I love Victorian things, well actually mainly Edwarian. It is sometimes hard to find things on Victorian fashion and lifestyles on the internet. I hope my web site helps you learn about the time period.
The Victorian period is named after Queen Victoria who reigned from 1839 to 1901. The Edwarian period is the time of of Prince Edward in the early 1900s.
Books from the Victorian and Edwarian time periods
The Betsy-Tacy Series These are my favorites! The books follow Betsy Ray from her fifth birthday to marriage. The books are closely based on the author, Maud Hart Lovelace. Born in 1892, Betsy loves to write and read. She has 2 best friends, Tacy and Tib. These are great books!
Anne of Green Gables Anne is red headed orphan who lives with an old lady, Marilla. There are books even about Annes children! They take place in about the late 1800s. They were written by Lucy Maud Montgomery. There 3 great movies about the books.
Laura Ingalls Wilder I was crazy about these books in 3rd grade! These books were written by Laura Ingalls Wilder about herself. Laura was born in the late 1860s. You can read about her childhood through marriage. There are also books about her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane. These have more of a prarie type setting.
Elsie Dinsmoore These are great books about a Southern heiress. Elsie is a born again christian and loves the Lord. You can also read about her childhood through her marriage. The books are set a little before the Civil War.
Some Victorian Links
Eras of Elegance
Victoriana.com
Living Victorian
Miss Mary's Victorian Links
Victorian Fashion
Some people think that Victorians had one style of dress: long dresses with puffy sleves for women, suits and top hats for men. But, just as they do today, they styles changed each decade. The Edwarian period had slighty different clothing the years prior to it, but the look was mainly the same. So I will do the best I can to describe the styles of dress. Costume through the Ages by James Laver and Mirrior, Mirrior a social history of fashion by Michael and Ariane Batterberry are 2 books which really helped me learn about fashion.
1850s
This was when the crinolinewas in fashion. It was a big hoop skirt the went under the skirt making it stand out. Some times the dresses had lace flounces and shawls were popular. hair was curledand dressed elaboratly with flowers and a type of bonnet was usually worn. Men wore glossy top hats and suits.
1860s
the styles were simalar to the decade before. Sleeves were sometimes belled, or pagoda style. The style for evening gowns were low cut and off the shoulders.
1870s
The crinoline was gone making way for the bustle. There was a seperate "Basque" (like an over skirt) and full trained skirt.
1880s
The bustle was very popular. Corsets, which had been worn form many decades, now made the fashionable 'wasp waist'. A shorter skirt was drawn up an back to expose an underskirt. The hair's fullness was mainly in the back with small hats perched on top of the head. High top boots were for everyday and slippers for evening.
1890s
Each year sleeves got puffier until they reached their peak in 1895 and slowly got smaller. They were a bit less formal than previous years. The hour glass look was desirable. The edge of the sleeve would be equal with the edge of the skirt and the waist was tiny. The victorian era was coming to a close.
1900s
The shirt waist was popular for women and men. The S-shaped silloet and "pidgen breast" were styles for women. The Gibson Girl was the look. The hair's fullness was on the top, such as in a popadour. Hats were huge, covered with flowers, ribbon and even little bird's nests! The shirt waist and skirt was the most common look especially for active women. Little girls wore huge hair ribbons and bows. Boys wore skirts until about 5, knickers until 12 and pants after that. Sleeves were full and salior suits were common. This was the last "season" of the victorian look and in my opinion the best.
Victorian houses and decorating
The Victorian era is very famous for its big old mansions and fancy parlors. I'll admit it, some of the Victorian decorating I just dont like. I dont like the cluttered, often dark and gaudy look of some homes. I prefer the pretty 'romantic' victorian style. Here are some ideas for decorating your room in Victorian fashion.
First, look and see if you have any old furniture or bedding. An old vanity of your mother's or a quilt your grandmother made would be perfect. You can also hang pictures of victorian ladies on your walls and scatter old post cards through out. Try not to have too bright of colors such as lime green and orange. Pink, little blues and mauve are great colors for a victorian room.
In Edwarian times iron beds were popular and thought to be more sanity than wood. "Hurricane" lamps were often used. In almost every bedroom was a pitcher and bowl used for face washing each morning. Wood was used for tables and other furniture.
I found these graphics at:
Cottage Row
Old Time Clipart
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