Browse Items (71 total)

Crinolines The hoop skirt or cage crinoline describes a frame hoop undergarment that made skirts full and replaced numerous petticoats that were heavy and dragged on the ground. While lighter hoops were an improvement, they could also be dangerous by…

Godey’s Lady's Book, July 1843 This outdoor scene illustrates three women in day dresses and a woman on horseback. The dresses are characterized by narrow waists and moderately full skirts. The sleeves start below the natural shoulder; the woman in…

From Ackerman's Repository of ArtsJune 1, 1828This ball gown illustrates several features of 1820s fashion. The waistline is moving lower but the sleeves are getting puffier and the skirts are widening at the hem. Many gowns of this period have…

Gentleman’s Magazine, 1860 By 1860, the frock coat was firmly established as the foundation of day wear for gentlemen. In this fashion plate, the frock coat is shown with checked trousers, a matching checked double-breasted waistcoat, white shirt,…

Evening Dresses, 1840s Although undated, this fashion plate shows styles appropriate for evening wear in the 1840s. All dresses follow the same silhouette, which has a smooth V-shape bodice, sloping shoulder, narrow waist, gathered skirt, and…

Godey’s Lady’s Book, February, 1857 While this fashion plate in URI’s collection has been separated from its source, the captions for the identical plate are online at the University of Vermont. Titled “Costumes for a Bridal Reception,” the bride’s…

Le Moniteur de la Mode, April, 1851 While some brides had been wearing white for their weddings since the Neoclassical period, the practice intensified when Queen Victoria married Albert of Saxe-Coburg in 1840. She firmly established the tradition by…

Journal des Demoiselles, 1869 As the 1860s came to a close, the silhouette shifted away from the cage crinoline towards fullness at the back. Thus began the first phase of the bustle silhouette. In this plate, the figure is positioned to show this…

La Mode Illustrée The styles shown here represent the second phase of the bustle period, which lasted from 1878 to 1882. The silhouette, sometimes called the cuirass bodice, is close to the body resulting in a long, narrow look. The ensemble on the…

1880s day dresses The third and final phase of the bustle took place between 1882 and 1888. The bodices of the day dresses shown here have closely fitted torsos and high necklines, and the beginning of puffed upper sleeves. This is when the bustle…