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Fashions From The Elegant 1800's

Created on May 12, 2016 by Kathy Pinna

Bustles, crinolines, corsets, and by the end of the century, leg o' mutton sleeves. Meet 1800's fashion.

When everyday photography began in the 1850's, the silhouettes for women were big below the waist (sometimes too big to get through doorways!) and fitted above the waist.

Take a look at some of these amazing dresses (and fabrics) from the 1850's - 1890's.

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Photos of 1800's Fashion

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Music Hall performer

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This is Lottie Collins, a music hall performer, in 1892. Obviously, she's wearing a corset.

Charles F. Worth design

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This is a dress made by the "Father of Haute Couture," Charles Frederick Worth, in 1888 for a woman being presented at the Russian Court. The overlay is green velvet and the dress and embroidery are silver.

Alice Vanderbilt

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Another Charles Worth design in the late 1800's.

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Godey's Magazine, December 1861

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Godey's showed women what was fashionable. They then copied the designs.

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Photo of Carol Clark Carol Clark
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shared on 01/01/2001

Circa 1865, this woman wrote on the back of the photo that her dress was "blue, very blue"!

Details!

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As you may see by now, 1800's dressing was all about the details and the fabric.

Princess Elisabeth of Saxony

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Royals' dresses were a little fancier, but you see the same basic style.

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President Woodrow Wilson’s wife, 1887

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Photo of Nancy Taylor Nancy Taylor
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shared on 10/15/2014

This is probably from the 1860's or '70's.

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Moi Mid
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shared on 10/24/2014

1899 - big sleeves, less skirt

All those embellishments!

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Provocative for her day

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Photo of Georgia Angell Georgia Angell
16 favorites
shared on 03/20/2015
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Born in the 1790's, she followed 1800's fashion

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Photo of Terri Julians Terri Julians
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shared on 03/21/2015

116 yrs old in 1893!

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Photo of Austin Mannheim Austin Mannheim
3 favorites
shared on 03/27/2015

Don't forget the boys

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Photo of Nelson Anderson Nelson Anderson
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shared on 04/14/2016

Little boy fashion in 1888

Small waists

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Photo of Trudy Tollefson Trudy Tollefson
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shared on 01/06/2015

Yes, corsets were a staple of everyday life

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Photo of Lloydster Lloyd Lloydster Lloyd
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shared on 06/18/2013

Love this hat

Work clothes

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This is a nanny (or "nurse") with her charge in 1869

House of Worth, 1860's

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Great fabric

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Photo of Lawrence Corbett Lawrence Corbett
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shared on 12/03/2014

Look at the original, you can see the luxury of the fabric.

A bustle, a corset . . .

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And the flow of this dress is great! Circa 1860's England.

How many yards of material?

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Photo of Sue Carson Sue Carson
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shared on 11/15/2014

It looks like this circa 1870's dress took many yards of material! (Compared to the one yard (?) in today's clothes.)

Modest Scotland

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She looks to be following the fashion of Queen Victoria after Prince Albert died in 1861.

Mom & daughter

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Photo of Jane Stacy Jane Stacy
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shared on 11/19/2014

As you can see, the basic dress wasn't that different between Moms and daughters. The daughter has a bigger bow, a more sprightly material . . .

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The photo is old (probably 1850's) but look closely - the detail on their dresses is wonderful.

1897 - the latest in hats

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English beach dressing

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Remember: It's not the warm Riviera!

Mid-1800's traveling clothes

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Erin Lybrand
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shared on 11/28/2015

So much clothing!

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This 54 yr old woman, in 1859, must have been exercising every time she moved.

Showing off the bustle

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1895 dresses, Norway

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Now the shoulders are fancy.

Did you know? Charles Frederick Worth, an Englishman who began designing in 1858 Paris, is considered the father of haute couture. He designed dresses for many of the rich and famous (including royalty) and widely influenced fashion in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some of his surviving dresses are seen below.

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