The industrial revolution had a large impact; men began to wear darker, plain colours, as they were more practical during a time of grimy, smokey air. Contrasting this, women began to wear bright, decorated dresses, representing the strong technical progression in the textile industry. By 1856 there were fast dyes for all materials, and the invention of sewing machines gave far greater scope to dressmakers. What's more, as a wider variety of materials became available, more and more shops provided them, to the point where women could even buy them and add them to their own dresses themselves (Ruby, 1988).
In the earlier years of the Victorian era, men and women's clothing both created hourglass silhouettes, high waists and puffed sleeves. Men's coats had padded chests and hips, and were nipped in at the waist, while women wore corsets. It was said that 'clothing should be in harmony with the natural beauty of the body, in order to be beautiful and appropriate' - basically saying that fashion depended on figure shape, as it does still today. Men had to look masculine; other than that there wasn't much emphasis on male aesthetics at this stage (Steele, 1985).
Dandies, however, were men who felt very strongly about appearance. Charles Baudelaire defined the dandy as someone who prioritises aesthetics as though it were a living religion in his book 'The Painter of Modern Life.' Dandyism had an important influence on the gothic genre, most clearly in Oscar Wilde's 'The Picture of Dorian Gray'; pursuing aesthetic perfection produces monstrosity (Spooner, 2012).
By the 1850s, men from even middle classes were able to wear good clothes. Men who were born wealthy, and men who had made themselves wealthy, were sometimes indistinguishable. As an example of typical male fashions, a solicitor would wear a double-breasted frock coat in a dark colour with broad shoulders to show strength, plain trousers that had a narrow leg and covered their shoes, a white shirt with a stand-up collar and a large bow tie. He would have curly mutton chops and would oil his hair to keep it in place. He would wear lace-up shoes or ankle boots, a top hat, and carry a cane or umbrella (Ruby, 1988). Women would have a sloping, narrow shoulder-line by wearing dresses with sleeves sewn in just below the shoulder. This meant limited movement and freedom. Waistlines were lower by now, creating long, slender torsos; they would wear petticoats to create bell-shaped skirts, and bonnets, with their hair in tight ringlets or pulled back (Steel, 1985). Sausage curls to frame the face were fashionable, or twisted side sections which covered the ears (The Barrington House Educational Centre, 2012). Softer colours were also favoured. Shoes were narrow an heelless until now, made of black or white satin. In the 50s, feet were allowed to be broader, shoes were being made of leather or cloth as well as satin, and had about an inch heel. Ankle boots could also be worn (Steele, 1985).
The 50s also saw the creation of the 'crinoline' cage, as a lighter and cooler alternative for petticoats (Marsh, 2009). By the 60s, men's clothes became looser-fitting, women's skirts were becoming shorter and flattened in the front and larger at the back. From the 70s to the 80s, this bustle got lower, and a bow was often worn on the lower back, drawing attention to this area of the body (Steele, 1985). Dresses had high necks, and in wealthy families long gloves with bracelets on top were worn. Sometimes dresses were decorated with real or imitation dead animals! (Ruby, 1988). Heels on shoes got higher, with pointed toes, and fans were often carried as an accessory. Hair was worn in a high chignon with curls, and sometimes ribbon at the front (Steel, 1985). Male servants wore livery in colours that showed where they belonged. A footman would wear a white bow tie, his shirt buttons plated with the family crest, and a waistcoat with horizontal stripes to demonstrate that he works inside (Ruby, 1988). The 90s saw a stronger interest on the bodice than the bustle, and skirts were often tight at the hips and flared at the knee. There was also an introduction, in later Victorian years, of a more androgynous look - women wearing semi-masculine clothing like suit jackets and belts, with their hair worn tighter to their heads, sometimes even with a fringe (even though Queen Victoria thought they looked like poodles!), (Steele 1985). However there was still a long way to go in terms of freedom, comfort and practicality.
Cosmetics
In the Victorian era there was a focus on 'natural' or 'moral' cosmetics, and obvious artificial make-up was considered indecent (Marsh, 2009). It was said that by having perfect health one would obtain clear skin, bright eyes, and easy, dignified movements. This 'perfect' health included early rising, not staying up late, fresh air, cold water, temperance, intellect and more. Kindliness, self-respect, modesty and honesty were also said to create beauty. There was a concern that actual cosmetics would hide true inner emotions that might show on the face, e.g. growing pale or blushing (Steele, 1985).
A section in Sylvia's Home Journal, a women's magazine from the Victorian time, a writer wrote:
"We should all try to be as pretty as we can without resorting to deceptions in the form of cosmetics, hair dyes, and pearl powder. The best way to be really pretty, independently of regular features and good complexion is to have pleasant thoughts constantly in out minds, always to be doing kind and good-natured things, and never to listen to anything unkind or bitter about others. If we do this, the eyes will grow clear and bright, the corners of the lips will turn up pleasantly and prettily... We should all wear as becoming dresses as we can." (Steele, 1985).
The perfect ideal of Victorian beauty - fluttering lashes, reddened, ripe lips, a pale complexion, blushing cheeks - was all expected to be natural (Marsh, 2009). Pale, clear skin showed wealth, youth, health and social standing. Home remedies were often tried, such as a combination of bitter almonds, sal ammoniac and quicksilver oxymurite; or complexion whiteners could be bought (Marsh, 2009). False hair was acceptable only when needed to cover a lack of hair, and a little, discrete make-up was acceptable for older women, who were in less danger by this point in their lives of ruining their natural looks (Steele, 1985). An exotic dancer in 1858, Lola Montez, said "A violently rouged woman is always a disgusting sight and... excessive use of powder is also a vulgar trick" (Marsh, 2009). What's more, cosmetics contained unsafe chemicals, that would irritate and damage the skin. Some said that focusing on obtaining beauty so much was selfish and self-defeating: it would lead to discontent, which then led to the use of artificial cosmetic, which thus damaged the skin (Steele, 1985). In 1872, once Vaseline petroleum jelly had been discovered and patented, ladies began using it as moisturiser, hair oil and lip gloss, the company claiming it would keep the skin softer, clearer and more youthful looking than any other product. Perfumes and fragranced hair oils were acceptable - if anything, needed - as hygiene levels were still not very high just yet (Marsh, 2009).
Later in the era, hair rats were used, made from hair collected from a lady's hairbrush. If one did not have much hair, or it was too thin or wouldn't style well, wigs were worn; normal wigs, to just fringes, to even artificial eyebrows were available at hairdressers'. However, hair pieces often did not look very discrete, and some people worried that the diseases of the person the hair was from would be carried to the person who wore the piece. Therefore, as an alternative to wigs, hair could be curled, rippled or crimped using thin tongs. Hair dying did happen, however, like with make-up, one would not admit to using it. Again, it contained harsh, unsafe chemicals, and often resulted in baldness (Marsh, 2009).
By the 1880s, make-up had flourished in one area at least - the stage. Grease paints were used for theatrical make-up, and soon make-up began spreading from actresses to the normal women, as they were inspired to follow their lead. Unmarried girls were still expected to be 'unpainted', but once married, women had a little more freedom (Marsh, 2009).
- Catherine Spooner, 2012, Fashioning Gothic Bodies, Manchester University Press
- Jennifer Ruby, 1988, The Victorians (Costumes in Context), Bedford
- Joel H Kaplan, Sheila Stowell, 1995, Theatre and Fashion: Oscar Wilde to the Suffragettes, Cambridge: CUP
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Madeleine Marsh, 2009, Compacts And Cosmetics : Beauty From Victorian Times To The Present Day, Havertown: Remember When
- The Barrington House Educational Centre, 2012, Victorian and Edwardian hairstyles, viewed 06/02/16, available from: http://bartoscollection.com/vehairstylesbyera.html
- V. Steele, 1985, Fashion and Eroticism: Ideals of feminine beauty from the Victorian era to the jazz age, OUP
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