Victorian Costume for Ladies

This lavishly illustrated book provides irrefutable documentation of ladies' fashions worn in Victorian America from 1860 to 1900. Extensively researched using nineteenth-century fashion, beauty, etiquette, household, and medical literature, the book explores the fluctuations in clothing styles including undergarments, casual wear, sports clothes, common dress, evening attire, hairstyles, and jewelry, while tracing the fascinating impact fashion had on the mental, physical, and social lives of our Victorian ancestors. Chapters on personal hygiene, cosmetics, clothing manufacture, laundry, and the dating of vintage photographs are included, along with updated prices. The period photographs and detailed analysis provide a unique picture of the lives of Victorian women through their styles of dress. This comprehensive and easy-to-read book is an invaluable resource to historians, theatrical costumers, genealogists, museum curators, and historical fashion and photography enthusiasts.