1840s fashion

Please ignore the terrible background in these pictures... I made this dress in November 2012 to wear to the Great Dickens Christmas Fair. The outfit I had worn for two previous years was mid-1860s, which is a little late for the time period established for the Fair (1842-1863). This year I wanted something earlier, something more typically Dickensian. I've never been a huge fan of the 1840s, but I like the 1850s even less, so 1840s seemed the lesser of two evils. To my surprise, the more I…

I am currently writing a story set in 1840s Yorkshire castle. My protagonist, Amelia, always wears dashing dresses, even if a don’t describe them (unfortunately I can’t describe every s…

Victoria and Albert Museum: 1842, England; This dress is characteristic of fashionable styles from the early 1840s. The neckline is wide with a deep collar or ‘bertha’. The long, tight sleeves are typical of the 1840s, while the short over-sleeves recall the elaborate sleeves of the 1830s. The waist is lengthened in front with a point both front and back. The elaborate applied decorations of the 1830s are now no longer fashionable.

It's a rather beautiful legacy.

1850. Evening Dresses, Godeys, May

So, last week I made a silly mistake and published two Rate the Dresses. I noticed it a few hours later and withdrew the one I hadn’t meant to publish. So most of you only saw the 1780s pastel polonaised froof that I left up (and most of didn’t particularly care for it and rated it a not-very inspiring 5.2 out of 10). But some of you did get a sneak-peek at this week’s Rate the Dress, so have had all week to think about whether you like it or not.. 1840s dresses can be a bit, well, plain and…

cotton day dress, 1845-1849| LACMA Collections