1840s fashion in European and European-influenced

clothing Clothing (also known as clothes, apparel, and attire) are items worn on the body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin sheets of materials and natural ...

is characterized by a narrow, natural shoulder line following the exaggerated puffed sleeves of the later 1820s and

1830s The 1830s (pronounced "eighteen-thirties") was a decade of the Gregorian calendar that began on January 1, 1830, and ended on December 31, 1839. In this decade, the world saw a rapid rise of imperialism and colonialism, particularly in Asia an ...

. The narrower shoulder was accompanied by a lower waistline for both men and women.

Women's fashion

Gowns

Shoulders were narrow and sloping, waists became low and pointed, and sleeve detail migrated from the elbow to the wrists. Where pleated fabric panels had wrapped the bust and shoulders in the previous decade, they now formed a triangle from the shoulder to the waist of day dresses. Skirts evolved from a conical shape to a bell shape, aided by a new method of attaching the skirts to the

bodice A bodice () is an article of clothing traditionally for women and girls, covering the torso from the neck to the waist. The term typically refers to a specific type of upper garment common in Europe during the 16th to the 18th century, or to the ...

using organ or cartridge pleats which cause the skirt to spring out from the waist. Full skirts were achieved mainly through layers of petticoats. The increasing weight and inconvenience of the layers of starched petticoats would lead to the development of the

crinoline A crinoline is a stiff or structured petticoat designed to hold out a woman's skirt, popular at various times since the mid-19th century. Originally, crinoline described a stiff fabric made of horsehair ("crin") and cotton or linen which was ...

of the second half of the 1850s. Sleeves were narrower and fullness dropped from just below the shoulder at the beginning of the decade to the lower arm, leading toward the flared pagoda sleeves of the

1850s The 1850s (pronounced "eighteen-fifties") was a decade of the Gregorian calendar that began on January 1, 1850, and ended on December 31, 1859. It was a very turbulent decade, as wars such as the Crimean War, shifted and shook European politic ...

and 1860s. Evening gowns were worn off the shoulder and featured wide flounces that reached to the elbow, often of lace. They were worn with sheer

shawl A shawl (from fa, شال ''shāl'',) is a simple item of clothing from Kashmir, loosely worn over the shoulders, upper body and arms, and sometimes also over the head. It is usually a rectangular or square piece of cloth, which is often folded ...

s and opera-length gloves. Other greatly worn hand accessories were a new kind of gloves, usually reaching the forearm in length. These gloves had a lace trim in sophisticated flower designs. Another accessory was a small bag. At home, bags were often white satin and embroidered or painted. Outdoor bags were often green or white and tasseled.Warren, Geoffrey. ''Fashion Accessories''. New York: Drama Book Publishers, 1987. There were also crocheted linen bags. Shoes were made from the same materials as handbags. There were slippers of crocheted linen and bright colored brocade satin slippers that tied around the ankle with silk ribbon.

Hairstyles and headgear

The wide hairstyles of the previous decade gave way to fashions which kept the hair closer to the head, and the high bun or knot on the crown descended to the back of the head. Hair was still generally parted in the center. Isolated long curls dangling down towards the front (sometimes called "spaniel curls") were worn, often without much relationship to the way that the rest of the hair was styled. Alternately the side hair could be smoothed back over the ears or looped and braided, with the ends tucked into the bun at the back. Linen

cap A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. Caps typically have a visor, or no brim at all. They are popular in casual and informal se ...

s with frills, lace, and ribbons were worn by married women indoors, especially for daywear. These could also be worn in the garden with a parasol.

Bonnet A Bonnet is a variety of headgear, hat or cap Specific types of headgear referred to as "bonnets" may include Scottish * Blue bonnet, a distinctive woollen cap worn by men in Scotland from the 15th-18th centuries And its derivations: **Feath ...

s for street wear were smaller than in the previous decade, and were less heavily decorated. The decorations that did adorn bonnets included flowers on the inside brim or a veil that could be draped over the face. Married women wore their caps under their bonnets. The crown and brim of the bonnet created a horizontal line and when tied under the chin, the brim created a nice frame around the face. This style was also often called the "coal-scuttle" bonnet because of its resemblance to the metals scoops used to shovel coal into furnaces. For evening, feathers, pearls, lace, or ribbons were worn in the hair. There was also a small brimless bonnet worn with the ribbon untied at the nape of the neck.

Outerwear

With the narrow, sloping shoulder line of the 1840s, the shawl returned to fashion, where it would remain through the 1860s. It was now generally square and worn folded on the diagonal. A daguerreotype of a Victorian couple in 1840s clothing

A daguerreotype of a Victorian couple in 1840s clothing

Riding habit A riding habit is women's clothing for horseback riding. Since the mid-17th century, a formal habit for riding sidesaddle usually consisted of: * A tailored jacket with a long skirt (sometimes called a petticoat) to match * A tailored shirt o ...

s consisted of a high-necked, tight-waisted jacket with long snug sleeves, worn over a tall-collared shirt or

chemisette A chemisette (from French, "little chemise") is an article of women's clothing worn to fill in the front and neckline of any garment. Chemisettes give the appearance of a blouse or shirt worn under the outer garment without adding bulk at the wa ...

, with a long matching petticoat or skirt. Contrasting waistcoats or vests cut like those worn by men were briefly popular. Tall hats or broad-brimmed hats like those worn by men were worn. With the new narrower sleeves, coats and jackets returned to fashion. These were generally knee-length with a cape-like collar. Ankle-length cloaks with cape-collars to cover slits for the arms were worn in cold or wet weather. Ermine muffs with attached handkerchiefs were worn to keep hands warm and be fashionable. The pelerine was a popular name for wide, capelike collars that extended over the shoulders and covered the upper chest. Sometimes they had layers of tiered fabric, long front panels hanging down from center front, or were also belted at the natural waistline. The

mantlet A mantlet was a portable wall or shelter used for stopping projectiles in medieval warfare. It could be mounted on a wheeled carriage, and protected one or several soldiers. In the First World War a mantlet type of device was used by the French ...

was a general name for any small cape worn as outerwear.

Style gallery — 1840–1844

File:Rosalie Julie Freiin von Bonar.jpg, 1 – c. 1840 File:Fashion1841.jpg, 2 – 1841 File:Wiener Moden 1841 Damen.jpg, 3 – 1841 File:Louise d'Orléans, reine des Belges.jpg, 4 – 1841 File:1842-La-Mode-riding-habit-contrast.gif, 5 – 1842 File:Fanny Hensel 1842.jpg, 6 – 1842 File:LeMoniteur de laMode1844.jpg, 7 – 1844 File:1844 fashion Plate.jpg, 8 – 1844 File:Mrs. Juliann Jane Tillman, preacher of the A.M.E. Church - from life by A. Hoffy ; printed by P.S. Duval. LCCN96508292.jpg, 9 – 1844 # Transitional dress, c. 1840. The fullness at the shoulder has moved down the arm, and although the dress is still belted in the 1830s manner, the fabric is gathered in to accentuate the V-shaped front rather than the breadth of the shoulders. This is an early image of hair worn in cascades of curls or ringlets. # 1841 fashion plate shows lower sleeve fullness, triangular or V-shaped emphasis in the bodice, and a sloping shoulder line. The indoor cap is trimmed with ribbon loops and frills. #

Viennese Viennese may refer to: * Vienna, the capital of Austria * Viennese people, List of people from Vienna * Viennese German, the German dialect spoken in Vienna * Music of Vienna, musical styles in the city * Viennese Waltz, genre of ballroom dance * V ...

summer fashions for 1841 feature pleated panels at the breast and sloping shoulder over long sleeves. The waist is narrow and slightly pointed, and skirts are bell-shaped. # Marie-Louise, Queen of the Belgians wears a red velvet evening gown with a pointed waist. Her hair is worn in a mass of sausage curls, 1841. # A fashion plate from ''La Mode'' which seems to play up the contrast between a menswear-influenced riding habit and more ordinary high fashion. #

Fanny Hensel Fanny Mendelssohn (14 November 1805 – 14 May 1847) was a German composer and pianist of the early Romantic era who was also known as Fanny (Cäcilie) Mendelssohn Bartholdy and, after her marriage, Fanny Hensel (as well as Fanny Mendelssohn He ...

wears the V-neckline, sloped shoulder, and cascades of side curls fashionable in 1842. #

Fashion plate A fashion plate is an illustration (a plate) demonstrating the highlights of fashionable styles of clothing. Traditionally they are rendered through etching, line engraving, or lithograph and then colored by hand. To quote historian James Laver, ...

from ''Le Moniteur de la Mode''. Morning dress (left) with cape-collared jacket and evening gown (right). #

Dresses A dress (also known as a frock or a gown) is a garment traditionally worn by women or girls consisting of a skirt with an attached bodice (or a matching bodice giving the effect of a one-piece garment). It consists of a top piece that covers ...

of August 1844 show detail on lower sleeves. The dress on the left is an evening style. #African-American preacher Juliann Jane Tillman, 1844.

Style gallery — 1845–1849

File:Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres - Comtesse d'Haussonville - Google Art Project.jpg, 1 – 1845 File:Stieler Gumppenberg.jpg, 2 – c. 1845 File:BCKoekkoek Young Lady.jpg, 3 – 1846 File:Riding Habit Fashion Plate c1847.jpg, 4 – c. 1847 File:Johann Baptist Reiter, Betrachtung im Neglige.jpg, 5 – 1847 File:Rothshield by ingres.jpg, 6 – 1848 File:Maria Carolina Augusta di Borbone, Principessa delle Due Sicilie (1848).jpg, 7 – 1848 File:Fashion Engraving 1849.jpg, 8 – 1849 # Countess d'Haussonville wears her hair parted in the center and smoothed over her ears. # Hairstyle of c.1845, with a central part, long sausage curls, and a bun on the back of the crown, is a fashionably romantic echo of mid-seventeenth century styles. This style would remain popular into the next decade. German, c. 1845. # Young lady of Holland wears a lace collar and ruffled chemise or chemisette with her dark dress. #

of a riding habit c. 1847 features a cutaway jacket over a contrasting waistcoat and shirt with a stiff turned-down collar. The lady wears a dashing plumed hat. # Underwear of 1847: This woman is unlacing her corset, having stepped out of her petticoats. Her chemise is knee-length, with sleeves ending just above the elbow. # Baroness Rothschild wears a pink satin evening gown with rows of ruching at the hem and lace frills at the collar and sleeves, all trimmed with ribbon bows. Her hair is smoothed over her ears and decorated with ostrich plumes, 1848. # In Winterhalter's portrait of 1848, Princess Maria Carolina Augusta of Bourbon-Two Sicilies wears her hair parted in the center and hanging in sausage curls. Her skirt is gathered with wide, flat pleats, and the pleating on her bodice is visible through the black lace. #

Fashion illustration Fashion Illustration is the art of communicating fashion ideas in a visual form that originates with illustration, drawing and painting and also known as Fashion sketching. It is mainly used by fashion designers to brainstorm their ideas on pap ...

of 1849. The lady on the left wears a low-waisted morning dress and an outdoor bonnet. The lady on the right wears a short jacket over her dress and a lacey indoor cap.

Dresses

File:Evening Dress 1840-42 American.jpg, 1 - 1842 File:Woman's Dress Ensemble LACMA M.2007.211.941a-e (11 of 13).jpg, 2 - 1840 court dress File:Dress MET 1979.346.41 F.jpg, 3- 1840 File:Dress MET 26.157 F.jpg, 4 File:Dress MET 26.157 d.jpg, 5 File:Dress MET CP821 front CP4.jpg, 6 - 1840 File:Woman's Dress LACMA M.2007.211.746a-b (13 of 18).jpg, 7 - 1840 # 1842 evening cream-colored dress # 1840 court dress # 1840 white dress # Blue silk dress # Dress fabric in detail # 1840 dress # 1840 dress

New Orleans fashion

Portrait, Felicite Emma Aimé, Jacques Amans

Men's fashion

Overview

In this period, men's fashion plates show the lowered waistline taking on a decided point at the front waist, which was accompanied by a full rounded chest. Prince Albert (husband of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

) had a high influence on male fashion, primarily because of his young age at the time of his wife's coronation, and his great attention to his appearance. Therefore, the clothing, particularly of upper class gentleman, continued to follow the trend of earlier decades with full shoulders and chest, and a tightly cinched waist.

Shirts and cravats

Shirt A shirt is a cloth garment for the upper body (from the neck to the waist). Originally an undergarment worn exclusively by men, it has become, in American English, a catch-all term for a broad variety of upper-body garments and undergarments. I ...

s of linen or cotton featured lower standing collars, occasionally turned down, and were worn with wide cravats or neck ties tied in several different ways: # Around the neck, knotted in front and puffed up to hide the shirt collar and create a pigeon like neck # Similar to the first version but tucked down into the waistcoat # Around the neck and knotted into a bow tie # The "Osbaldiston", a barrel shape knot under the chin # Knotted in a wide pointy bow. Dark cravats were popular for day wear and patterned ones were worn in the country. At this time, the dickey was introduced, a false shirt-front usually made of satin. It was worn as an "intentionally messy" look.Bigelow, Marybelle S. ''Fashion In History''. Minneapolis: Burgess Publishing Company, 1979.

Coats and waistcoats

Frock coat A frock coat is a formal men's coat characterised by a knee-length skirt cut all around the base just above the knee, popular during the Victorian and Edwardian periods (1830s–1910s). It is a fitted, long-sleeved coat with a centre vent at th ...

s (in French redingotes) were worn for informal day wear, were calf length, and might be double-breasted. Shoulders were narrower and slightly sloped.

Waistcoat A waistcoat ( UK and Commonwealth, or ; colloquially called a weskit), or vest ( US and Canada), is a sleeveless upper-body garment. It is usually worn over a dress shirt and necktie and below a coat as a part of most men's formal wear. I ...

s or vests were single- or double-breasted, with shawl or notched collars, and might be finished in double points at the lowered waist. A cutaway

morning coat A tailcoat is a knee-length coat (clothing), coat characterised by a rear section of the skirt, known as the ''tails'', with the front of the skirt cut away. The tailcoat shares its historical origins in clothes cut for convenient horse riding i ...

was worn with light trousers for any formal daytime occasion; eveningwear called for a dark tail coat and trousers. A frock coat was a tight fitting coat with the front cut up to the waistline, this was for casual wear. A vest replaces the waistcoat at this time, they were still very decorative with no collar. A pardessus for men was a large, black formal cape with a yoke across the shoulder line. A

chesterfield coat The Chesterfield is a formal, dark, knee-length overcoat with a velvet collar introduced around the 1840s in the United Kingdom, with prominence attributed to its namesake George Stanhope, 6th Earl of Chesterfield, then a leader of British fash ...

was a calf-length, fur-lined coat, with a fur collar, cuffs and lapels. There was also no waistline seam.

Trousers

Full-length

trousers Trousers (British English), slacks, or pants are an item of clothing worn from the waist to anywhere between the knees and the ankles, covering both legs separately (rather than with cloth extending across both legs as in robes, skirts, and dr ...

had fly fronts.

Breeches Breeches ( ) are an article of clothing covering the body from the waist down, with separate coverings for each human leg, leg, usually stopping just below the knee, though in some cases reaching to the ankles. Formerly a standard item of Weste ...

remained a requirement for formal functions at the British court (as they would be throughout the century). Breeches continued to be worn for horseback riding and other country pursuits, especially in Britain, with tall fitted boots.

Hats and hairstyles

The crowns of tall hats were straighter than in the previous period, and grew taller on the way to the stovepipe shape of the

. They were essential for formal occasions and in cities. Wide-brimmed

hat A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...

s were worn outdoors in sunny climates. Curled hair and sideburns remained fashionable, along with mustaches.

Style gallery

File:Wiener Moden 1841 Herren.jpg, 1 – 1841 File:Francesco Hayez 040.jpg, 2 – 1841 File:Charles Edward Trevelyan.jpg, 3 – 1840s File:Stieler, Joseph Karl - Alexander von Humboldt - 1843.jpg, 4 - 1843 File:Henry Somerset, 7th Duke of Beaufort by Henry Alken.jpg, 5 – 1845 File:Alexandre Cabanel - Self Portrait (1847).jpg, 6 – 1847 File:Mens fashion plate 1848.jpg, 7 – 1848 File:Edgar Allan Poe 2.jpg, 8 – 1849 # Viennese fashion plate of 1841 shows at-home wear (a patterned dressing gown) and visiting wear. The top hat is becoming taller. #

Alessandro Manzoni Alessandro Francesco Tommaso Antonio Manzoni (, , ; 7 March 1785 – 22 May 1873) was an Italian poet, novelist and philosopher. He is famous for the novel '' The Betrothed'' (orig. it, I promessi sposi) (1827), generally ranked among the maste ...

wears tan fly-front trousers with a dark coat and waistcoat. Italy, 1841. # British civil servant

Charles Edward Trevelyan Sir Charles Edward Trevelyan, 1st Baronet, (2 April 1807 – 19 June 1886) was a British civil servant and colonial administrator. As a young man, he worked with the colonial government in Calcutta, India. He returned to Britain and took ...

wears a boldly checked waistcoat and a patterned cravat with fly-front trousers and a dark frock coat, 1840s. #

Portrait A portrait is a portrait painting, painting, portrait photography, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expressions are predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, Personality type ...

shows

Alexander von Humboldt Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (14 September 17696 May 1859) was a German polymath, geographer, naturalist, explorer, and proponent of Romantic philosophy and science. He was the younger brother of the Prussian minister, p ...

in formal dress, 1843. # The Duke of Beaufort wears a dark coat and breeches with a deep red waistcoat. His black cravat is fastened with a stick pin, and he wears heeled boots in 1845. #

Alexandre Cabanel Alexandre Cabanel (; 28 September 1823 – 23 January 1889) was a French painter. He painted historical, classical and religious subjects in the academic style. He was also well known as a portrait painter. According to ''Diccionario Enciclopedi ...

wears his cravat loosely tied and secured with a stickpin, 1847. # 1848 fashion plate shows the lowered waistline and full, rounded chest popular in the latter 1840s (compare to the waistline of the 1841 styles). # Daguerreotype of poet Edgar Allan Poe, C.1849

Fashion plates

File:Magasin_för_konst,_nyheter_och_moder_1840,_illustration_nr_40.jpg, 1840 File:Magasin_för_konst,_nyheter_och_moder_1841,_illustration_nr_44.jpg, 1841 File:Magasin_f%C3%B6r_konst,_nyheter_och_moder_1841,_illustration_nr_16.jpg, 1841 File:Magasin_för_konst,_nyheter_och_moder_1841,_illustration_nr_32.jpg, 1841 File:Magasin_för_konst,_nyheter_och_moder_1843,_illustration_nr_24.jpg, 1843 File:Stockholms_mode-journal-_Tidskrift_för_den_eleganta_werlden_1843,_illustration_nr_10.jpg, 1843

Children's fashion

In this period, children's wear followed trends found in adult fashion. Wool and cashmere were popular textiles for baby cloaks while cotton was still widely accepted for toddler dresses, drawers and play wear. A popular silhouette for toddlers was a cotton bodice, pleated skirt and long sleeves. Small boys (ages 3 through 6) commonly wore a tunic suit. The jackets were fitted to the waist and then flared out to a full skirt ending at knee length. This was worn over trousers, or for very small boys with drawers. A round-collared shirt was usually worn underneath the jacket. Elementary to older age boys wore an Eton suit, which was a short, waist-level jacket, trousers, round-collared shirts, vest and sometimes neckties. In 1840 flat caps were popularly worn for boys. Small girls wore cotton drawers, cotton chemise, petticoats and stockings. As girls got older in age they followed the trend of their mothers and began to wear stays or tight corsets. "Barley" or "sugar" curls became a popular hairstyle for both girls and boys: they were long, droopy curls that framed the face. File:Thomas Sully 001 detail 2.jpg, Young boy in tunic, shirt, and trousers, 1840 File:Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot 037.jpg, French boy, 1843–44 File:Edward VII (1841 – 1910).jpg, Prince Albert Edward, The future

King Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria a ...

in a

sailor suit A sailor suit is a uniform traditionally worn by enlisted seamen in a navy or other governmental sea services. It later developed into a popular clothing style for children, especially as dress clothes. Origins and history In the Royal Navy, the ...

, 1846 File:Fashion plate young girl 1849.jpg, Fashion plate of young girl's costume, 1849

Photographs

File:Dorothy Catherine Draper crop.jpg, Dorothy Draper ca 1840 File:Talbot,_William_Henry_Fox_-_Zwei_Personen_im_Park_von_Lacock_Abbey_(Zeno_Fotografie).jpg , between 1842 and 1844 File:Künstlerverein.jpg , 1843 File:Mr_Laing_or_Laine.jpg , 1843 File:Newhaven Fisherman LACMA M.2008.40.984.jpg, 1844 Portret_van_een_jongen_en_meisje_Portret_van_een_onbekende_jongen_en_meisje%2C_RP-F-F14430-A.jpg, 1845 File:D.O._Hill_and_W.B._Johnstone_MET_DP142360.jpg, 1843–47 File:Brothers_Grimm_Blow.jpg, The Brothers Grimm 1847 File:H.C.Andersen_daguerreotypi.jpg, H C Andersen 1847 File:Elizabeth_Eastlake_c1847.jpg, Elizabeth Eastlake ca 1847 File:Unknown_maker,_British_-_Sir_David_Brewster,_Mrs._James_Brewster,_and_Mr._and_Mrs._Adair_Craigie._-_Google_Art_Project.jpg, ca 1847 File:D.O._Hill4.jpg, Calotype of Ellen Milne & Agnes Milne between 1843 and 1848 File:Unidentified_Woman_MET_DP140541.jpg, Between 1843 and 1848 File:Emily_Dickinson_daguerreotype_(Restored).jpg, Emily Dickson ca 1848 File:Clark_sisters,_five_women,_three-quarter_length_portraits,_all_facing_front_LCCN2004664300.jpg, Clark Sisters ca 1848

References

* Ashelford, Jane: ''The Art of Dress: Clothing and Society 1500–1914'', Abrams, 1996. * Goldthorpe, Caroline:
From Queen to Empress: Victorian Dress 1837–1877
', Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1988, (full text available online from the Metropolitan Museum of Art Digital Collections) * Tozer, Jane and Sarah Levitt, ''Fabric of Society: A Century of People and their Clothes 1770–1870, Laura Ashley Press,

External links

1840s Fashion Plates of men, women, and children's fashion
from The Metropolitan Museum of Art Libraries
1840s Men's Fashions
— c. 1840 Men's Fashion Photos (Daguerreotypes) with Annotations

at Victoriana.com
1840s Fashions in the Staten Island Historical Society Online Collections Database
{{Timeline of clothing and fashion 1840s fashion History of clothing (Western fashion)