Fashion Plate - Crinolines, 1860

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 getting caught in machinery or carriage wheels. More importantly, skirt fabrics could catch on fire if a woman bumped into a candle or fireplace (Cole and Deihl 2015, 26).  The cage crinoline took over the market after the process for making steel was perfected in 1856.  “Some versions used stiffened rope, caning or whalebone, but the newly invented flexible steel was the most common. It was technologically progressive since it was flexible and could maintain its shape” (Cole and Deihl 2015, 26). 

Most women wore hoops. Modesty required floor length skirts, most likely over pantalets and stockings needed to cover the legs as the hoops moved while walking (Cole and Deihl 2015, 24). Both women in the fahion plate have tiny waists and fitted bodices made possible by corsets. The plate is labeled “Les Modes Parisiennes”, which is from the November issue of Peterson’s Magazine, published in America by Charles Peterson and George Graham from 1843 until 1875 to show the latest fashions in Paris and also to compete with Godey’s Lady’s Book, which was more expensive.

One figure wears a white polka dotted silk evening dress with many flounces trimmed with black lace and red velvet. Flounces served to cover the hoop bands (Bishop 2017). There is a sash with a striped bow tied to the front side. It has a square neck and short puffed sleeves adorned with the same trim as the skirt. The figure wears bracelets on her wrists. A small red velvet bonnet with gold silk embellishment on the back is worn over hair wrapped with a braid around the face. A glimpse of a pointed toe of a shoe is shown.

The other figure wears a solid-colored bright blue day dress. It has a high neck and small white lace collar with buttons down the bodice to a V-shaped waist. There are concentric tiered ruffles and open pagoda sleeves with a full white undersleeve narrowing at the wrist. The hair is parted in the middle with waves around the face. A small green velvet bonnet with yellow flowers adorns the hair.

The production of a fashion plate such as this one involved many steps. It started with a detailed pencil sketch by an artist which was then made into a print by an engraver etching with sharp tools. Ink was put on the plate, paper placed on top, and then a roller put pressure to transfer the sketch. Each one was hand painted one color at a time in a process similar to a small assembly line (Fusich 2005).

References

Bishop, Catherine. "Vintage Victorian: About." Vintage Victorian: Home Page. Last modified April 25, 2017. http://www.vintagevictorian.com/about.html.

Cole, Daniel J., and Nancy Deihl. The History of Modern Fashion: From 1850. Laurence King Publishing, 2015.

Fusich, Monica. "Crinoline Fashion Plates Document." Henry Madden Library, California State University. Last modified December 2005. http://zimmer.csufresno.edu/~monicaf/index.htm.