First up: The Edwardian Period.
The Edwardian Period in England lasted from 1901-1910, and was a time of great change in women's clothing. The Period started with the death of Queen Victoria, who was conservative in her dress and presentation. Her son, the fashionable and jet-setting King Edward VII, brought about the craze of Continental Style. This period also coincided with the Belle Epoque Period (1890-1914) in France and the Turn of the Century Period (1890-1914) in America.
The interesting thing about this Period, starting with the death of Queen Victoria and ending with the horrors of the Great War, is that the contemporary sense of a "leisure class" was born. Wealthy men and women took up outdoor sports, and because of this, women's fashion had to change dramatically.
During the Victorian Period, women wore corsets and crinolines, which then transitioned to bustles in the '70's. Figures were kept neat and tight, and emphasis was placed firmly on the narrow waist.
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| The 'belled' shape which marked the mid-19th century. |
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| The bustle dress of the late Victorian Period. |
During the Edwardian Period, women still wore corsets, but the belled and bustled look of the previous era had gone; the new rage in fashion was the long, lean look of the "Gibson Girl".
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| No crinolines or bustles. Pretty awesome hats. |
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| The "Gibson Girl". Caption reads: "A Northeaster. Some look well in it." |
A low, full bust and wide hips became the epitome of beauty, though the waist remained neat and slender. The S-curve corset became popular. What differs greatly from the Victorian Period is the fact that the hips can be seen, and the bust is over-emphasized.
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| The S-curved corset. |
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| Full bust and hips. |
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| the "New Figure" looks quite strange next to the "Old Style Corset." |
Near the mid-decade, French fashion houses started designing for the thicker waists, narrower hips and flatter chests we see in the fashions of the Great War.
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| 1910 Fashion Plate. |
Women started wearing tweed "suits": jacket and skirt combos worn with "waists" or blouses tailored like a man's shirt. These outfits were easy to move in, and leisured women wore them while sporting.
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| A lady's 'Suit'. |
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| A simple shirtwaist. |
After the Edwardian Period, corsets fell out of fashion, and were replaced by the brassiere. And we've never looked back.
Next Post: Flimsies.
Cheers!
