Women Fashion in the 1880s is characterized by the return of the bustle. The long, lean line of the late 1870s was replaced by a full, curvy silhouette with gradually widening shoulders. Fashionable waists were low and tiny below a full, low bust supported by a corset.
After 1878 the high-closing women’s gown became very narrow and tight; the evening gowns are cut low. The very tight corset pushes the bosom up and the lower ribs inwards. Around 1883 the 2nd tour was created: a metal construction that protrudes horizontally from the waist. Often the (now somewhat shorter) skirt is draped. The hair is combed away from the face and put on, with a short or curled fringe. Furthermore, a small hat with ties under the chin; later the hats are worn larger and higher. The woman wears shoes and knot or bomber boots.
The early 1880s was a period of stylistic confusion. On one hand, there is the over-ornamented silhouette with contrasting texture and frivolous accessories. On the other hand, the growing popularity of tailoring gave rise to an alternative, severe style. Some credited the change in silhouette to the Victorian dress reform, which consisted of a few movements including the Aesthetic Costume Movement and the Rational Dress Movement in the mid-to-late Victorian Era advocating natural silhouette, lightweight underwear, and rejecting tightlacing. However, these movements did not gain widespread support. Others noted the growth in cycling and tennis as acceptable feminine pursuits that demanded a greater ease of movement in women’s clothing. Still others argued that the growing popularity of tailored semi-masculine suits was simply a fashionable style, and indicated neither advanced views nor the need for practical clothes. Nonetheless, the diversification in options and adoption of what was considered menswear at that time coincided with growing power and social status of women towards the late-Victorian period.
The bustle made a re-appearance in 1883, and it featured a further exaggerated horizontal protrusion at the back. Due to the additional fullness, drapery moved towards the sides or front panel of the skirt instead. Any drapery at the back was lifted up into poufs. Bodices on the other hand, shortened and ended above the hips. Yet the style remained tailored, but was more structured.
However, by 1886, the silhouette transformed back to a slimmer figure again. Sleeves of bodices were thinner and tighter, while necklines became higher again. Furthermore, an even further tailored-look began to develop until it improved in the 1890s.
Aesthetic costume and Rational fashion
The strict and tight suit gives the woman something untouchable. Between 1880 and 1890 there is a heavy economic pressure which makes cheaper materials use. In England, at the end of the 19th century, the arts and craft movement began in response to mass products: supporters wear loose and shapeless clothing. The movement is ridiculed, but later aspects of it are taken over.
Around 1880 there is already something to be seen about female emancipation; however, the woman is greatly restricted in her freedom of movement. The Rational Dress Society was founded in 1881 in reaction to the extremes of fashionable corsetry.
New fabrics and colors: In the Victorian era, the textile industry developed the first machine looms for simple fabrics, creating a wide range of fabrics. New are tweed and Jersey. The meandermotief is popular and Queen Victoria’s love for Scotland brings a fashion of colorful diamonds under way. The development of the aniline paints (1856) brought new colors to the market, such as purple, magenta, lyon blue and methyl green (1872), and strong red in 1878.
Women’s fashion
Overview
As in the previous decade, emphasis remained on the back of the skirt, with fullness gradually rising from behind the knees to just below the waist. The fullness in back was balanced by a fuller, lower chest, achieved by rigid corseting, creating an S-shaped silhouette, foreshadowing the more radical form of this shape that would become popular in the early 1900s. These gowns typically did not have a long train in the back, which was different from the gowns worn in the 1870s, and were extremely tight. They were known as the “hobble-skirt” due to the tightness of them. Winter gowns were made in darker hues whereas summer ones were made in lighter colors. Velvet was also a very popular fabric used during this period.
Skirts were looped, draped, or tied up in various ways, and worn over matching or contrasting colored underskirts. The polonaise was a revival style based on a fashion of the 1780s, with a fitted, cutaway overdress caught up and draped over an underskirt. Long, jacket-like fitted bodices called basques were also popular for clothing during the day.
Evening gowns were sleeveless and low-necked (except for matrons), and were worn with long over the elbow or shoulder length gloves of fine kidskin or suede.
Choker necklaces and jewelled collars were fashionable under the influence of Alexandra, Princess of Wales, who wore this fashion to disguise a scar on her neck.
The embroidery is very much present on the skirts on the coats.
The drape also remains very present.
The hats are gaining extravagance as pass the outfits of the day to finish with very wide brims and evening panache.
The skirts are cut flat and the bodices close at an angle.
The gloves that are worn all day are simple and up on the sleeve, often enhanced by a bracelet.
The watchis the accessory of the decade, it is everywhere on bracelets, at the end of a chain, on the handle of umbrellas, etc.
| 1880 |
1882 | 1882 |
1883 |
1885 |
|---|
Dress
The early 1880s was a period of stylistic confusion. On one hand, there is the over-ornamented silhouette with contrasting texture and frivolous accessories. On the other hand, the growing popularity of tailoring gave rise to an alternative, severe style. Some credited the change in silhouette to the Victorian dress reform, which consisted of a few movements including the Aesthetic Costume Movement and the Rational Dress Movement in the mid-to-late Victorian Era advocating natural silhouette, lightweight underwear, and rejecting tightlacing. However, these movements did not gain widespread support. Others noted the growth in cycling and tennis as acceptable feminine pursuits that demanded a greater ease of movement in women’s clothing. Still others argued that the growing popularity of tailored semi-masculine suits was simply a fashionable style, and indicated neither advanced views nor the need for practical clothes. Nonetheless, the diversification in options and adoption of what was considered menswear at that time coincided with growing power and social status of women towards the late-Victorian period.
The bustle made a re-appearance in 1883, and it featured a further exaggerated horizontal protrusion at the back. Due to the additional fullness, drapery moved towards the sides or front panel of the skirt instead. Any drapery at the back was lifted up into poufs. Bodices on the other hand, shortened and ended above the hips. Yet the style remained tailored, but was more structured.
However, by 1886, the silhouette transformed back to a slimmer figure again. Sleeves of bodices were thinner and tighter, while necklines became higher again. Furthermore, an even further tailored-look began to develop until it improved in the 1890s.
| 1883 | 1883 | 1883 | 1889 | 1883 |
|---|
Underwear
The bustle returned to fashion and reached its greatest proportions c. 1886–1888, extending almost straight out from the back waist to support a profusion of drapery, frills, swags, and ribbons. The fashionable corset created a low, full bust with little separation of the breasts.
A usual type of undergarment was called combinations, a camisole with attached knee- or calf-length drawers, worn under the corset, bustle, and petticoat. Woolen combinations were recommended for health, especially when engaging in fashionable sports.
Outerwear
Riding habits had become a “uniform” of matching jacket and skirt worn with a high-collared shirt or chemisette, with a top hat and veil. They were worn without bustles, but the cut of the jacket followed the silhouette of the day.
In contrast, hunting costumes were far more fashionably styled, with draped ankle-length skirts worn with boots or gaiters.
Tailored costumes consisting of a long jacket and skirt were worn for travel or walking; these were worn with the bustle and a small hat or bonnet. Travelers wore long coats like dusters to protect their clothes from dirt, rain, and soot.
Aesthetic dress
Artistic or Aesthetic dress remained an undercurrent in Bohemian circles throughout the 1880s. In reaction to the heavy drapery and rigid corseting of mainstream Paris fashion, aesthetic dress focused on beautiful fabrics made up simply, sometimes loosely fitted or with a belt at the waist. Aesthetic ideas influenced the tea gown, a frothy confection increasingly worn in the home, even to receive visitors.
Hairstyles and headgear
Hair was usually pulled back at the sides and worn in a low knot or cluster of ringlets; later hair was swept up to the top of the head. Fringe or bangs remained fashionable throughout the decade, usually curled or frizzled over the forehead, often called “Josephine Curls.”
Bonnets resembled hats except for their ribbons tied under the chin; both had curvy brims. Sometimes people wore ribbons too.
Style gallery 1880–1884
| 1 – 1880 |
2 – 1881 |
3 – 1882 |
4 – 1882 |
5 – 1882 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6 – 1883 |
7 – 1883 |
8 – 1884 |
1.Leona Barel of New Orleans wears a long, fitted jacket with three-quarter-length striped sleeves over a matching striped skirt. A nosegay of flowers is pinned at her waist, c. 1880.
2.Sketch of an extremely modish tennis costume.
3.Georgiana Burne-Jones wears a princess-line gown trimmed with ruched panels and ruffles, c. 1882
4.August 1882 fashion plate shows the return of the bustle: the tight overdress is looped up behind.
5.Whistler’s Portrait of Lady Meux (1881–1882) shows the fashionable full bosom.
6.Misses’ Polonaise has fitted bodice with a low point in front. The front of the skirt is cutaway and the back is looped up after the fashion of the 1780s. It is shown over a gored skirt with ruffles. Throughout the century, younger teenage girls (“misses” in fashion plates) wore their skirts just above their ankles.
7.Bathing dresses of 1883 show fashionable rear fullness.
8.The Empress of Austria in a riding habit, 1884. Her habit has the fashionable corseted silhouette, with a simpler skirt suited for riding, tall shirt collar, and top hat.
Style gallery 1885–1889
| 1 – 1885 |
2 – 1885 |
3 – 1885 |
4 – 1886 |
5 – 1887 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
6 – 1887 |
7 – 1888 |
8 – 1888 |
9 – 1889 |
10 – 1887 |
1.Two-piece dress of c. 1885 the “back shelf” bustle. The bodice is draped up at both sides and worn over a matching underskirt. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, M.2007.211.34a-b.
2.Madame Paul Poirson wears the fashionable neckline of mid-decade, wide at the bust and narrower at the shoulder. Flowers trim her bodice, hair, and draped skirt, 1885.
3.Pair of embroidered suede boots by F. Pinet, Paris, c. 1885. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, M.58.4a-b
4.Outfit which is both strongly influenced by menswear and bustled. Hair is upswept, with bangs. Elbow-length gloves meet the shorter sleeves.
5.Hairstyle of 1887 is swept up into a knot, with the front hair curled and frizzled over the forehead.
6.Fashions from La Mode Illustrée show dresses made of contrasting fabrics worn with “shelf” bustles and opera-length gloves, 1887.
7.Fashions of 1888 feature full busts, large “shelf” bustles, and wide shoulders. Gloves reach the elbow or slightly above.
8.Eleanora Iselin wears a high-necked black satin costume trimmed with beaded passementerie, 1888.
9.Vicomtesse De Montmorand wears an evening gown fastened in back, without a bustle, signalling the styles of the next decade. Her hair is twisted into a small knot on top of her head and is worn with a curly fringe or bangs, 1889.
10.Princess Alix of Hesse wears a high-necked day dress, 1887.
Atypical high-fashion
| 1 – second half of decade |
2 – 1887 |
|---|
1.The 1880s idea of practical women’s attire is seen in this poster showing Annie Oakley wearing shorter skirts and a complete lack of a bustle (acceptable for poorer rural frontier women and/or paid public performers).
2.Japanese print showing two young ladies dressed according to the latest Western fashions of time — except that the colors and designs of the fabrics are to Japanese tastes.
Source from Wikipedia