English Clothing Styles in the 1880s
England in 1880 was at the height of the Victorian Era. Paris designers provided the main influence on fashion, but certain innovations, such as the sewing machine and synthetic dyes, contributed to the elaborate styles and colors popular at the time.
Other People Are Reading
-
Women's Fashion
-
Corsets were still an essential wardrobe component, but the rear bustle began replacing the crinoline -- a large hooped contraption worn beneath the skirts. By 1880 the skirt was narrowed, creating a more slender silhouette. Aniline dyes allowed colors to be very vivid, and bright reds, blues and greens often appeared in unusual combinations. Decorative hats and bonnets completed the outfit.
Men's Fashion
-
Men also often wore corsets to achieve the desired cinched-waist look. The tightly tailored sack suit with a narrow lapel was most popular. Shirts had winged, tipped collars and were worn with a necktie, the most stylish of which was a narrow ribbon type. Pants were also narrow, and without a pleat since the hotplate, or iron, had not been invented yet. Hats were a must.
-
Children's Fashion
-
Victorian children were essentially dressed like miniature adults. But where a woman's gown had to come to the ankle, a girl's skirt was allowed to end above the ankle. Eventually, by the end of the 1880s, children's clothing become more comfortable and less restrictive, and girls' styles even began to resemble boys'. For the boys, the knickerbocker suit was popular, with the pants cut off at the knee. Also, the Prince of Wales' sons popularized the sailor suit, in which the blouse had a square collar. It was worn with knickerbockers and a straight, narrow-brimmed hat with black ribbons.
-
