How Did Victorian Women Get Dressed?
Victorian fashion, like many aspects of British society during Queen Victoria’s reign, was defined by order, structure, and formality. Though styles evolved throughout the decades, from the voluminous bell skirts of the 1850s to the bustle-heavy silhouettes of the 1880s, some fundamentals remained consistent — namely, the numerous layers that made up a women’s daily garb. It makes you wonder: Just how long did it take Victorian women to get dressed? And how were they able to manage the various tasks of daily life — to say nothing of simply sitting down — while wearing such cumbersome attire?
The dressing process typically began with undergarments. These included drawers, which in the 19th century consisted of two entirely separate legs joined only at the waistband; a chemise (also known as a shift), a loose underdress typically made of cotton or linen to protect the outer garments from sweat and protect the skin from the corset; and stockings held up by ribbon garters or, later in the 19th century, clips. Shoes — often boots — were also put on at this stage of getting dressed, because once the corset and other garments went on, it became a trickier task.
Corsets were, of course, central to the Victorian silhouette, cinching the waist to emphasize the bust and hips. Early corsets laced up the back using a single long lace threaded through hand-stitched holes, which wore out easily and had to be completely unlaced and re-laced each time. That began to change in 1828 with the invention of metal eyelets, which allowed tighter lacing without damaging the fabric.
Then in the 1850s, the slot-and-stud front-opening busk became more common. With studs on one side and matching slots on the other, women could fasten the corset while keeping the back lacing mostly in place, loosening it enough just to fasten it in the front. The corset could then be slipped on, hooked closed in the front, and then tightened by reaching behind and pulling — no need to step into it or rethread the laces daily.
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Next came a petticoat — or, more typically, several petticoats. Early Victorian-era skirts relied on multiple layers of heavy, hot petticoats, sometimes stiffened with horsehair, to create the full, bell-shaped silhouette favored at the time. By the mid-1850s, however, skirt volume was supported by a new innovation: the cage crinoline, a lightweight, steel-hooped frame worn under the skirt. By the 1870s, emphasis moved to the back of the skirt, and padded belts or cage bustles provided structure at the rear.
After all this architectural groundwork, a woman could finally step into her actual dress. It might consist of a separate bodice and skirt, or, for a more formal occasion, a full gown with buttons, hooks, and decorative trimmings. Most women also accessorized with gloves and bonnets.
It’s certainly a far cry from today’s jeans and a T-shirt, yet getting dressed for the day wasn’t as laborious a process as it may seem, according to Izabela Pitcher. She runs the U.K.-based historical costuming business Prior Attire, specializing in handcrafted, historically accurate garments for reenactors, museums, and interpreters. As she explained on Prior Attire’s YouTube channel, dressing herself in an 1860s day dress with crinoline took her just under 10 minutes. An 1883 day dress, complete with a side-buttoning back-bustle cage, took a little more than 10 minutes.
It’s certainly a far cry from today’s jeans and a T-shirt, yet getting dressed for the day wasn’t always the ordeal we might imagine. The time it took varied depending on the period, the outfit, and the wearer’s social status. For example, the historic interpretation YouTube channel Historic Royal Palaces’ recreation of dressing Queen Victoria in an 1840s day dress claims it took about 20 minutes just to get her corset properly fitted. But by the latter half of the century, innovations such as front clasps on the corset made it easier and faster for women to dress themselves.
Izabela Pitcher, who runs the U.K.-based historical costuming business Prior Attire, demonstrates on her YouTube channel, dressing herself in an 1860s day dress with crinoline in just under 10 minutes. An 1883 ensemble, complete with a side-buttoning bustle cage, takes slightly longer, but still clocks in at a little more than 10 minutes. While some elaborate court or evening gowns would certainly have required assistance, for many Victorian women, dressing solo was expected and achievable.
Still, getting dressed in the Victorian era required a certain level of choreography — as did moving around through the day. Before cage crinolines, sitting down meant carefully managing layers of bulky petticoats. The introduction of the steel-hooped crinoline made skirts lighter but brought its own complications. Though surprisingly flexible and collapsible, cage crinolines were wide enough to make passing through doorways or fitting into carriages an awkward affair — they needed to be gathered and turned. Sitting required women to gather a few hoops behind them and lower themselves down between the rings. Bustles were similar: Though the simpler, padded versions sat higher on the rear and compressed more easily when sitting, the more elaborate wired bustles had collapsible frames that folded inward and required easing into a seat mindfully.
Of course, women still had to heed nature’s call in the Victorian era, which was no small task in such elaborate garb. While many wealthier homes featured indoor water closets by the late 19th century, most people still relied on more rudimentary options. Women typically relieved themselves while in their layers of dress using a handheld chamber pot. Commode chairs were also common, and could be approached frontward or backward. Regardless, women didn’t usually need to undress to use the bathroom: Drawers had an open-front design that allowed women to use the toilet by lifting up their dress or skirt, a practical feature that left the elegance of the era up to the rest of the attire.
