A Victorian Lady's Toliette

     Okay, okay. Let's admit it, we've all (in some point of our lives) wanted on of these types of dresses (c'mon, you know you want to!)



        Just gorgeous. 

      But if you think getting dressed for a dance was hard, then just imagine what it was like to get dressed in one of those dresses. 

     Wait, you-you don't? Seriously? I thought everyone knew! 
     (Hem, Ceci?)
     Yes?
     (Not everyone is obsessed with this time period like you are)
     Oh, okay. I see....
     Well! I'm just going to have to teach you how it is!
     
     First, a Victorian lady would put on her chemise. This is like an undershirt, and it is usually made out of cotton or linen. After this, they put on their drawers. I bet you all know this next one. The famous corset is put on next. We all know that it is made out of whalebone and used to shape the woman's body into a fashionable shape. And if you don't know, now you know.
     Next, a Victorian lady would don her busk, this is two meta strips with nails that had two life's purposes. 1) to shape the front of the dress and 2) to close the corset, preventing it from un-lacing. 
     A corset cover does exactly what its name says it does. It was a shirt like garment worn over the corset to prevent the taille (we'll get into what this is later) from rubbing against the busk. A decency skirt was next. This is just a slim petticoat that made sure that if the wind blew the skirt up, there were no...hem...incidents, shall we say. 
     A tournure is basically a hoop-skirt. This is a bustle to shape the backside of the dress as m'lady pleases. Petticoats were like underskirts. Sometimes they had volants (ruffles) or pockets. In the late 1800's, women usually wore two or three of these. But at the turn of the century, it was fashionable to wear simply one. 
     Now! We can get to the dresses themselves! Yes, all that is to show what they have to wear under the dress. 
     Ballgowns were made out of lightweight materials, such as: silk, sheer wool, or sheer cotton. The skirt was always long enough to go over the hoop (or tournure). The bodice was always tight-fitting, and the sleeves were either elbow-length or short. In the Civil War time period, the waistlines were just below the rib cage and not on the hip. A berthe was then put on. This is a detachable collar of ribbon, lace, and fabric. Then, of course, in the hair, ladies would wear flowers, lace, ribbons, and feathers. 

     There! That's all they had to wear! Yeah, not feeling so bad for yourself now, are you? 

     Now, here are some other Victorian era dresses:

     AHHHHH! I want one soooooooooooooooooooooooooo badly! 

   Okay, please tell us what you think of our first blog post! Also, tell me if you caught that Hamilton quote.