Interesting Facts About Victorian Dresses And Conformity
by Farley Deeds
Victorian dresses have a wonderful and interesting history. They are from one of the most amazing times in history, the reign of Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria reigned from 1837 to 1901 and during that time there were many changes to society, inventions and fashions. Probably the biggest influence of the fashions of the day was the advent of the mass produced factory dresses.
Queen Victoria reigned over the British empire for over sixty years. She left behind an amazing legacy of styles to the later generations. Not only did she inspire her subjects but also imparted her great sense of respectability. Victoria was a women who took her position very seriously. She inspired her subjects to virtues such as modesty and temperance. Women were in many ways second class citizens who had very little say in their own lives.
The Victorian age saw many huge and lasting changes that affected all of its people. One of them was the availability of mass produced items such as clothes. Never before had people had access to such a variety of styles and designs. Many thousands of women and children toiled in horrific conditions to make beautiful gowns for the women of wealthy families.
There were also rules for the length of young girls skirts. Only the very youngest could wear a skirt that fell around the knees. As they got older their skirts got longer. By the time they were sixteen years old, young women were expected to be wearing skirts that covered their ankles. To show even a small amount of bare flesh was considered scandalous and could severely damage a girls all important reputation.
The dress code was also very restricting for women. They were forced into extremely tight corsets and bodices. The aim was to create an unnaturally thin waist, which accented the hips and chest. The typical dress was totally impractical and did not allow for any freedom of movement. Although the women looked stunning, they often had difficulty breathing properly. This is why fainting was so common amongst young Victorians.
It was not until the last twenty years of Victoria's reign that styles became a little less restrictive. This was part of a movement popular in the United States and Great Britain. Known as the "dress reform" or "rational dress" movement it offered more practical and comfortable clothing choices to women. Yet it was not an easy road and women faced ridicule for wearing anything new or different.
Up until the end of the Victorian era women were expected to follow the strict dress codes for mourning. After the death of her husband, the widow was expect to remain in full mourning attire for at least a year. This sombre and formal clothing stated only the most simple fabrics could be worn and allowed for no decoration or trims.
By the end of the era, Victorian dresses had become much more comfortable. Women no longer had to tolerate the ridiculously tight styles of the past. Skirt lengths were still long, but as more women became educated and even held jobs they demanded a more versatile type of clothing. Mass production allowed for strong, hard wearing and practical dresses that could be worn comfortably all day as the modern women went about her business both inside and outside the home.
If you are looking for a wide selection of authentic <a href="http://www.riverjunction.com/Dress-Coats_c_69.html">Victorian dresses</a>, visit our website for suggestions. More information can be seen at http://www.riverjunction.com/Dress-Coats_c_69.html now.
---------------------------------------------------
You are receiving this because you signed up for it on 2011-08-23 from IP
To fine-tune your selection of which articles to receive, just login here:
http://www.uniquearticlewizard.com/bloggers/
using your username:
To unsubscribe please use the following link:
http://www.uniquearticlewizard.com/unsubscribe.php?mail=kidloveme.huyen@blogger.com&code=b83952f8ca040e326c958cbc4b8fd96e
---------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------
New Unique Article!
Title: Interesting Facts About Victorian Dresses And Conformity
Author: Farley Deeds
Email: oldwest@mhtc.net
Keywords: Victorian clothing, victorian dresses, old fashion clothing, Victorian period clothing
Word Count: 550
Category: Hobbies
---------------------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment