19th Century Fashionista--Part One: Choosing What To Wear By Jaymi Trimble M.A. Southern Antebellum History

It is Sunday.  This morning, I got up, put on bike pants, a t-shirt and slipped into a pair of Ariat boots.  I live on a farm.  This is pretty common attire—even on weekdays—and sometimes my ensemble is picked up off the floor where I dead-tired dropped it the night before!!   If I lived in the 1800s, my regiment would not be so gloriously simple.  In fact, I would be so depressed about the thought of getting dressed (over and over throughout the day), I might not get out of bed!  

In the 1800s, women of a certain class, spent their time being pretty, socializing…and dressing.  Just writing this, I am overwhelmed at the mind-numbing tedium of a life’s purpose studying and following etiquette then selecting an array of garments to remain within the confines of it.  

The main source of fashion and etiquette back in those days was the Godey's Lady's Book.  It might surprise you to learn that the force behind the pages of this extremely popular ladies magazine...was a man.  Godey, a self-taught son of French immigrants with no education, was a publisher who wanted to make MONEY.  For seven years 1830-1837, he published the Godey's Lady's Book...with the help of no women until 1837, when he hooked up in a business venture with a schoolteacher named Sarah Josepha Hale.  Hale is remembered for writing Mary Had A Little Lamb (among other things).  Hale's father owned and ran a tavern.  Etiquette? Fashion? My, my, my.

Ok.  Time to get out of bed.  So...if you were upper or middle class, you would first need to think about what your day had in store.  This was crucial because there was a dress style for every occasion and you best know the difference or your social standing could suffer.  In fact, you would probably have had to change your outfit several times in a day!  If you made the wrong choice, there would be tittle-tattle that involved a hand in front of one’s mouth and a conspiratorial lean toward the lady sitting nearest.  The lightning speed of the ether had nothing on how fast whisper-tales could spread like wildfire, setting a woman’s reputation ablaze.

Best not let your tongue waggle too much because there were ways of dealing with that nasty little problem.   Interesting contraption though it was, a Punish Gossip, also known as a Scold's Bridle or Brank's Bridle, was a way of punishing women who gossiped and exposing them to public humiliation.  The contraption was an iron muzzle that enclosed the head and it had a bit (often studded with spikes), about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide that fit into the mouth and pressed the tongue down.   Actually, that did not happen in the 1800s—rather the 1500s &1600s in Europe.

Ok.  So now you’re up, and it’s time to pick the first dress of the day!!  Let the choices begin...

Are you planning to lounge around the house today?  If so, your best choice would be a house dress, which was worn ONLY in the home!  You best not be running out to the 7-11 for a Twinkie in your house dress, or scandal would await.  This was a plain dress, considered comfortable by 19^th century standards and lovely (not) with its high neckline, long sleeves, subdued color and no decoration.  By all means, don’t forget that bonnet (especially on bad hair days). 

If your desire was to receive visitors, you would frock yourself in a Toilette de Reception ensemble, which was a snazzier version of the house dress.  You could, of course, receive guests in your house dress, but hey, if you've got it flaunt it.  Taking the time to dress for visitors was said to show respect for the visitor.  I’m thinking it might have been to show off just a little.  Oh, and it was not necessary for the reception dress or the house dress to change with the seasons (as most other dresses would), since you wouldn't have been going out.

Man or woman (or cross-dresser), dressing for success in the 19th Century was serious business.

Now, if you were inclined to go visiting, you would wear the Toilette de Visite—BUT only if you were going visiting during the daytime.  And you would really have to be careful in choosing this dress because it had to be polite in its design, yet have a subdued elegance that didn't embarrass the hostess (just in case she was of lesser means).  Dress selection was very serious business (just ask Godey!!!).  Now, this dress would need to reflect the seasons—BUT—accessories like coats and things were considered add-ons, not part of the dress.  Seriously, it might be winter-like cold on an April spring day so you couldn't be seen wearing a winter dress, but you could be seen wearing a winter coat!!  By the way, if you were planning on stepping over the threshold of a door leading outside, you better properly and according to etiquette, have your head covered with a hat or bonnet. 

This is a picture of one of my ancestors, going visiting in her Toilette de Visite.  Notice her sweet disposition (that is a family trait) :)

If a promenade was on your agenda, then you would want to attire yourself in an outdoor dress you could wear for a nice walk.  This dress would definitely need to be season appropriate (have y’all ever been to the South in the Summer!!).  Since this was an outside dress, fashion accessories such as gloves, coat, mantilla, parasol, etc would definitely have been part of the ensemble.  In your hand, summer or winter, there might have been a walking stick.  Not for need, rather fashion…and many of those walking sticks had a more important purpose—the top of the walking stick unscrewed to reveal a small flask, perhaps for refreshment along the way.  What happens on the promenade, stays on the promenade!!!

Would you Power Walk in these??

What in the world would you wear if you decided to go calling on a day like this???

If you were going somewhere that required travel by carriage or coach, you would need to choose a practical dress that would keep you warm…or cool, depending on the season.  Bottom line, you had to be able to get on and off that coach gracefully (a.k.a. not falling flat on your face and bringing shame and disgrace onto you and your family!!).  Oh, and travelling dresses would need to be made in colors on which dust wouldn't be too conspicuous.

Equestrian pursuits, (riding sidesaddle of course), were considered the only sport women could participate in until the late 19^th century (with the occasional exception made for riding a camel).   Women were well-heeled in their equine (or dromedary) pursuits.  Red, black and green were the most popular habit colors—a carry-over of hunt colors from the 18^th century.  To accommodate the side saddle, there were no skirt supports and the fabric was sturdy so it wouldn't rip if a twig was snagged, showing a lady’s unmentionables. 

As the late afternoon rolled around, it would be time to dress for dinner, or supper (as the case may be).  Necklines would plunge and sleeves would become shorter.

After dinner, a concert, perhaps the theater, or a party might be fun and, if so, evening dress would be in order.  Evening dress would reflect beauty and status, without quite reaching the elegance of a ball gown.  Close, but not quite. 

Ball gowns were considered the height of elegance.  These dresses were intricate, showcasing the wearer’s taste and social standing and the seamstress’ talents.  The ball gown is a lady’s best dress, with all the accoutrements of beauty and wealth sewn up in dozens of yards of exotic imported fabric.  Like a flower to a bee, it was meant to attract attention (and possibly a husband) with a low neckline, no sleeves, tight bodice and a lot of trim.  Some ball gowns sported 50 feet of ruffles.  That’s like 5 stories of ruffles! 

My goodness!  What a day!! You've been taking callers, calling, dining, promenading, riding, traveling and dancing.  You must be exhausted!! You're not? You want to what??!! Go shopping??!!  Wow!!  You truly are a true 19^th Century Fashionista.

Hope to see y'all back soon for "19th Century Fashionista--Part Two--Putting It ALL On," when we’ll foray into how in the blue blazes to get ALL this frockery on using the necessary undergarments, stays, ties, laces, contraptions, etc—and in what order to put them on.  

Thank you for stopping by!