Victorian Era Clothing

This week we will be discussing Victorian Fashion. To understand fashion and its evolving and revolving phases you must start with the original trendsetter in women's fashion.  Victorian fashion was one of longest lasting periods in the fashion timeline. The Victorian period was from 1837 to 1901. These are also the years Queen Victoria held her position.

Victorian fashion was actually modeled after Queen Victoria and her reign. Hence, Victorian Fashion. Before Queen Victoria  women's fashion was considered unimportant. In fact, men's fashion was considered more important than a women's garb. In pre-Victorian fashion men dressed to reflect their status and positions in society. If a woman dressed to reflect a status it was considered taboo. In fact it was just plain NOT done.

It all changed when Queen Victoria came into her position. She was a woman of power. More importantly she was a woman. Very quickly society reconsidered it's view on status and dress. It soon became more important to show a man's status and position by how his wife was dressed. A well dressed and poised wife was considered the key to a mans success. Or at least visually to the public eye.

Queen Victoria was a trendsetter in a huge way! Women's fashion really didn't exist before her. Yes women got dressed before this but; not to impress. Not to make a statement and surely not to gain attention. There are different phases within this timeline known as Early Victorian, Mid Victorian and Late Victorian.

We will be discussing the key changes and style markers in each Victorian phase thru the remainder of this week. Have something to add? We'd love to hear from you.

Photos courtesy of wikipedia.