Victorian Fabrics

Victorian Fabrics such as lace and velvet were in style during this time period which allowed dresses and gowns dyed in various colors. For day dresses it was silk or regular cloth; for fancier evening wear it was satin or brocade topped with lace. Evening dresses usually had an extended train. Aesthetic preferences of evening dresses usually entailed with: “diamond stars, crescents and aigrettes” (80). Victorian fabrics also included lace flounces draped over puffy sleeve shoulders for an added touch of flair. Colors such as white were reserved for summer dresses with darker colors for the fall and winter. Sleeves became puffier from the elbow up to the shoulder. The fullness of the sleeves became more pronounced throughout the decade until 1896 witnessed the popularity of the “gigot sleeve” which started narrow at the wrist, above the elbow and manifested into soft folds which formed puffs. The gigot sleeve was also popular with the normal wide sleeve at the shoulders.