1800s

The fashion canvas of the 18th century changed radically as the 19th century began; simpler, lighter brushstrokes were applied. With its fluid lines, fashion began to mimic classic Grecian drapery. Bodices were minimal, cut to end under the bust and achieving a high waist that defined the silhouette. Necklines were predominantly low. Sleeves could be long or short.

The fiddle-back bodice—with side, back, and shoulder seams placed to form a diamond shape—was typical of this period. The use of tiny piping to finish seams began.

Dresses generally opened in the front, with pins or drawstrings as closures, while their skirts had side openings, if any at all. The effect was one of simplicity. White was the most popular color, and any applied trimming was used sparingly.

Fabrics were lightweight, soft drapery, with embroidery and details that did not interrupt the aesthetic flow. Outerwear consisted of Spencer jackets (waist-length jackets named after Lord Spencer), pelisses (a type of sleeved cloak), and the ubiquitous long shawl.

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From 1810 to 1820, while the simpler lines of the previous decade continued, dresses became slightly more structured, featuring padded hems and firmer fabrics such as twills and some taffeta. Soft colors returned after a 10-year absence. Sleeves grew fuller at the shoulder, and high waists endured but lowered slightly as the years went by.

Skirt hems widened ever so slightly. Trimmings (often in the same fabric as the dress) were used extensively.

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Next 1820 to 1830
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As the Romantic era arrived, clothing became more complex and increasingly structured. Decorative excess replaced the previous design simplicity. Horizontal hem treatments added focus to skirts, wide lapels created shoulder emphasis, and sleeves and shoulders were further emphasized with extended wings.

Surface ornamentation, color, and print abounded. Three-dimensional effects in trimmings were achieved through padding. The waistline dropped much closer to its natural spot and was often accentuated by a wide belt. Pelisses and Spencer jackets continued to be worn for warmth.

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Next 1830 to 1840
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In the 1830s, the first cross-cut Gigot, or Leg O’ Mutton, sleeves appeared. The previous shoulder fullness dropped toward the elbow, and sleeves became enormous. The waist resumed its natural position, while necklines became very wide. Bodice lines took on a distinctive V-shape. Ankle-length skirts became quite full and needed several petticoats underneath for support. This produced the 19th-century’s first version of an hourglass silhouette.

As often happens, when one fashion change occurs, the need for another is created. The very full sleeves that were in vogue demanded alternative outerwear. It was difficult to force these large sleeves into coats, so cloaks were worn. Short capes with longer front ends, called pelerines, become quite popular, as did chemisettes (under-bodices of net or lace) for low-necked gowns. The focus was on femininity. Aprons were popular accessories.

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Next 1840 to 1850
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The Gothic era arrived, and fashion lines wilted into drooping ringlets and dragging skirts. Sleeves lost their fullness and became fitted, and shoulders were extended below their natural lines. Skirt hems lowered to the floor. Necklines were were generally cut high for day wear and wide for the evening. The skirt became very domed in silhouette, requiring yet more petticoats to achieve the desired shape. Tucks and pleats were used to emphasize this new line. Colors shifted to darker tones, and solid-color fabrics were more in tune with the new solemnity.

In mid-century, skirts become even fuller, with horizontal flounces or tucks added to the base skirt to give it even greater width and volume. Lines shifted from the vertical to the horizontal—assisted by shorter, wider bodices. A new triangular, cone-shaped silhouette emerged, featuring new pagoda sleeves.

Prints and patterns came to the fore as these substantial expanses of fabric cried out for visual interest, which was provided by large plaids and border prints.

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Next 1850 to 1860
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By 1855, the cage crinoline, or hoop, had swayed on to the scene. Skirts expanded to their maximum size. Women were delighted to wear the cage; it gave relief from the weight of numerous petticoats and from the plethora of undergarments that needed to be washed.

The hoop was popular almost universally and was worn by ladies, maids, the middle class, and shop girls. Women working in fields and those scrubbing floors were among the few exceptions.

Cloaks and mantlelets (short, loose sleeveless cloaks or shawls) remained fashionable for practical reasons—they were the only outerwear capable of covering the triangular silhouette. Shawls worked wonderfully spread out over the width of the hoop and were popular also for their ornamental possibilities.

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Next 1860 to 1870
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The era of the skirt dawned, yet it was to be 30 years before skirts were worn unhindered by support structures. The round hoop of 1860 evolved, by 1864, into an oval hoop. As the skirt developed, its back was emphasized by the bustle, which appeared by 1868. The big, high, and draped bustle skirt enjoyed popularity for eight years.

In the 1860s, the bodice waist became slightly shorter, but dropped shoulders remained. Sleeves narrowed, and although fitted at the wrist, featured some width at the elbow. Square yoke lines were seen often for day. The look was created with braid or fringe, or these were sometimes made as a separate piece (similar to today’s dickey collar) that could be removed for evening wear. This left a lower, bare neckline.

To emphasize the wide neckline on evening dresses, Bertha collars—which followed the décolleté—were made of pleated fabric, ruffles, or lace. Fringe, braid, and lace were widely used. Fabric stayed lightweight; lawn, taffeta, and silk or wool blends were popular. Dresses tended to be made of one fabric, with lace or trim added for interest.

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Next 1870 to 1880
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In the early 1870s, shoulders returned to the position nature intended. The long-line cuirass bodice appeared in 1876–78. This reached to the hips in all its molded, whale-boned glory. Day bodices had high necklines and fitted sleeves with pleated or ruffled cuffs. The new look for evening was three-quarter-length sleeves with a square neckline.

In 1876, although the amount of skirt drapery remained constant (or even more complex), the bustle foundation disappeared. A very small hoop was worn, primarily to keep the mass of fabric away from the feet.

Fabrics were light in color and weight, with cotton, silk taffeta, and light wool favored. The problem of fitting outerwear over bustles was solved when three-quarter-length cloaks and Dolman mantles (a short capelet with wide sleeves) began to appear.

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Next 1880 to 1890
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Popular demand brought back the bustle in 1883, but it was now worn at a lower placement with a narrower width. Dresses worn over this new frame were sturdier, constructed in heavier fabrics such as velvet, satin, and wool. Colors were darker; e.g., bottle green, deep wine, navy blue, and black. Mercifully, cotton and linen were used for summer. Drapery was stiffer and considerably more rigid than in the 1870s.

This was a decade of severely tight, restrictive corsetry that was worn (or endured) under dresses with long, boned bodices; tight sleeves; and high necklines. A very modest and even prudish look on the surface, this silhouette was so torso-defining that a woman’s shape could hardly go unnoticed. Skirts were almost always layered and draped, often with an apron front and a trained back. Pleating was everywhere, both in skirt construction and in trimming. With all of this going on, dresses could weigh 15 to 20 pounds!

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Next 1890 to 1900
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The bustle began to fade in 1889, possibly joined by its aging wearers! By 1891, just a tiny pad remained. The gathers at the back of the skirt stayed until 1900. With the decline of the bustle, sleeves began to grow, and the 1830s’ hourglass revival was well underway. Sleeves ballooned to proportions never seen before or indeed since—reaching their fullest in 1895–96. Leg O’ Mutton, Melon, Gigot, and Balloon were a few of the names given to this sleeve. Skirts became flared and gored, even circular. Tiny boned-bodice waists were emphasized with a point in front. Evening dresses often sported elbow-length sleeves.

Silhouettes slimmed and elongated considerably in 1897. Sleeves began to narrow, and skirts were made slim over the hips. Bodices became fuller in front, developing into the pigeon breast or mono-bosom shape of the early 20th century. Necklines rose even higher, supported by very high, boned collars.

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Next 1900 to 1910
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