Victorian Dresses from the 1870s
The 1870s is a period often glossed over by fashion history
books, and I’ve never understood why—I find the era so interesting.
The ‘70s were a transitional period for women. (Imagine
trying to get used to closer-fitting clothes after years of wearing hoops.
I've read several accounts from about the time bustles went out of style,
where women complained that without all that extra size, they felt downright
naked. I imagine that women often felt similarly when trying to give up
hoops...which is probably why dresses of the 1870s are so bulky.) Perhaps
because of these transitions, the era was full of craftsmanship an
interesting ideas: The bustle was revived and made so new it barely
resembled its ancestor; trains reappeared with a vengeance; fabric was used
in tremendous quantities; trims were used to the extreme, often artfully
crafted and placed; and the complexity of the inside of women’s dresses
peaked as dressmakers became ever–more important.
All that excess and complication came in part, no doubt, as
a way to escape the memory of the Civil War (just as Dior’s extravagant “New
Look” helped women forget WWII through romance and fantasy). But much of the
overindulgence in ladies’ fashions was due to the now wide–spread use of the
sewing machine. All those trims, tucks, and pleats that once had to be sewn
by hand could now be whizzed off by machine.
Few moderns have a very good idea of just how slow hand
sewing was, and most of us would laugh at the slowness of mid–19th century
sewing machines compared to today’s modern, computerized wonders. But the
early sewing machine sewed about 1,477 stitches per minute—which was sixty
times faster than hand sewing. The end result was that what once was very
expensive to produce was now much more affordable. What previously only the
wealthy could wear, now the middle–class coveted.
In addition to trims made at home or in the dressmaker’s
shop, many trims could be purchased mass–produced. Everything from
pre–pleated yardage, to pre–sewn flounces, to tucked materials, to bindings
and elaborate cutwork could be bought at the local dry goods store. And take
advantage of these advances, American women did. The simplest house dresses
were trimmed and be–frilled and required huge amounts of fabric.
Home sewing patterns really began taking off, with
Butterick and Mme. Demmorest both producing magazines that sold a wide
variety of sewing patterns. This also made more complicated dresses within
easier reach of the average woman; whether she took the pattern to her local
seamstress or sewed the dress in her own home, she could now have a garment
equally as complex as any Countess’.
But wait, you may be thinking: If dresses from the 1870s
were all so fancy, how come most of what I see from that time period isn’t?
It’s true that what most collectors see from the 1870s in their regional
area tends to be less fussy (if they can find such dresses at all in their
local area). Even what most antique clothing dealers sell isn’t all that
extravagant. But have you looked at what some of the higher–end dealers are
listing? (If not, check out the dealers on our Links page...they have
wonderful inventory you’ll not only drool over, but learn a lot from.) From
these dealers who sell harder–to–find items, you’ll find gowns that match
the fashion plates of the period.
I believe there are three main reasons why many dresses we
see from the 1870s tend to be less elaborate than what’s found in period
fashion plates. First, most fashion plates, from any era, show fashions that
tend to be more exaggerated than what is actually worn by the vast majority
of women; it’s true today, and it was true in the 19th century, too. Second,
complete 1870s dresses are in general difficult to find today because they
took up so much yardage; I believe that, in keeping with 19th century
attitudes about re–making old clothes and wasting very little of anything,
most of them were cut up to make other dresses or furnishings. Third, many
of the dresses we see from the 1870s have most or all of their trimming
removed because it was recycled for a new dress or hat. That said, there are
certainly exquisite examples out there...it just takes a little more time to
find them.
Dresses from the 1870s were complex in other ways, too. The
insides of women’s garments have rarely been so elaborate. To create a
properly bustled effect, dresses sometimes had overskirts (sometimes even
several overskirts) that fastened separately, or had poufs that were
carefully sewn “just–so” to create a bouffant look. The insides of skirts
often had tapes that could be adjusted by the way they were tied, which
controlled trains or the over–all bustle effect of the skirt. Built–in
bustles are also sometimes seen; one dress I examined had not just a
horsehair stuffed pad, but a contraption of hoops built right into it.
Bodices were molded to the figure with darts galore, and a
newer invention—the waist stay—came into play. (Waist stays are merely
pieces of grosgrain ribbon tacked into the bodice at the waistline and
fastening with a hook and eye—but they make a big difference in how a bodice
fits and clings to the figure.) Hidden pockets and tiny buttons and
buttonholes added further work to ladies’ bodices.
Padding was common in bodices of the 1870s, not only to add
to the bustline, but—even more frequently—to fill out the area between the
armpit and the breast, creating a softer, more rounded look. The beauty of
the inside of the garment was beginning to become important, too, and you’ll
often find bodice bonings bound in pretty fabrics with scalloped edges.
So next time you’re perusing fashion history, don’t forget
to take a peek—or, better yet, a lingering study—at dresses from the 1870s.
I promise you won’t be disappointed by their unique complexity and detail.
(c) 2002 by Kristina Harris
04/21/2006