Women's fashions for the Victorian era have different silhouettes depending on the specific period of the era.
Women's fashions during the Victorian era of the 1800s ranged from huge flouncy skirts with frilly details in the early Victorian era to the large bustles of the late Victorian era. Costumes for these styles should follow the silhouette of the part of the era you're dressing for but also incorporate the details, such as the glove styles and hair accessories, of the era.
Early Victorian Daily Wear
In the early Victorian period, women wore highly complicated and decorated clothing. There were heavy petticoats and underclothes, a metal hoop frame for the giant skirt, under-sleeves that peeked out from beneath the outer layer of the dress---and it was all topped with wrist-length gloves, fans and parasols. The look was very frilly, with tucks, pleats and ribbons. But to the outsider it was still elegant and looked comfortable and easy to wear.
A casual costume reflecting the early Victorian era could skip most of the underclothes but would require a structure to hold up wide skirts, and the outer dress would need to have a lot of decorative fabric details. Adding boning to the lining of the bodice of the dress would make it look more accurate.
Early Victorian Formal Wear
Formal wear for this period required the same amount of complicated underclothes and the outer layers were just as lavish as daily wear, but for formal events such as balls the necklines were often lower and off the shoulder.
A more formal early Victorian costume would need to have a lot of lace, ribbons and detailed fabric finishes, such as pleats and gathers. Hair may be done up in a bun or worn down with ringlet curls, and in either case accented with a fancy comb.
Late Victorian Casual Wear
The silhouette of women's clothing in the late Victorian era changed from the bell-shaped skirt to a skirt that was fitted close at the waist and gradually expanded outward or draped. A ruffled petticoat was worn under it, but over the skirt bustles were popular during this era. Fabric was gathered and bunched at the rear, and often a pad was added underneath to make the bustle sit higher and further out.
A casual costume for this era would not have many extra frills like the early Victorian era costumes but should create the silhouette with gathers of fabric and padding underneath. Only one petticoat is needed, rather than a large structure to hold up the skirt.
Late Victorian Formal Wear
Formal wear in the Late Victorian era created the large rear silhouette, but the necklines were lower and the sleeves were very small and often puffed or over-sized and billowy, worn with long gloves. Evening wear had a train attached to the skirt that was not worn for daily casual wear. Women wore shaped heeled shoes.
To go with a dress like this, a costume for the late Victorian era would need the hair to be done up and adorned with feathers and flowers.
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