by Donna Klein Bodice defines the Waistline 1870s to 1890s At the beginning of the 1870s, most bodices extended to the natural waistline. A tunic (overskirt) was often fitted over the bodice using a belt featuring a large bow in the back. It was during this time that a detachable basque, or very [...]
by Donna Klein Defining the Waistline 1830s to 1860s The transition to what we consider Victorian era fashion occurred during the 1830s with lowering of the waistline from under the breasts to its natural position. It was during this decade that necklines widened and the bodice evolved into the V-shape we associate with [...]
by Donna Klein Real or Illusion? With the help of a straight front corset, the S-curve silhouette was the style of the day from 1901-1910. This silhouette reached its most extreme in 1904 and 1905. This is the silhouette that Charles Gibson used when creating his 'Gibson Girls.' But, illustrations appear to be [...]
by Donna Klein Modesty and Menswear Although the romanticism of the Regency period was still evident in fashion at the beginning of her reign, Queen Victoria soon imprinted her attitude on the culture of the era that would bear her name. The rule of the day was modesty and propriety, and fashion took [...]
by Donna Klein Long and Short of Sleeves during the Victorian Era Whether they were short or long or somewhere in between, sleeve styles of the Victorian era created an interesting canvas upon which fashion designers could make a statement. Here are a few examples. Fashions of 1861 from Godey's Lady's [...]
by Donna Klein How Charles Gibson created the Ideal Woman Women were in the forefront of societal change during the last decade of the 19th century. The woman of the 1890s was athletic, independent, and educated (thanks to recent access to higher education). She was on the cusp; coming into her own. Some women [...]
by Donna Klein From Bouillonné to Ruching - gather your ruffles! Ruffles are more than a brand of potato chip. Ruffles have been embellishing and trimming garments for a very long time. There are a few ways to describe ruffles, each with its own nuanced meaning when it comes to design. Ruffles can [...]
by Donna Klein Gloves - a Part of Fashion for Nearly One Thousand Years Gloves have been used by humans for protection since antiquity. One legend relates that gloves have been a fashion statement among nobility since the 11th century when, according to The Evolution of the Glove, “the Doge of Venice, Domenico [...]
by Donna Klein Removing the Cloak from Mantle Whether the word is spelled 'mantle' or 'mantel,' the origin is the same. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, it comes from “Latin mantellum 'cloak'.” By the time it progressed to the Old English, it meant a 'loose, sleeveless cloak.' Whether you talk about a [...]