During my week off before starting my new job I went to Harrods with my friend and then we decided to pay the V & A museum a visit as neither of us had been there in a while. On arrival to the V & A Museum i noticed they have a fashion Exhibition and an underwear Exhibition which is on until next year in march 2017.
The first picture is a loom widths ''Puffled Blocks'' and '' Koren carrot with holes'' made by Jun Ichi Arai (Born 1932) for Nuno Corporation 1980-90 . This was considered fashionable in the high end . I myself personally would not wear it as it is too long, the holes and patches on the dress put me off from the actual dress itself. I am pretty sure this was suitable for when the temperate was cold but not artic weather. Now a days fashion is acutally influenced by the 80s and 90s era and fashion we see on the high street is actually influenced by the high end.They also had on display a few dresses from the Victorian times. My favourite was the green dress as I really liked the colour of the dress, the style of the dress and the cute pink bow on the dress. I could not imagine having to wear all of garments underneath that women used to have to wear .At the beginning of the Victorian era, all clothing was hand-made.
I looked up how many layers did Victorian women use to wear and i came across a website that explained that women wore up to five layers.
The First Layer--The Basics: Stockings reached just above the knee. Stockings were usually black for daytime wear and white or colored for evening. They were held up by garters. By the end of the century, the garters were attached to the corset. Cotton drawers went over the stockings. Drawers were constructed as two overlapping flaps (one for each leg), leaving a seamless crotch for a lady's toilette. A sleeveless knee-length chemise completed the basic undergarments.
The Second Layer--Form and Function: A corset, strengthened with steel or whalebone, pulled in a woman's waist and supported her bustline. It fastened at the front, but long ties in the back could adjust the tightness. Woman pulled them as tight as possible to achieve a tiny waist, sometimes as much as four inches smaller than their natural shape. By the end of the century, corsets had built-in bust enhancers and fell well below the waist to shape the hips also. The Crinoline was a flexible cage of steel which supported the skirt. It collapsed for ease of sitting and storing, but held the skirt into a perfect bell shape. This lightweight contraption replaced the five or six petticoats a woman had to wear previously to achieve the same effect, and at its height, was 18 feet in circumference at the hem.
The Third Layer--Practicality: A Camisole went over the corset. It served as a shield between the dress and the woman's skin, protecting her expensive garment from perspiration and oils. A simple petticoat covered the crinoline to protect the skirt from the steel hoops, and to help the gown lay smooth over the form. A fancier, embroidered petticoat was layered over the first one, the design more intricate when the skirt hem bunched up to reveal the petticoat.
The Fourth Layer--The Dress: Finally came the gown. A proper woman wore a high neck and long sleeves during the day. By dinner time, the neckline dipped, and for elaborate balls, dresses were worn off the shoulder with a mere strap for a sleeve, and necklines plunged to reveal more than just a glimpse of skin. To save on cost, skirts and bodices for day wear were often interchangeable. A woman could create a new look without having to buy a new dress.
The Fifth Layer--Accessories: A Victorian woman was never without gloves and bonnet. Styles varied over the years, but she never left the house without either item. Women often wore caps and gloves indoors as well. Half-boots with thicker soles completed a day or walking outfit, while thin-soled kid slippers accompanied the ball gown. Few examples of slippers are around today because the soles were paper-thin, and often danced through by the end of a busy evening. When venturing outdoors, a woman would wear either a shawl or cape, and she carried a parasol to protect her skin from the sun. Finally, a reticule, or small handbag, completed the outfit. A lady would carry her perfume, handkerchief or fan in her reticule.
The reason i took a photo of the second dress is because i could not imagine wearing that as how would you fit through a door with that. You would pretty much take up the whole pavement with that dress. I thought it was quite interesting.
If you like myself our interested in fashion I highly recommend this Exhibition as it is interesting to see what people used to wear, what fashion designers created and how much fashion has changed over the years.
Here is a link to the Victorian article if you would like to read more: http://www.literary-liaisons.com/article042.htm
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