Christmas Belles

Did You Know?...


During the Victorian era, the period between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day was invariably the busiest season of the year. The never-ending social whirl could include everything from relatively informal family gatherings, to elegant dinners, joyous parties with music and dancing, formal balls and even a grand evening at the opera. A lady was expected to appear at all these functions dressed well and properly for the occasion -- and important consideration in those days, when a fashion faux pa could lower a woman's social standing, and possibly even damage her reputation.

Luckily, there was plenty of helpful advice (and a few dire warnings) in the books and magazines of the period. In 1895, "Godey's Lady's Book," the fashion bible of the time, assured readers that, "A woman who is not a butterfly of society may be quite well dressed by purchasing three new gowns each season, last year's doing duty as second best.....But she must have one new and well-fitted tailor grown for the street, one reception and one dinner or ball gown." At the same time, another expert was admonishing her not to look too fashionable, lest she be "classified among those who elect to be eccentric." The ideal was "being well dressed without looking conspicuous."

And for those who lacked confidence or experience, the advice could be very specific indeed. A fashion arbiter of the 1890's offered anxious readers these detailed instructions on what to wear for every imaginable social role and occasion.

The Hostess:

Her dress should be rich in material but subdued in tone to avoid eclipsing any of her guests. A young hostess should wear rich silk in black or another dark color, with fine lace collar and cuffs and plain jewelry. If dinner is served by gaslight, she should wear glittering stones.

The Dinner Guest:

Unlike the English custom, the neck and arms are not exposed at a dinner party. They should be covered by the dress or by a lace or muslin overwaist (overblouse). The dress should be less showy than an evening gown, although it may be of rich silk or velvet. Young unmarried ladies may wear dresses of lighter material and tints....middle-aged and married women should wear silks heavier in quality and richer in tone. Elderly ladies should select satin or velvet.

Light neutral tints, black, purple, dark green, garnet, dark blue, brown and fawn are appropriate. Whatever the color, try it's effect by both daylight and gaslight, since many a color will look well in daylight and extremely ugly in gaslight.

For The Social Party:

Dresses covering the arms and shoulders should be worn. If they are cut low in the neck and fashioned with short sleeves, something should cover the neck and arms. Dark silks are very dressy and relieved by white lace and glittering gems, they are admirable . Wearing gloves is optional.

For The Ball:

These occasions call for the richest dress, lighter colors and materials. The richest velvets, the brightest and most delicate silks, the most expensive laces, low neck and short sleeves, elaborate bead-dress, the greatest display of gems and flowers, all belong to these occasions....White kid gloves and white satin boots are appropriate unless the overdress of the gown is of black lace; then black satin boots or slippers should be worn.

For The Opera:

A lady goes to the opera not only to see but to be seen, and her dress must be adopted with a full realization of the thousand gaslights which will bring out its merits or defects. The material should be heavy enough to bear the crush of the place, rich in color and splendid in arrangement. The bead dress should be of flowers, ribbons, lace or feathers with the bead left uncovered. There is no place where the glitter of gems is seen to better advantage, so jewelry of the heaviest and richest description should be worn.

Either black or white lace is effective for the opera gown. Purple, pink, orange and most light tints are flattering with a black lace over-dress. Neutral shades are worn with either black or white lace. The fan, bouquet and handkerchief must be in keeping with the colors of the dress. White kid gloves or those of light delicate tints should be worn. The cloak or wrap is equally important. It may be of white or of some brilliant color, such as scarlet or gold.

While fashion changed all the time, there were two constants for dressy gowns. Fabrics were lavish and necklines were cut low. In Europe no gown was considered truly dressy unless it was also deeply decollete. But Puritan traditions still ruled in America: decoletage was framed in ruffles, covered with overblouses or otherwise disguised. In 1866 a fashion writer suggested the neckline of an evening gown could be filled in "a very pretty way" with lace or tulle puffings that were lined with taffeta the same color as the trimmings of the dress and edged at the top with velvet.

Fabrics reflected the Victorian love of rich textures and heavy adornment. Favored materials included brocades, silks, satins, gauze, velvet, satin and crepe de chine. Decorations might include ribbons, floral garlands, feathers, flounces, frills, inserts of lace or contrasting fabrics.

An evening gown of the 1880's, when clutter reached its peak in fashion, as in interior decor, was of ivory peau de soie and pink brocaded satin. At the neck was a scalloped, necklace-like ornament of rhinestones, pearls and pink tints mingled with white, yellow and green. This ornament was repeated at the waist with long, iridescent, jewel-tipped streamers extending from the belt. At the shoulders were pink ribbon bows, trimmed with aigrettes (standing feathers). According to the writer, the gown would easily lend itself to additional inserts of lace, silk, jet, fancy braid or embroidered batiste!

Throughout the era, bodices remained formfitting, while skirts underwent startling changes: hoopskirts during the 1850's and 60's, figure-hugging skirts with unwieldy trains in the late 70s and then the extreme bustles of the 1880's. In the 1890's, the wasp-waisted silhouette ruled. By the end of the 19th century, the two-piece evening costume, comparable to a Gibson Girl's daytime uniform of a "shirtwaist" or blouse and skirt, was introduced. But unlike the tailored daytime version, evening skirts had trains and the "waists" worn with them were elegantly styled of rich fabrics with low-cut necklines and lavish trims. An 1899 issue of "The Designer", a popular fashion magazine, featured an evening skirt of peau de soie with an accordion-pleated underskirt-together requiring 17 1/2 yards of fabric!

Whatever form fashion took, one thing that never changed was a woman's desire to look her best on special occasions, perhaps especially during the exciting and busy winter season, which reached its height during the holidays. And in that era of rustling silks and flowing lace, of up swept hair and crowns of flowers, of gleaming fabrics and glitter gems, then reached a peak of femininity that has never been surpassed.

Written By: Mildred Jailer Chamberlain
This Article Originally appeared in VICTORIAN DECORATING MAGAZINE, Issue #52