We recently made one of our Teens Era A-line skirts from our medium weight salmon woven cotton for a client who will be wearing it for both historical wear and every day wear.
Wearing historical fashion every day is not a new phenomenon but it is a trend gaining momentum thanks to the recent social media branding buzzword “history bounding.”
We also made this lovely custom designed period appropriate organdy petticoat to wear underneath. So pretty and feminine!
Our WWI Era skirt and petticoat are officially shop cat approved!
Hello all you lovelies! Over the years I have fielded many questions about our cotton prints and thought it might be worth doing a little blog post about. So here’s all the details you may (or may not) want to know!
Our reproduction cotton prints are made from high quality, high thread count, extra smooth finish woven cotton overprinted with patterned prints replicated from textiles found in museum collections such as Old Sturbridge Village, Colonial Williamsburg, The American Textile History Museum, The Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, The V&A, and many more.
All the woven cotton fabrics used in our reproduction prints have a thread count between 136-184 threads per inch. They are made with long staple cotton- meaning the cotton fibers spun into the threads used for weaving are longer, stronger and more durable. They are also less prone to shrinkage and have a softer hand.
Our block prints, voiles, lawns, batistes, and Swiss have even higher thread counts typically ranging between 150-200 threads per inch. Their long staple fibers are spun into extra fine threads resulting in a tightly woven, semi sheer, highly durable fabric.
Our buckram and organdy fabrics are made from short staple cotton fibers woven at around 96 threads per square inch. Shorter staple fibers make woven fabrics feel less soft and often have visible differentiations in thread thickness.
Without getting technical, the more cotton threads per square inch coupled with the longer staple fibers means a fabric that appears densely woven but varies in actual weight and transparency depending upon the thickness of the threads. Tight weaves coupled with ultra fine threads often result in a “thinner” fabric that can feel “silky” with a delicate drape.
Here’s a simplified breakdown:
High thread count + thick threads= heavy feeling fabric
High thread count + fine threads= light feeling fabric
High thread count + extra find threads= semi sheer super lightweight feeling fabric. (High thread count + extra fine threads tend to be more difficult to sew and require a specialized needle.)
Low thread count + thick threads= lots of drape and stretch; can feel heavy
Low thread count cotton fabrics are often considered poorer quality but they do have their purposes. A nice example of a low thread count, thin thread fabric is cheese cloth. Cheese cloth has shorter staple fibers and a count of around 40 threads per square inch.
Of late there has been much buzz about using bed sheets and duvet covers for historical clothing garment making. Looking for cotton fabrics consisting of high thread counts, long staple fibers, and finely spun threads will ensure a quality finished garment.
Ikea duvet covers as dresses? Maybe.
While all the cotton prints we offer are of high thread count, thread thicknesses vary from print to print. However, the difference in thread thickness is typically so slight, it takes a skilled hand to even recognize the variance. Some of our prints appear more opaque than others. Some feel “lighter” in weight. But they are all categorized as top quality woven cotton fabrics. Our dyes are colorfast and rarely run or bleed.
Many of the garments made from our fabrics are still going strong nearly decade after they were first made! Now that’s what I call quality fabric!
You can find our current collection of high quality reproduction cotton prints in our catalog!
May 2019 marked Queen Victoria’s 200th birthday and we celebrated in grand style! Let’s look back at our Victorian Inspired Tea held in the historic town of South Pittsburg, Tennessee.
Portrait of Queen Victoria in her Wedding Gown by F. Winterhalter.
Born May 24, 1819, Queen Victoria inherited the throne at the youthful age of 18. Under Victoria’s rule (1837-1901), Great Britain and The United Kingdom enjoyed relative peace and stability. Queen Victoria was one of the first female monarchs to have children while in the palace and thus became one of history’s first “working mothers.”
Queen Victoria ruled the United Kingdom until her death in 1901. In fact, until she was surpassed by her contemporary Queen Elizabeth in 2015, Queen Victoria was the longest reigning English monarch in history!
Queen Victoria and her people enjoyed the rise of leisure-time activities. Perhaps the most well noted of these was “tea time.” And since a 200th birthday only comes around once, we here at Maggie May Clothing decided to throw a party in grand style! And we also decided to donate all proceeds from our event to 2 local charities!
Here’s a look back at our Tea fit for a Queen.
Queen Victoria’s 200th birthday Tea party!
I knew when I began planning this event, I wanted it to be as an authentic experience as possible. I spent a great deal of time researching the type of foods that would have been served during the Victorian era and the different types of English teas. I even enlisted the help of Nottingham native (now local resident) Freda Stevenson as co-hostess to make sure everything was up to British standards!
Together, we decided an Afternoon tea menu would be best suited to our event. I sorted through period recipe books and accounting ledgers and came up with this authentic Victorian Era afternoon tea menu.
Anna, who was too hungry to wait for dinner (which, in 19th century, used to be served as late as 9:30pm…) requested a little bit of bread with butter, biscuits and cakes, to enjoy with a customary cup of Darjeeling tea. She invited her friends to the dressing room, and when The Queen learnt of this activity, she instantly loved the idea. Victoria herself enjoyed having light cake with buttercream and fresh raspberries – later known as Victoria Sponge Cake – to accompany her precious spot of tea. The tradition of Afternoon Tea was born.” (Clelia Cane, The royal tradition of Afternoon Tea: From Queen Victoria to Elizabeth II; royalcentral.co.uk)
This intimate meal amongst friends is a tradition that has carried on. In America, tea time enjoyed popularity amongst the upper class beginning in the 1860s. It hit its peak at the turn of the century but was severely curtailed by the outbreak of WWI- when tea was scarce but coffee was plentiful. After the war, Afternoon Tea in America was limited to hotels, high end restaurants, and a handful of tea houses.
Queen Victoria adored fine foods! It is documented her favorite fruit was pineapple and noted she always had a fresh supply growing in the palace hot houses. Like the Victorian palace cooks, I too made sure everything served was locally sourced and fresh from the greenhouse!
Queen Victoria’s 200th Birthday Tea tablescape.
I knew the tea itself was going to be the shining star of the event and was delighted when I found an original Victorian era tea by Murchies (a century old tea merchant in Canada) who offers an original 1890s blend entitled “Queen Victoria.” It was truly the keystone of our event!
Next, I knew we needed just the right location. In order to ensure an authentic experience, we needed a historic venue. And I found the perfect site just down the road in South Pittsburg, Tennessee.
Fully restored American Legion Hall in South Pittsburg, TN.
Built in 1925, The American Legion Hall in South Pittsburg, Tennessee was purchased from Sears Buildings of Chattanooga and is in the Egyptian style. The Hall has served as a schoolhouse, the first library, and a community center for the town of South Pittsburg. The Hall was fully restored in 2017 and still showcases all its original 1920s era woodwork. The South Pittsburg American Legion Hall is on the National Register of Historic Places.
There is an interesting connection between Queen Victoria and South Pittsburg, Tennessee. The town was originally established by English investors in 1876 in hopes that pockets of coal and iron in the surrounding mountains would make the town “The next Pittsburg of the South.” However, this planned community did not take off as anticipated and was sold in 1886 to a Nashville banker. With his intelligent marketing and adept planning, the town of South Pittsburg attracted many new industrialists including a man by the name of Joseph Lodge from Pennsylvania. (The founder of Lodge cast iron).
Restored interior of South Pittsburg’s Legion Hall.
With the menu set and the location reserved, it was time to work out all the “little details.” Ms. Freda, a skilled Nottingham lace maker, began gathering up antique and original pieces from her collection. We put them on display for guests to enjoy!
I decided it would be fun to make a replica of Queen Victoria’s wedding gown- to scale and with materials as closely resembling the original as possible. According to my research, Queen Victoria was less than 5 feet tall and had approximately a 27″ waist in 1840. The replica of her wedding gown was displayed on a child’s dress form that was padded out in the upper torso.
Replica of Queen Victoria’s wedding gown to scale!
We sold tickets via Eventbrite and spread the word via facebook. Queen Victoria’s Birthday tea was an open event and once ticketing went live, we held our breath in hopes someone might want to come! Here’s a peek at our event promo:
Drawing from Her Majesty’s memoirs, notes, and historical records, we will replicate an authentic Afternoon Tea as it might have been during Queen Victoria’s time. We will have a variety of yummy finger sandwiches, scrumptious scones, delicate cakes (it is a birthday party after all), good fun, and of course lots and lots of tea!
Attendees are welcome to come in “Victorian” fashion or modern attire- whichever suits your fancy!
Children over the age of 5 are welcome! (It might be a little too much fanciness for the little ones).
We will have a display of English finery (hint- It has to do with the royal wedding!)
With its English heritage as the foundation of the city, the quaint little town of South Pittsburg is the ideal location to host our Victorian Era English Tea. Neatly laid out streets with beautiful turn of the century homes sit tucked just below the Cumberland mountains. With easy access from the interstate, South Pittsburg is just 90 minutes from both Nashville and Huntsville; 40 minutes from Chattanooga; and little over 2 hours from Knoxville. Please note this event is located in the CENTRAL TIME zone.
And we waited.
And waited.
And then we sold our first ticket! And we were super excited!
And then we sold five more tickets!
And 10 more tickets!
And then a ladies group found out about the event and we sold a whopping 30 more tickets!!!
While we had “hoped for” and only planned for approximately 30 guests, by early April, we had already sold 40+ tickets and needed to increase our seating capacity! In the end, we had 56 ladies attend Queen Victoria’s 200th Birthday Tea and somehow, someway….. it came off as a smashing success!
The Ladies enjoying Afternoon Tea.
Never too young for Tea!
Dressed to impress!
Happy 200th Birthday Queen Victoria! Until next time!
In loving memory of Mrs. Freda Stevenson, our beloved Nottingham Lace Maker.
For centuries, the art of turning fiber into yarn has been a tradition passed down from generation to generation. Not until the 19th century was it considered a form of art. Prior, it was a necessary skill one needed to make clothing. Traditionally considered woman’s work, the art of spinning fiber is indeed an art form and one that should be appreciated for its required skill.
On a sunny Saturday in late winter, Fall Creek Falls State Park (est. 1944) out on the Cumberland Plateau hosted the first of what is to be a series of heritage craft workshops at the park’s Nature Center. Kicking off the series was a beginning wool spinning class with 50 year spinning guru Sherry Watkins of Frostglen Farms.
Sherry, who happens to have been an international physicists in her former life (I know right!), along with her husband Bill, are the proud stewards of a herd of 80 alpacas on their 27 acre farm in Loudon, Tennessee. Sherry has been a shepherdess for nearly 30 years and fiber artist for nearly half a century!
The brilliant Sherry showing us how to ply yarn
Sherry and her husband Bill (also a physicist by the way) are long time demonstrators at the park’s Mountaineer Folk Festival (which began in 1978!) The Folk Art Project is the brainchild of park ranger Matt, who after meeting Sherry and Bill at the festival in 2019, took an interest in learning to spin. The two struck up a conversation and the rest is history.
I arrived at the Nature Center and was welcomed by the very friendly Ranger Matt and Sherry, and was offered up some simmering hot cocoa with fresh whipped cream. Sherry made a batch of homemade oatmeal cookies and there was also an assortment of herbal teas.
At 9:00am, three other ladies and myself sat down to our wheels and Sherry taught us all the parts of the wheel. The Maiden, the Whorl, the Fly, the Mother of All…. these where all names that rolled off the tongue and set in the mind images of flying things, imaginary contraptions, and fantastical intrigue.
The ladybug wheel. Looks a bit like one, don’t you think?
And then we peddled. And peddled. And chatted. And peddled some more. This is when Sherry in the midst of chatting about alpacas casually interjected she had an advanced degree in theoretical physics and was the only female physicist to graduate that year from UT Knoxville. I almost choked on my hot cocoa.
It was then that the ladies around me began offering up their experiences. Being the firsts in their field. Experiences with inequality in pay. About accomplishments being dismissed because of gender. Being offered positions far below their talents and skills. About having to train men who ultimately advanced beyond them. All this while peddling a spinning wheel- or doing something which is still to this day considered “woman’s work.”
We peddled for A LONG TIME. And I know why. Right before lunch, it was time to try our hand at spinning fiber. After a quick demonstration, Sherry handed us a lovely ball of fluff and set us off to our business. And this is when it got complicated. And when I say complicated… I mean REALLY CRAZY DIFFICULT!
Essentially spinning fiber into yarn is a very simple concept. You take clean fiber that had been arranged in the same direction and twist it together. Sounds simple right? Ha! Ha! No.
Cleaned and picked alpaca wool ready be run through the drum carder to align the fibers for spinning
In order to spin fiber into yarn (or thread), one must operate the spinning wheel with your feet. In our case, we were using double treadle machines so it was like peddling a bike. After creating a leader, we began feeding our line with supply with one hand while the other hand held tension on the strands of fiber rapidly disappearing into the orifice hole while the wheel turned, and I peddled, and the fiber twisted into yarn. Or in my case, into teeny, tiny, little knots.
I made lots of knots. And tiny threads. And lumps of untwisted fiber. And blobs. And curls. Everything BUT yarn. I resisted the urge to say bad words because there were visitors moving in and out of the visitors center observing. And it is not polite to use such kind of language amongst ladies. But it was HARD and my brain declared this was the Mother of All multitasking and was so relived when it heard Sherry say, “Let’s go to lunch!”
And so we did.
My “parked” yarn.
Ranger Matt came with us to the lunch bar at the village but he kept his polite distance. During the morning workshop, he set up his wheel adjacent to us but further into the visitors center. At lunch, he also kept his respectful distance and I wondered if it was because he was “working” or if he was following the age old Southern cultural tradition of not interjecting oneself into a group of womenfolk.
Ultimately, as all Southerns do, the ladies discovered over lunch they had common acquaintances. This is a peculiarity to the South- everyone knows someone who knows someone we know. Therefore, we are all connected and have a common thread. This is most prominent in small towns as also it establishes where one stands in the social hierarchy. And of course, there is always talk of “the world today,” sharing experiences, and wisdom for the future.
Park resident.
View from the Visitor Center window!
After lunch, it was full on spinning for the rest of the day as we were set with the task of making yarn. Feeling refreshed after a break and connected with my fellow novice spinners, I determined under no circumstances was I going to give up on learning to spin wool! Thus, I set my mind to making it happen. NO. MATTER. WHAT!
SEVEN HOURS LATER I had a finished product. Or at least what I declared finished. I set a goal of spinning my entire batch of fluff but by 5:00pm conceded that 85% spun would suffice. Sherry held it up in front of me as a proud grandmother would show off images of her grandchildren, excitedly announcing “You have yarn!” It felt like a real accomplishment.
My yarn is nothing close to ideal. Even after lunch and the remaining hours of practice, my yarn still had knots and tiny threads. It had lumps of untwisted fiber. And blobs. And curls. I would not say it got easier, but I will say it did get more familiar.
To me, the best part is the yarn has the demarcation of time. It is symbolic of experience and is a reminder of what it feels like to learn something completely new. The earliest yarn is thin and tight and curled and knotted. The after lunch yarn is thick but relatively uniform. The late afternoon yarn is lofty and significantly less twisted. And the end of my yarn is exactly as was in the beginning- a loosely hand rolled strand of fiber just waiting to be picked up once again.
Afterthought: Ranger Matt did come and join us toward the end of the day. His spinning in the lobby of the Nature Center allowed him to interpret this age old heritage craft for visitors so we could focus on nothing but learning. Sherry is not only a spinning guru (and all around fascinating person) but the ideal teacher for this craft as she is patient, encouraging, and empowering. It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to learn from her in one of the most beautiful natural settings in Mid-Eastern Tennessee. And I am honored to have had the opportunity to hear the stories of the ladies who took the class with me.
It was a lovely winter’s day on the plateau!
For more information about the Mountaineer Folk Art Project or the Mountaineer Folk Festival, please visit the Friends of Fall Creek Fall’s Facebook page. To learn more about Sherry and Bill Watkins and all their critters, please visit their farm website. To learn more about Fall Creek Falls State Park, check out their facebook page.
And finally, for more about the history of turning fiber to yarn, check out this fascinating article from the Library of Congress.
CalicoBall is a grassroots effort to document, preserve, and present rural America’s diverse historical traditions. CalicoBall is an educational extension of Maggie May Clothing. All rights reserved.
Queen Victoria ruled England and Ireland until her death in 1901- making the Victorian Era one of the longest in history. For the purpose of these pages, the Victorian Era will be broken into a series of periods- The Crinoline (1850-1869), First and Second Bustle (1870-1890), and Turn of the Century (1890-1900).
The end of the 19th century, also known as the Fin de Siecle and The Gilded Age, brought forth a time of great economic prosperity juxtaposed with an overwhelming sense of social uneasiness across America. Although the American Civil War in the 1860s was successful in ending slavery and solidifying the philosophy of “one indivisible union,” it also spurred the notion that social institutions should be carefully scrutinized and reformed if necessary.
Political Cartoon. Puck. c. 1880-1900.
During the 1870s and 1880s, exponential economic growth created American millionaires like the Vanderbilts, the Carnegies, and the Rockefellers. However by the late 1890s, the economic boom of these decades quickly went bust and the nation fell into recession. From 1893-1897, many middle and working class men lost their jobs and their life savings. Families were turned out of their homes. By the beginning of the new century, the disparity gap between the wealthy and the poor had widened.
Edith Dressler (soon to be wife of George Vanderbilt) represents the wealthiest class of America’s Gilded Age. c. 1898. The Biltmore Estate.
With the industrial boom of the 1870s, women began entering the workforce as factory laborers, mill workers, nurses, educators, and domestic servants. By 1890, over 5 million women were employed outside the home. The number of children working in textile mills rose 160% during this period and made up over one-third of the mills’ labor force.
Workers at the Newton (North Carolina) Cotton Mill by Lewis Hine. c. 1908. Library of Congress.
The loss of employment, the exploitation of child labor, unfair wages, poor working conditions, and the increasing tension between freed blacks and new immigrants led to outspoken cries for reform. During the 1890s, the Women’s Suffrage Movement began. The League for the Protection of the Family called for compulsory education for children in an effort to end child labor. Social workers published reports about the income, living conditions, and health of the nation’s poor. And political activists like Booker T. Washington argued equality for Americans of color.
Booker T. Washington c. 1905.
The new industrialized lifestyle of the second half of the 19th century gave rise to the ready- made garment industry. This was a factory based system that mass produced articles of clothing in “standardized” sizing. However, standardization was only relative to each particular company or brand and thus wide variations in standard clothing measurements was common.
In 1862, the first department store opened in New York City offering ready- made clothing such as corsets, shoes, millinery, and outerwear. In addition, it offered a full range of home supplies, toys, and fine imported china.
Windows of Marshall Field Department Store, c. 1909. Chicago History Museum.
Immigrants hemming trousers for department stores in NYC. c. 1900. Museum of the City of New York.
In 1872, Montgomery Ward sent its first catalog to farmers in rural parts of the nation- offering a variety of ready made items for purchase through mail-order. These mail order catalogs allowed customers in rural areas to “shop” the urban department stores via catalog. Customers filled out order forms, sent payments by money grams, and received their merchandise through the US Postal service. It was not long before the mail order industry flourished. In 1893 Sears, Roebuck, and Co. published their first mail order catalog.
E. Butterick and Co. (now known as simply Butterick) was the first to offer commercially produced patterns for the home seamstress. These were sold in shops and via mail order. By the Fin de Siecle, Butterick and Co. was the largest publisher of garment making patterns and print material in the United States.
The Delineator ladies magazine was published by E. Butterick & Co. until 1937.
In 1890, Charles Dana Gibson revolutionized the American fashion world with his illustrations of a fictional female heroine lovingly referred to as The Gibson Girl. The Gibson Girl embodied the new feminine ideal. The American lady of the fin de siecle was stately, beautiful, and alluring. She was clever, creative, curious, athletic, and confident but lived within the parameters of the “feminine world” (unlike the 1890s era Suffragettes who wanted the same rights as men and were therefore deemed quite radical).
The Gibson Girl by Charles Dana Gibson. c. 1890-1910.
The rise of the “new woman” in America coincided with the decline of Queen Victoria’s Anglo-cultural influence. With failing health and widespread changes in societal values, by the turn of the century, Victorian principles were falling out of favor. Queen Victoria’s death in 1901 ended the reign of one of the United Kingdom’s longest ruling monarch. (In September 2015, Queen Elizabeth II surpassed Queen Victoria as Britain’s longest ruling monarch).
Women’s Clothing:
As more women entered the workforce, their wardrobes had to be adapted to the changing roles outside the home. Gone were the elaborate gowns with sweeping trains and gathered over-skirts. The former bustle of the 1870s and 1880s morphed into a nonintrusive skirt pad and the overall silhouette simplified. Interchangeable bodices and skirts became popular.
“The Scott” skirt improver. c. 1890s. FIDM.
The overall silhouette of this period was what we call “hour-glass“- wide at the shoulder, narrow at the waist, and wide again at the hips. This silhouette was achieved by wearing a tightly laced, heavily boned, mass produced corset that was preshaped into the hour-glass form. (This tight lacing sparked a reform movement by medical professionals and others concerned with the health effects of tightly fitted corsets). Some corsets ended just below the bust and were worn with a bust bodice to support the bosom. False bosoms or bust improvers were also worn to help create the illusion of a fuller torso.
Corset Advertisement. c. 1890s. Public Domain.
Drawers, chemises, combinations, and petticoats continued to be worn and were often trimmed with intricate machine made tucks and lace details.
Woman’s Bust Improver c. 1900. LACMA.
Late 19th century Reformist propaganda illustrations were used to promote the “ill effects” of the tightly fitted corsets. There is currently no scientific evidence that corsets worn during this period created permanent body damage. However, tight laced corsetry continues to be debated today.
Reformist illustration demonstrating the “ill effects” of tightly laced corsets. c. 1890s. Public Domain.
Bodices were highly tailored and were made with supportive interior under- bodices. In the 1890s, extremely wide, leg-o-mutton sleeves (a revision of the Gigot and Demi-Gigot sleeves from the Romantic Era) were fashionable. Leg-o-Mutton sleeves puffed up and out at the shoulder and narrowed at the wrist- much resembling a leg of a lamb. Yokes, ruffles, and a variety of trims accented the breadth of the shoulders. Bodices typically ended at the natural waistline or had small basque waists. Some were tightly fitted and others were loosely gathered. Necklines varied from high to open and might include some type of lace or ruffle.
House of Worth Gown with Leg-o-Mutton sleeves. c. 1890. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Skirts fit smoothly over the hips and flared out into a bell shape at the hem. The weight of the skirt shifted toward the back. Hemlines ended just a few inches above the floor or at the ankle.
Wool/Silk blend gown. c late 1890s. The John Bright Collection.
Gowns for evening followed the silhouette of day wear. Evening bodices had square, rounded, or v-shaped necklines and sleeves typically ended above the elbow. Toward the end of the decade, sleeves with small puffs just at the shoulder line were popular. Skirts were floor length and were the only dresses to still have a train.
Evening gown of silk and metal. c. 1898-1900. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Hats were worn outdoors and were often elaborately decorated. Taxidermied birds, feathers, and silk flowers were popular millinery trims. Plain straw boaters and other hats with brims were popular. While bonnets were still worn during this period, the hat was all the rage.
Photograph of a fashionable lady in her elaborately trimmed hat. c. 1890-1900.
Children’s Clothing:
While there is documentation to suggest that premade children’s attire existed as early as 17th century Europe, it was not until the 19th century industrial age (or the age of mass production) that ready made children’s garments were available to all social classes. Before the 1860s, ready made children’s clothing was only purchased by the upper class. Tailors and “little dressmakers” visited the home of the wealthy, taking measurements and fitting garments to each child. However, by the end of the 19th century, fashion called for loosely fitted dresses and less tailored suits- allowing for a “one size fits all” industry.
Children in fashionable dress. c. 1890s. Pinterest.
By 1890, the age of breeching for boys (the age when boy’s moved from dresses to knickers) dropped from five years to three years. This period saw a great military influence on boy’s clothing. Sailor suits, middies, and the reefer coat (a type of coat with a wide sailor collar and nautical braid) was popular for both boy’s and girls alike.
Boy’s in his reefer coat c. 1900. Pinterest.
Little boy in his middies. c. 1890-1900. Pinterest.
The brownie suit, now known as overalls, became popular for play and leisure activities. Knit-wear became popular for boy’s outer garments and included sweaters with high necks (now called the turtle-necks), pull- over sweaters, and button up sweaters (now known as cardigans).
Boy’s Brownie Suit with matching jacket. c. 1860-1890. Augusta Auctions.
Prior to the age of three, both boys and girls wore high waisted dresses- often trimmed with lace and ribbons. After the age of four, girl’s dresses followed the silhouette of the period (with large leg-o-mutton sleeves early in the decade but slowly deflating by the end of the decade). Waistlines typically ended at the natural waistline or just below. Nautical themes were extremely popular for girl’s dresses and included the sailor dress, dresses with sailor collars, and dresses trimmed with braid. For Sundays and other semi formal occasions, crisp white dresses were fashion dictatum.
Girl’s Dress c. 1890s. The Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Girl’s Dress c.1892. The Henry Ford Collection.
Girls also wore Turkish trousers (still called rationals in England)- or wide legged trousers gathered into a cuff at the knee. These trousers were worn for activities like cycling, gymnastics, tennis, and leisure activities.
Advertisement for Girl’s Gymnastics Costume. c. 1900. New York Public Library.
Queen Victoria ruled England and Ireland until her death in 1901- making the Victorian Era one of the longest in history. For the purpose of these pages, the Victorian Era will be broken into a series of periods- The Crinoline (1850-1869), First and Second Bustle (1870-1890), and Turn of the Century (1890-1900).
The philosophies of Romanticism (1820-1850) never really disappeared in the decades following 1850 and continued to influence many within the arts communities. In the late 1870s, Romantic connection with the past reemerged as something quite different- the Aesthetic Movement. The Aesthetic Movement of the late 19th century was a break from the heavily themed artistic norms of the period and proposed instead that art simply be created for art’s sake. James McNeil Whistler’s painting exemplify both the fashions and the artistic style of the Aesthetic Movement.
Symphony in Flesh Colour and Pink by James McNeil Whistler. c. 1871-74. The Frick Collection.
By the 1880s, more and more of the population became frustrated with the widespread corruption and social injustices brought forth by the rigidity of Victorianism. Soon calls for reform began to surface. Women spoke out against what they deemed the “ridiculousness of modern fashion.” The words of author Mary Haweis exemplify the universal cry of the Aesthetic Dress movement: “Any costumes which impair or contradict the natural lines of the human frame are to be rejected as ugly, injurious, or both; for they are the abuse of dress, not its proper use.” The Art of Dress, 1879.
Another influential proponent of the Aesthetic Dressmovement was author Oscar Wilde. In 1888, he writes: “……all the most ungainly and uncomfortable articles of dress that fashion has ever in her folly prescribed, not the tight corset merely, but the farthingale, the vertugadin, the hoop, the crinoline, and that modern monstrosity the so-called “dress improver”[i.e.bustle] also, all of them have owed their origin to the same error- the error of not seeing that it is from the shoulders, and from the shoulders only, that all garments should be hung.” –The Woman’s Dress, 1888-1890.
Author Oscar Wilde c. 1882
Aesthetic dress was the antithesis of modern fashion. It rejected the brightly colored, lavishly trimmed, tightly corseted bodices of the first and second bustle periods. Instead, aesthetic dress boasted free-flowing, un-corseted gowns, completely unaided by “dress improvers” such as bustles, heavily boned bodies, and layers of petticoats. If the motto of Aesthetic artists was “art for art’s sake,” then the motto of Aesthetic dress was “beauty is simplicity and freedom.”
Detail of A Private View at the Royal Academy by William Powell Frith. c. 1883. Private Collection.
Women’s Fashion:
Aesthetic dress of the late 19th century is also referred to as artistic dress. However, the term “artistic” tends to imply this fashion trend was limited only to those in the creative circles. While the fashion movement did get its origins amongst the creative circles, aesthetic dress also spilled into mainstream fashion. Aesthetic dresses were typically made of cotton, linen, velvet, wool, or oriental silk. They were slightly gathered at the waistline, had large puffed sleeves, long draping skirts, and often had a watteau back (a drape of fabric attached at the back of the neckline which falls to the floor). Favorite colors were lemon, green, cream, light brown, salmon-pink, deep purple, and other soft colors derived from natural dyes. The aesthetic dress movement lasted well into the early 20th century.
Liberty of London Tea Gown with Watteau back. c. 1897. Kerry Taylor Auctions.
Liberty and Co. Aesthetic gown c. 1893-1894. The V&A
More traditional minded ladies opted to keep within the confines of the dress philosophies of the earlier Victorian periods. Mainstream fashionistas of the second bustle period wore a variety of fashionable dress improvers, tournures, and padded undergarments to reshape their bodies into the idealized silhouette of the period.
House of Worth Afternoon Dress. c. 1888. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
In 1881, couture designer Charles Worth redefined the 1870s era “lobster tail” bustle and reshaped it into a smaller rounded half dome. The bustle of the mid-late 1880s fit closer to the body, was shorter, and was very geometric in shape. By the mid 1880s, the bustle was primarily made of steel caging. In France was referred to as the crinolette as its engineering was similar to the full cage crinolines of the 1860s.
Collection of 1880s era bustles. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Corsets from this period were long bodied and tightly fitted at the waist. They were made of silk, cotton, linen, and leather. They were typically reinforced with steel boning and used a steel spoon busk to curve snuggly over the lower belly. As in the first bustle period, the use of combinations as the first layer of under garments continued in popularity.
Mid 1880s corset. FIT.
As in the first bustle period, two piece bodice and skirt combinations were popular. Many mid-late 1880s era gowns typically had high, fitted collars. Oftentimes a small tucker or chemisette was worn underneath. Sleeves set higher into the armhole than in the first bustle period and were generally close fitting and long. Skirts continued to be excessively trimmed but rarely had train. Hemlines often ended near the ankle. Exceptions included evening wear. Bodices for evening had a variety of sleeve styles and were lavishly trimmed. Gowns with short sleeves (or no sleeves) were often worn with elbow length silk gloves.
Day dress. c. 1887. Manchester Art Gallery.
Printed cotton dress. c. 1885. The V&A.
A long lasting fashion trend born of the dress reform movement was the Cycling costume. In 1876, the modern bicycle (not to be confused with the penny-farthing) was exhibited at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition and immediately captured the attention of the American public. By 1885, 50,000 American men, women and children were cycling and by 1896, that number had jumped to over 10 million!
The Rover ‘safety’ bicycle, c. 1885. Science & Society Picture Library
Along with cycling, sporting activities of all types were becoming national pastimes. Tennis, golf, skating, swimming, hiking, mountain climbing, gymnastics, and baseball were popular. And, as more men, women, and children began participating in sporting activities, special attire was needed.
Striped cotton tennis dress. c. 1884-86. Manchester Art Gallery.
Initially, women cycled in their bustles and corsets. However, as the decade progressed, English cycling knickers (or rationals as they were sometimes called) were introduced into popular fashion. Soon cycling suits complete with matching jackets and spats were all the rage!
Brightly colored Cycling Suit, c. 1890s. FIDM Museum
Children’s Fashion:
Children’s clothing from this period differed little from the 1870s. Young children of both genders were dressed similiarly in short dresses and frocks until the age of breeching- or about the age of 5. Boy’s then moved into short trousers or knickers while girl’s wore dresses fashioned after their mother’s.
Boys wearing popular fashions of the late 19th century. BBC.
During the early 1880s, the waistline on children’s dresses dropped to below the natural waistline. Dresses were typically cut in the princess style and were either belted at the waist or gathered up in the polonaise style.
Girl’s dress. c. late 1880s. The Henry Ford Collection
Skirt length varied from just below the knee to mid calf. Blouses and aprons continued to be popular accessories. Shoes were often dyed to match dresses and patterned or plain stocking were also worn.
Girl’s Bodice and Skirt c. 1883. Philidelphia Museum of Art.
Boys over the age 8 continued to wear the four button sporting suits of the first bustle period. Other young men chose to wear the Norfolk suit– a yolk fronted jacket with pleats and a belt. The double breasted jacket with cravat and knickers was also popular.
Boy’s Norfolk Suit c. 1890. Wayne State University.
Children’s Aesthetic Dress:
One of the most famous (or infamous) styles of children’s clothing from this period is The Little Lord Fauntleroy suit. This suit was based upon the book entitled Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett (c. 1885). The traditional suit consisted of a black velvet jacket, knickers, and a white blouse with a wide lace collar. This style was popular in America from about 1885-1920.
Three little gents looking smashing in their Little Lord Fauntleroy suits. c. 1880s. Pinterest.
Another literary figure influential on the children’s aesthetic dress movement was writer and illustrator Kate Greenaway. Greenaway’s illustrations featured children dressed in the loose- fitting, free flowing styles of the earlier Regency Era. Her illustrations sparked a resurgence of pantalettes, bonnets, and skeleton suits in children’s late 19th century wardrobes.
KateGreenaway Illustration from A Apple Pie c.1886
Queen Victoria ruled England and Ireland until her death in 1901- making the Victorian Era one of the longest in history. For the purpose of these pages, the Victorian Era will be broken into a series of periods- The Crinoline (1850-1869), First and Second Bustle (1870-1890), and Turn of the Century (1890-1900).
In 1861, Prince Albert died of typhoid fever leaving England with a Queen in deep mourning. For the next ten years, Queen Victoria lived in seclusion- leaving the country and her empire to the leadership of her Prime Minister. Her solemn nature coupled with her ideals of marriage, family, and social conformity formed the principles and values we now associate with the Victorian Era.
Queen Victoria c. 1868. Privatbesitz Andermatt.
An example of these societal expectations was exhibited in women’s dress. An 1872 Ladies’ Book of Etiquettedescribes appropriate dress for the following activities or events: receiving visitors, visiting others, travel, walking, going to market, shopping, visiting new brides, mourning, and going out in stormy weather. Each type of dress was distinguished by type of fabric, presence or absence of trim, and suitability for the named activity. Not comprehending and adhering to these rules was the epitome of “bad taste”(FIDM Museum & Galleries, Nov. 19, 2010).
Traveling dress c. 1870. Augusta Auctions.
Sporting Dress c. 1880-1890. Powerhouse Museum.
Walking dress c.1870-75. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The 1870s saw a great boom in the textile industry. In Europe, the labor intensive hand looms were replaced by more efficient steam driven power looms. The result was a larger supply of textiles at a greatly reduced price. Other new innovations included a cloth cutting machine which could cut 18-24″ thicknesses of fabric at a time. New finishing techniques such as mercerizing (a chemical process which increases cotton fiber luster, strength, and ability to accept dye) resulted in longer lasting textiles. The use of synthetic dyes (first introduced in 1856) resulted in bold, vibrant colors (some of the first synthetic colors were mauve, magenta, violet, false indigo, brown, black, and green. The latter of which was highly toxic to wearers.)
Hand looming silk. c. 1885. Tower Hamlets Local History Collection
Power Loom. Engraving c. 1862. Wellcome Collection.
These new innovations, coupled with the introduction of the sewing machine in the 1840s, paved the way for the mass consumption of textiles and the introduction of the mail order industry of the 1880s-90s.
Montgomery Ward Catalogue no. 13- Spring and Summer c. 1875. Winterthur Collection.
During this period, The United States was trying desperately to recover from a bloody four year civil war. Unsuccessful attempts by the Federal government to reconstruct the American South left a legacy of extreme poverty, political corruption, exploitation, and terrorism.
In the Eastern cities, issues with industrialization and immigration resulted in pollution and unsanitary living conditions. In 1870, the first apartment houses were built in New York City to relieve the overpopulation of tenant housing. By the mid 1870s, the Eastern cities were bursting at the seams with the massive influx of new immigrants.
Harper’s Weekly depiction of Irish immigration. c. 1874. Library of Congress.
In an effort to rebuild the country and recover both the progress of earlier years and the economic losses of the American Civil War, The United States embarked upon reuniting the nation via the railroad.
Rapid railway expansion westward connected secluded geographical outcroppings to the larger cities back East. Railroad construction also provided work for the masses of new immigrant labor flooding the Eastern cities and carried emigrant families to wild, open terrain of the American West.
Traveling West by Rail c. 1869. Library of Congress.
Women’s Clothing:
1870-1875:
As more and more women began traveling, the oversized hoops of the Crinoline period became impractical. By the 1870s, the elliptical crinoline had all but disappeared- or rather “evolved” into a bustle (or a long narrow cage that rested at the back of the waist). In England, the bustle was referred to as a “dress improver” and in France, a tournure. However, from 1870-1889, the bustle would continue to evolve into a variety of different shapes and forms.
Cage crinoline c. 1870s. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Cage crinoline c. 1880s. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Bustle c. 1870s. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Other undergarments for women during this period included the chemise, drawers, corset and petticoat. In 1875, the corset changed from the earlier Crinoline silhouette to a longer, sleeker hourglass shape. This “new style” corset, also referred to as the cuirass corset, was worn to create a smooth, controlled line from the upper torso to the hip.
Corset advertisement. c. 1880s. Public Domain.
Also as the bustled silhouette narrowed, the use of combinations (a garment that combined both the chemise and drawers into one) replaced the separate chemise and drawers. (It is interesting to note that earlier mention of combinations came in Godey’ Ladies Book in 1858. However, they were not widely adopted at that time.)
Illustration of ladies’ combinations. c. 1878. The New York Public Library.
Gowns of this period typically consisted of two pieces- a bodice and matching skirt. From 1870-1875, bodices were fitted at the torso and ended at either the natural waist or had basque waists– or waists that ended below the natural waistline in either the front or back (or both). Gowns that ended at the natural waistline often had a small peplum at the back (see example below). Sleeves were fitted and either ended at the wrist or the elbow. Sleeves were often finished with cuffs, flounces, pleats, or trim. Square, rounded, and V-shaped necklines were popular.
Silk gown of new synthetic green dye, c. 1870. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Elaborately trimmed silk gown with bodice peplum c. 1873. Wien Museum
Skirts of this period had additional fabric at the back that was draped over the bustle. Some skirts were looped up or gathered over the bustle- known as the polonaise style. Other skirts extended a swag of fabric over the front of the skirt giving the illusion of an apron.
Silk Gauze gown with front apron c. 1874. Fashion Museum Bath.
The princess gown was also popular. This style of gown was cut from a single piece of fabric (from shoulder to hem without a waist seam) and used a series of darts to shape the fabric to the desired silhouette. (It is interesting to note that the princess gown appeared as early as the 1860s and is credited to the designer Charles Worth.)
Princess line silk & cotton gown c. 1870-1880. Museum of Decorative Arts- Prague.
Other two piece garments consisted of the skirt and blouse combination. Blouses were typically loosely fitted and belted at the waistline. They were worn with a contrasting skirt. This mode of dress was worn for less formal occasions (at home) and by the working class. Blouses and skirts were often available via mail order.
1875-1883:
For a very brief period of time, a slender, fitted silhouette emerged. This period is commonly referred to as Natural Form. However the title “natural form” is a bit misleading. During this period, the circumference of the skirt narrowed and the bustle all but disappeared. Skirt fullness dropped to below the hips and sometimes employed internal ties to hold the drapery close to the legs. Heavily trimmed skirts placed the weight of the gown on the lower half of the body.
Natural form was not a long lasting fashion trend and by the end of 1883, the bustle had again regained its popularity. However, many elements from this trend- including the longer, tightly fitted corset, would remain prominent well into the 20th century.
Reception gown. c. 1880. Boston Museum of Fine Art.
By the mid 1880s, the cuirass bodice was en vogue. The term cuirass is an ancient word used to describe men’s body armor. Likewise, the cuirass bodice of the first bustle period fit closely against the corseted torso and was reinforced with multiple strips of metal boning.
Wedding gown with cuirass bodice c. 1879. The V&A.
Printed cotton gown with cuirass bodice and polonaise skirt. c. 1883. The V&A.
Evening Wear: Thanks to the home sewing machine and advancements in the textile industry, clothing could now be made quickly and less expensively than in prior periods. Mass produced trims, which had once been too costly for the average lady to afford, were now available en masse. Thus dresses of this period were often lavishly trimmed.
Cuirass bodice evening gown c.1876-78. The V&A.
Evening gowns from this period were of the same silhouette as gowns worn for daytime. Oftentimes, women had two bodices for the same skirt- one for day wear and one for evening wear. Necklines for evening wear were less conservative, highly trimmed, and had shorter sleeve styles. Sleeveless bodices were popular. Throughout this period, skirts with trains were worn for both day and evening wear.
Gown for a ball c. late 1870s. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Children’s Clothing:
Boy’s tunic c. 1881. The Philidelphia Museum of Art.
The 1870s saw much travel for children as well as adults. In fact, train travel was considered so safe, children often traveled alone.
Photograph of young boy dressed for traveling. c. 1870s.
Queen Victoria’s love for all things Scottish brought kilts, tartans, and Glengarry caps into mainstream children’s attire.
Boy’s Tartan Tunic. c. 1850-1880. Augusta Auctions.
Boy’s kilted suit. c. 1870s. Vintage Textile.
Girl’s tartan jacket and skirt c. 1870s. Wayne State University.
After the age of five, boys no longer wore the genderless dresses, smocks, and skirts of toddler hood. The Eton suit and tunic suits of earlier periods as well as the sailor suits were popular. Short trousers and knickers with shirts and smocks were worn as well.
King George V of England dressed in sailor shirt and trousers. c. 1870. Library of Congress.
Boys over the age 8 wore sporting suits– a four piece ensemble consisting of a four-button jacket, trousers (full length for adolescents), a shirt, and a contrasting vest.
Boy’s woolen sporting jacket and vest c. 1870-74. FIDM.
Girls’ fashions (after the age of 5) followed the same silhouette as women’s fashions- only they were shorter in length. The Princess gown was very a popular style for girls of this period. The use of combinations and mass produced stockings replaced girl’s pantalettes.
Photograph of girl of about 10 or 11 years. c. 1870s.
Girl’s printed cotton dress. c. 1870. Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Blouses were worn under girls’ dresses and a variety of aprons were worn over them. In many cases, aprons served as both a decorative accessory as well as a way to protect the garments underneath. Popular materials for aprons included gingham, muslin, and linen. Popular apron trims included hand- made lace, bands of contrasting fabric or tucking and embroidery.
Pattern for your girl’s apron. c. 1877. The New York Public Library.
