Early Victorian Dresses 1837-1856
We start our journey into historical clothing with the ascention of Queen Victoria to the throne of Great Britain in 1837. The early victorian era would be characterized by dropped shoulders on the bodice supposedly giving the form a feminine grace. Sleeves would be very full at the shoulder- leg-o- mutton style, in the late 1830 and gradually collapse from the shoulder downward in the early 1840s until by the late 1840's the sleeves were very slender- then in the early 1850's they would gradually expand again- this time at the lower arm to form the "pagoda sleeve"
The following are examples of some of my designs from this era.

Wedding Dress Early 1840's This dress was designed for a friend of ours who was getting "remarried" for her anniversary. We chose a patterned ivory gauze, decorated with a row of puffing down the front of the skirt, a wide shawl collar and sleeves with a row of puffing at the top to slim them down into the 1840's style. The bodice is self piped at the back seams, armscye, bodice bottom and neck edge, and the skirt is put on with cartridge pleats and is fully lined. Her husband is a wheel-wright and wagon maker and the portray an 1840's couple on the overland trail, this was to be her "best dress" packed away in a trunk for just such special occasions.

Visiting Dress Circa 1855-1858 A velvet dress made for a Dicken's Fair. This dress features a double tiered velvet skirt cartridge pleated onto the waistband (5 widths) , and a simply designed bodice coming to a point at center front and closing with hooks and eyes. Decorations include satin piping at neck, armscye and bottom, satin lining in the modified pagoda sleeves, bouillion fringe and a vencice lace collar.

Visiting Dress Circa 1837

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