Writing Category
The Writer’s Guide to 1850s Women’s Fashion
Posted on July 16, 2021 73 Comments
In the 1850s, the silhouette for women widened again, this time with a focus on the skirt. Although width was also reintroduced to the sleeves with the popularity of the bell-shaped pagoda sleeve. The sobriety of the 1840s was replaced by a love of color, pattern, and trim. Technology was also having a greater impact […]
The Writer’s Guide to 1840s Women’s Fashion
Posted on July 2, 2021 10 Comments
The 1840s continued the somber formal trend that had begun in 1836. The depictions of and expectations for women changed. With the fading of Romanticism, carefree exuberance was replaced by a cultivated austerity and a focus on domesticity. Queen Victoria was a big reason for this shift. She married Prince Albert on February 10th, 1840, […]
The Writer’s Guide to 1830s Men’s Fashion
Posted on June 25, 2021 7 Comments
Men’s fashions during the 1830s reflected the trends in women’s fashion but in a subtler way. Early in the decade, the stylish silhouette was one with wide shoulders, a nipped-in waist, and flaring coattails. Gradually, the shoulders slimmed, and the waistline lengthened. For an overview of fashion for the entire 19th century, please read my […]
The Writer’s Guide to 1830s Women’s Fashion
Posted on June 18, 2021 8 Comments
The 1830s continued the trend of brash, exuberant styles from the previous decade. However, by the middle of the decade, bold trends were suddenly reined in for a more understated and modest look as Romanticism gave way to the Gothic Revival. The coronation of Queen Victoria in 1837 had a large impact on women’s fashions […]
The Writer’s Guide to 1820s Men’s Fashion
Posted on June 11, 2021 7 Comments
The Romantic Movement impacted men’s fashion just as it did for women. Describing this decade, fashion historian Jane Ashelford wrote: “The Romantic movement stressed the creative power of the ‘shaping spirit of Imagination’ and was motivated by a desire to escape from the chilly neo-classicalism of the turn of the century and the harsh realities […]
The Writer’s Guide to 1820s Women’s Fashion
Posted on June 4, 2021 116 Comments
With the death of King George III of England in 1820 and the coronation of George IV, the Regency era was over. Bright saturated colors and patterns came into vogue. Rows of trim and tucks, fluttering ribbons and shimmering gauzes and bobbin lace were used with abandon. After years under the rule of an old […]
The Writer’s Guide to 1810s Men’s Fashion
Posted on May 28, 2021 7 Comments
While women’s Victorian fashions changed wildly between the decades, men’s styles had a more measured and lengthy progression. Each decade saw some changes from the previous one. It is easy to look at men’s fashions from this decade and see the influence they had on the modern suit. A splendid example of this clothing in […]
The Writer’s Guide to 1810’s Women’s Fashion
Posted on May 21, 2021 4 Comments
The 1810’s spanned the Empire era, which ended with the fall of Napoleon’s First French Empire in 1815, and the beginning of the Regency era, which started in 1811 with the regency of Britain’s Prince George. While the high-waisted classically inspired styles of the previous decade continued, a shift in focus to the Romantic Movement […]
The Writer’s Guide to 1800-1810 Women’s Fashion
Posted on May 7, 2021 35 Comments
The first decade of the 19th century is known as the Empire period, named after Napoleon’s First French Empire. It is also sometimes referred to as the Napoleonic era. Women’s clothing of this period is often called Jane Austen dress, since many of the author’s books were written and set during this decade. For an […]
The Writer’s Guide to 19th Century Fashion
Posted on April 30, 2021 39 Comments
The 19th century saw fundamental changes to society and technology as well as fashion. In previous centuries, the fashions of Europe only impacted that continent and perhaps their few colonies. But with the advent of better means of travel and communication, the styles of Europe spread around the world. In several ways, 19th century Western […]
Rebecca Shedd - Author 