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Fashion in the 1870s

Fashion in the 1870s: If there is one thing the Victorian Era was known for, it was their outfits. The outfit design and patterns were constantly evolving. while some changes were minute, there were also some drastic changes. The 1870s saw the extreme evolution of fashion with respect to the entire outfits of women as well as men.

Women’s Fashion in the 1870s

Women during this time wore elaborately designed dresses. They wore crinolines. However, these hoop skirts were flat in the front with no change in the back. This gives a lot of emphasis on the back where the dress is decorated with multiple fold and bows.

Fashion in the 1870s
Fashion in the 1870s

The outfits became slimmer and the volume of the skirts decreased compared t the previous times where the skirt’s volume was big to emphasize on the smallness of the waist.

Day dresses for women had high necklines and long sleeves which were tight around the wrists. Evening dresses had very low necklines with short sleeves. These dresses were worn with gloves and sometimes even a velvet ribbon around the neck. This began the trend of wearing chokers.

Fashion in the 1870s

The coattail effect was very popular during this decade. There were backward drawn cloth like drapes which ended with a bow on the back. The cloth under the drapes was made of frills or ruffles and had large folds. This gave an apron-like effect to the gowns.

Women used silk and fur to make their dresses. These dresses were trimmed with fur, lace, and fringes to accentuate the neckline and sleeves. The corset gave a slimness to the waist and the dresses were led highly in the back.

Fashion in the 1870s
Men and Women during the 1870s

Tea gowns and gowns of leisure made an introduction during this decade. Tea gowns were slightly informal dresses which ladies used to do when hosting people for tea in their residence. These dresses were loose and soft, compared to the day dresses or the evening wear which were starched and extremely tight.

Dresses for leisure was a new introduction made into the ladies’ wardrobes. These dresses were bright, but still followed the customs of the normal dresses. This also included a bustle or crinoline but was still considered as seaside fashion.

Men’s Fashion in the 1870s

Men continued to wear the three-piece suit along with a vest, shirt, and a top hat. There was no major change in their outfit and clothing. The waistcoats were short in front and extended to the knees in the back.

Men's Fashion in the 1870s
Men’s Fashion in the 1870s

The three-piece suit consisted of the of a slack coat with a matching waistcoat and trousers. There were separate suits for different occasions. The morning suit was an informal suit. The frock coat was more formal outfits which were worn during the daytime.

The evening suit consisted of a starched three-piece suit with a bow tie. The waistcoat became dark which was different from the usual white color worn on formal occasions.

Hats and Headgears

Women wore their hair in rings. They twirled the hair and tied it in the back or justly the rings fall over their face with the rest of the hair tied in the back. The women started to wear bonnets. They helped to keep the hairstyles intact. The women wore wide-brimmed hats when they spent time outdoors.

Men completed their look with top hats. This was followed by upper-class men. They wore bowler hats when riding and hats are known as boaters while on the sea.

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