Victorian Times

For the wealthy, silk stockings covered the legs. For the less wealthy, it was wool socks.

Beachwear in Victorian times consisted of a costume which covered the entire body with yards of material. There were exceptions though - arms could be bare from the elbows down.

Ladies had to have their legs completely covered. This was either done by wearing black stockings or, later in the century, pants. Men were able to show their shins. Bathing bonnets were worn by both.

Good quality leather shoes could always be made-to-order, but by 1850 manufactured shoes were available for purchase. Shoes were now made for the ‘proper’ feet.

Etiquette played its part in Victorian clothing. It was considered ‘good etiquette’ to dress appropriately to ones age, and position in society.

To own an umbrella was a social-scale barometer. The wealthy owned their own bumbershoots, while the general public would rent an umbrella if the weather turned wet.

Victorian dress was not complete without a walking stick, or cane. Some canes contained compartments which were useful for holding vials of perfume.

Victorian fashion did include eyeglasses, But, they were strictly for looks and not for the correction of vision. Often, if there were lenses in the frames, those lenses were removed and the empty frames would become part of the ensemble.

Although the cloth for Victorian clothes was manufactured, ready-made outfits were unknown. Seamstresses and tailors were responsible for custom-made creations. Milliners, glovers, and hatters would help to complete the look.

If the pocket-book didn’t allow such individual attention, families would make their own Victorian clothes or find used garments.

The poorer members of society would visit second-hand, even third and fourth-hand, shops for garments which still had some wear in them.