painting is a middle-class woman showing off her newly purchased bonnet at her sister’s modest home.

The New Bonnet by Eastman Johnson, 1876
The New Bonnet by Eastman Johnson, 1876

Casting off the shackles of crinolines of the 1850s and 1860s, the late Victorian era saw several innovations to bring more practicality and mobility to fashion whilst maintaining the volume of fabric.

Introduced in the late 1860s, the bustle was a framework used to expand and support the fullness of a woman’s dress at the back, leaving the front and sides flatter for ease of movement.

Reaching its greatest extension by the mid-1880s, it was popularly boasted that the cantilevers of bustles could support an entire tea service.

1884-86. Dinner Dress. American. Silk. metmuseum
1884-86. Dinner Dress. American. Silk. metmuseum

With women becoming more involved in activities outside the home, fashion designers made changes to suit.

Skirts were given more ground clearance and trains were made simpler, stronger and dragged less on the ground while keeping the same overall form.

1885 Walking Dress. French. House of Worth. Silk, glass. metmuseum
1885 Walking Dress. French. House of Worth. Silk, glass. metmuseum

Abandoned by the 1890s, the bustle evolved into skirts with a much more subtle flow from the wearer’s thin corsetted waist.

Necklines were high, while sleeve size increased.

1892 Dress. American. Silk, cotton
1892 Dress. American. Silk, cotton

Becoming bell-shaped, dresses were made to fit tighter around the hip area.

1892 Dress. American. Silk, cotton
1892 Dress. American. Silk, cotton

While sleeves and bodices initially peaked at the shoulders, size would increase considerably.

1890 Dress. American. Silk, linen
1890 Dress. American. Silk, linen

Beginning in the mid-1890s, exaggerated “leg o’mutton” sleeves grew in size until disappearing in about 1906.

1895 Afternoon jacket. French. Silk, jet, beads
1895 Afternoon jacket. French. Silk, jet, beads
1896 Wedding dress. House of Worth. Silk, pearl. Credit metmuseum
1896 Wedding dress. House of Worth. Silk, pearl. Credit metmuseum
1895 Dress. French. Silk
1895 Dress. French. Silk

Skirts started to take on a graceful, curved, “A-line silhouette”.

1897 Gown. House of Worth
1900 Ball Gown. French. Doucet. Silk, metal. metmuseum
1900 Ball Gown. French. Doucet. Silk, metal. metmuseum

A glittering extravaganza, the neoclassical motifs in the below dress add a texture and lighting effect to stand out at a formal ball.

1890 Evening ensemble. American. Silk. metmuseum
1890 Evening ensemble. American. Silk. metmuseum

Changing attitudes about acceptable activities for women also made sportswear popular, particularly for bicycling and tennis.

Bicycling; The Ladies of the Wheel by François Courboin, 1896
Bicycling; The Ladies of the Wheel by François Courboin, 1896
A june Afternoon by A. B. Frost, 1898
Le Chalet du Cycle au Bois de Boulogne by Jean-Georges Béraud, 1900
Le Chalet du Cycle au Bois de Boulogne by Jean-Georges Béraud, 1900
A Rally by Sir John Lavery, R.A., 1885
A Rally by Sir John Lavery, R.A., 1885

Although introduced much earlier, the riding habit became more practical, with a much simpler, more formal appearance.

Void of embellishments, it was made of tough woolen fabric in a single dark colour and worn with matching hat and veil.

1890 Three-piece Riding Habit. Wool twill, full finish
1890 Three-piece Riding Habit. Wool twill, full finish
The Ride by Pierre Auguste Renoir
The Ride by Pierre Auguste Renoir

Crucial to a respectable appearance were hats and gloves—to be seen bareheaded was simply improper.

1899 Millinery Print. France
1899 Millinery Print. France

Dozens of fanciful designs provided women with almost endless choice.

Fashion plate showing three bust portraits of Jane Harding, Baronne de Carlsberg, and Suzanne, actresses at the Gymnase theater, Paris, wearing hats designed by Madame Carlier
Fashion plate showing three bust portraits of Jane Harding, Baronne de Carlsberg, and Suzanne, actresses at the Gymnase theater, Paris, wearing hats designed by Madame Carlier

Women who wanted a more modest appearance often preferred bonnets but they became associated with a matronly appearance.

The Summer Bonnet by Pierre Carrier-Belleuse, 1893
The Summer Bonnet by Pierre Carrier-Belleuse, 1893
1892 Evening bonnet. American. Silk, cotton, jet, feather. metmuseum
1892 Evening bonnet. American. Silk, cotton, jet, feather. metmuseum
Broadway stage performer and singer, Anna Held

Straw hats were essential summer wear for outdoor activities like croquet.

1890 Hat. American. Leghorn straw, silk chiffon
1890 Hat. American. Leghorn straw, silk chiffon
The Croquet Party by Sir John Lavery, R.A., 1890
The Croquet Party by Sir John Lavery, R.A., 1890

The widening of hats towards the end of the 19th century hinted at the enormous hats that were to follow during the Edwardian era.

A Portrait of a Lady in a Black Hat with a Bouquet of Flowers in her Arms by Edouard Bisson, 1895
A Portrait of a Lady in a Black Hat with a Bouquet of Flowers in her Arms by Edouard Bisson, 1895

The late 1890s returned to the tighter sleeves often with small puffs or ruffles capping the shoulder but fitted to the wrist.

1897 Two-piece dress. House of Rouff. Silk twill and silk cut velvet on twill foundation
1897 Two-piece dress. House of Rouff. Silk twill and silk cut velvet on twill foundation

Indispensable accessories for the Victorian lady, parasols of the late Victorian era were exuberant and lace-covered with extremely fine handle detail.

Here, the bright colours indicative of the French touch on the left contrast with the black parasol for mourning.

1895 - 1900 parasols. Silk, wood, metal, tortoiseshell.metmuseum
1895 – 1900 parasols. Silk, wood, metal, tortoiseshell.metmuseum

From the 1870s to the twentieth century, women’s shoes changed to include higher heels and more pointed toes.

Low-cut pumps were worn for the evening.

Ankle-length laced or buttoned boots were also popular.

Woman's Bar Shoes, 1898
Woman’s Bar Shoes, 1898
1894. Evening slippers. American. Silk
1894. Evening slippers. American. Silk
1890 Eveing boots. French. Silk, metla. metmuseum
1890 Evening boots. French. Silk, metal. metmuseum
1892 Pair of Woman’s Bar Shoes (Wedding). Suede, sueded leather, silk gauze, silk satin
1895 Women's Wedding Boots. Kid leather with sueded leather and pearls
1895 Women’s Wedding Boots. Kid leather with sueded leather and pearls

Those of the upper class who were invited to attend the royal courts of Europe would wear something altogether more extravagant and reminiscent of the 18th century.

As the wife of Washington Augustus Roebling, the chief engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City, Emily Warren Roebling ran the day-to-day supervision of the project for a period of fourteen years after husband became ill.

She wore this gown for her formal presentation to Queen Victoria in 1896.

1896 Court Presentation Ensemble. American. Silk, metal, cotton, leather
1896 Court Presentation Ensemble. American. Silk, metal, cotton, leather

Presentation at court was a special event for American women of Roebling’s social status and court protocol dictated the attire.

Lavishly embroidered, the sumptuous textiles and long train are characteristics of a formal gown appropriate for the occasion.

Originally intended to be worn at home for afternoon tea with family and friends, by the late 1900s, tea gowns were worn through the evening for dinner and other events.

Although just as elegant as formal wear, tea gowns were worn without corsets or assistance from a maid.

Comfortable and relaxing, they would be harbingers of things to come.

1900 Tea gown. French. House of Worth. metmuseum
1900 Tea gown. French. House of Worth. metmuseum

By the close of the Victorian era, women were liberated from tight-laced corsets, restrictive layers of crinolined or bustled fabric, and society’s expectation of a woman’s role.

1891 Corset. French. Silk. metmuseum
1891 Corset. French. Silk. metmuseum

There was a new woman in town and she was more confident, self-assured, and ready to meet her true potential than ever before.

No longer were women seen as either “fragile” or “voluptuous” as portrayed in earlier decades, but athletic, emancipated, and ready to enter the workforce.

Gibson Girls in beach attire by Charles Dana Gibson, 1898
Gibson Girls in beach attire by Charles Dana Gibson, 1898

She was the Gibson Girl, and she would fight for the right to vote in the 20th century.

The 17th-Century Hampton Court Beauties

Depicting the most glamorous ladies from the court of King William III and Queen Mary II, the Hampton Court Beauties are a series of portraits by Sir Godfrey Kneller, commissioned by the Queen herself.

They adorn the state rooms of King William III at Hampton Court Palace.

… the principal Ladies attending upon her Majesty, or who were frequently in her retinue; and this was the more beautiful sight, because the originals were all in being, and often to be compar’d with their pictures.Daniel Defoe

Queen Mary II was a fashion trendsetter and a collector of fine china, particularly blue and white porcelain. Her household account book of 1694 lists 31 mantuas and gowns, taffeta, velvet and satin fabrics, satin shoes with gold and silver lace, gloves, furs, fringes, ribbons, and fans.

Queen Mary II by William Wissing
Queen Mary II by William Wissing

The late 17th century was a decadent, sensual era when great beauty could be an instrument of ambition, a passage to pleasure, and a ride to riches.

Handsome rewards lay ahead for royal mistresses like Nell Gwyn, the long-time mistress of King Charles II of England and Scotland. Her son by the King was made the Duke of St Albans and married into the established aristocracy.

Capturing beauty in portraiture became a preoccupation of portrait artists who developed their own techniques to heighten natural beauty. Dutch artist William Wissing had a particular way of bringing a fashionable blush to a lady’s cheeks. He would take her by the hand and dance her about the room until the exercise gave the desired complexion.

Vote for your favorite beauty from the court of Queen Mary.

References
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Wikipedia.org
The Royal Collection
A Tour Through the Whole Island of Great Britain by Daniel Defoe
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40 Fine Art Paintings by Émile Vernon

Émile Vernon (1872-1919) was a French fine arts painter.

Studying at the School of Fine Arts Tours in the Loire Valley, France, he won his first design award in 1888.

Encouraged by this success, he moved to Paris to train under William Bouguereau and Auguste Trouphème in the School of Fine Arts.

Specializing in watercolors, Vernon loved to paint women and children using bright colors in cheerful rural and bucolic settings.

Spring by Emile Vernon, 1913
Spring by Emile Vernon, 1913
Beauty with Flowers Emile Vernon, c. 1910
Beauty with Flowers Emile Vernon, c. 1910
Breton Children Reading Emile Vernon c, 1913
Breton Children Reading Emile Vernon c, 1913
Best of Friends Emile Vernon - 1917
Best of Friends Emile Vernon – 1917
Waiting for the Vet by Emile Vernon - 1919
Waiting for the Vet by Emile Vernon – 1919
Click to continue with more beautiful paintings from Émile Vernon…
Under the Cherry Tree by Emile Vernon - 1899
Under the Cherry Tree by Emile Vernon – 1899
Three Sisters by Emile Vernon - 1912
Three Sisters by Emile Vernon – 1912
Three Graces by Emile Vernonm, Date unknown
Three Graces by Emile Vernonm, Date unknown
The Three Graces by Emile Vernon - Date unknown
The Three Graces by Emile Vernon – Date unknown
A Sweet Glance by Emile Vernon - Date unknown
A Sweet Glance by Emile Vernon – Date unknown
A Summer Rose by Emile Vernon - 1913
A Summer Rose by Emile Vernon – 1913
Summer by Emile Vernon - Date unknown
Summer by Emile Vernon – Date unknown
Roses by Emile Vernon - 1908
Roses by Emile Vernon – 1908
The Rose Girl by Emile Vernon - Date unknown
The Rose Girl by Emile Vernon – Date unknown
Pretty In Pink by Emile Vernon - 1909
Pretty In Pink by Emile Vernon – 1909
Portrait of a Woman by Emile Vernon - Date unknown
Portrait of a Woman by Emile Vernon – Date unknown
Portrait of a Lady by Emile Vernon - Date unknown
Portrait of a Lady by Emile Vernon – Date unknown
Portrait of a Girl by Emile Vernon - Date unknown
Portrait of a Girl by Emile Vernon – Date unknown
New Friends by Emile Vernon, 1917
New Friends by Emile Vernon, 1917
The Little Kittens by Emile Vernon, 1919
The Little Kittens by Emile Vernon, 1919
Her most precious by Emile Vernon - 1919
Her most precious by Emile Vernon – 1919
Girl with Cherry by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
Girl with Cherry by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
Girls by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
Girls by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
Girl Holding a Nest by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
Girl Holding a Nest by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
Girl by the Lemon Tree by Emile Vernon, 1913
Girl by the Lemon Tree by Emile Vernon, 1913
The Flower Garden by Emile Vernon, 1915
The Flower Garden by Emile Vernon, 1915
The Fancy Bonnet by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
The Fancy Bonnet by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
An Elegant Lady With A Yellow Rose by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
An Elegant Lady With A Yellow Rose by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
Elegant Lady with a Bouquet of Roses by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
Elegant Lady with a Bouquet of Roses by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
Young Girl with Anemones by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
Young Girl with Anemones by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
Young Girl with a Rose by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
Young Girl with a Rose by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
A young lady with a mirror by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
A young lady with a mirror by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
Elegant Lady with a Bouquet of Roses by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
Elegant Lady with a Bouquet of Roses by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
Elegant Lady by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
Elegant Lady by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
Country Summer by Emile Vernon - Date unknown
Country Summer by Emile Vernon – Date unknown
The Cherry Bonnet by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
The Cherry Bonnet by Emile Vernon, Date unknown
Cherry Blossom by Emile Vernon, 1916
Cherry Blossom by Emile Vernon, 1916
The Mischievous Puppy by Emile Vernon, 1915
The Mischievous Puppy by Emile Vernon, 1915
Young Woman with a Dragonfly by Emile Vernon - Date unknown
Young Woman with a Dragonfly by Emile Vernon – Date unknown
The Pink Rose by Emile Vernon - Date unknown
The Pink Rose by Emile Vernon – Date unknown

20 Elegant Modern Women—the 19th-Century Paintings of Alfred Stevens

Alfred Stevens was one of Belgium’s leading 19th-century artists who specialized in paintings of fashionable young women in elegant interiors.

Read more …

As a young boy, Alfred Stevens (1823 – 1906) was surrounded by art: his father was an art collector and his grandparents ran a cafe in Brussels that was a meeting place for artists and writers.

At age 14, he studied at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, and at 20 was admitted to the most prestigious art school in Paris—the École des Beaux-Arts.

By  1851, at the age of 28, three of his paintings were admitted to the Brussels Salon, the most exclusive art exhibition in Belgium. Two years later, he was awarded a medal at the Paris Salon—the most important art event in the world.

It was here, in Paris, that he would find fame and fortune painting elegant modern women.

Here are 20 exquisite paintings from Alfred Steven’s repertoire that show his meticulous attention to contemporary dress and decor.

Departing for the Promenade, by Alfred-Émile-Léopold Stevens, 1859
Departing for the Promenade, by Alfred-Émile-Léopold Stevens, 1859
La Parisienne Japonaise by Alfred Stevens, 1871
La Parisienne Japonaise by Alfred Stevens, 1871
Lady at a Window Feeding Birds by Alfred Stevens, 1859
Lady at a Window Feeding Birds by Alfred Stevens, 1859
Pleasant Letter by Alfred Stevens, 1860
Pleasant Letter by Alfred Stevens, 1860
The Lady in Pink by Alfred Stevens, 1867
The Lady in Pink by Alfred Stevens, 1867
In the Studio by Alfred Stevens, 1888
In the Studio by Alfred Stevens, 1888
The Japanese Mask by Alfred Stevens, 1877
The Japanese Mask by Alfred Stevens, 1877
In the Country by Alfred Stevens, 1823-1906
In the Country by Alfred Stevens, 1823-1906
After the Ball by Alfred Stevens, 1873
After the Ball by Alfred Stevens, 1873
Autumn Flowers by Alfred Stevens, 1866
Autumn Flowers by Alfred Stevens, 1866
News from Afar by Alfred Stevens, 1865
News from Afar by Alfred Stevens, 1865
The Letter by Alfred Stevens, 1823-1906
The Letter by Alfred Stevens, 1823-1906
At Home by Alfred Stevens, 1823-1906
At Home by Alfred Stevens, 1823-1906
The Happy Mother by Alfred Stevens, 1823-1906
The Happy Mother by Alfred Stevens, 1823-1906
Déjà by Alfred Stevens, 1863
Déjà by Alfred Stevens, 1863
Pensive Woman Near a Window by Alfred Stevens, 1823-1906
Pensive Woman Near a Window by Alfred Stevens, 1823-1906
La Parisienne by Alfred Stevens, 1879
La Parisienne, 1879 by Alfred Stevens, 1879
Portrait of Baroness du Mesnil Saint-Front by Alfred Stevens, 1886
Portrait of Baroness du Mesnil Saint-Front by Alfred Stevens, 1886
Mother and Children by Alfred Stevens, 1882
Mother and Children by Alfred Stevens, 1882
The Blue Ribbon by Alfred Stevens, 1823-1906 Credit Giacasso
The Blue Ribbon by Alfred Stevens, 1823-1906 Credit Giacasso