Victorian Dancing Dresses to Stand Out at the Ball

Are you invited to a Victorian theme ball? In this kind of party, usually all of the guests will be asked to dance. As the theme is Victorian, of course you should dress as what people dresses up during 1837 or 1901. Although the style of Victorian dancing dresses developed in several ways, the basic style is more or less the same. Victorian dresses have typical characteristics that make them easy to define and recognize. The most noticeable style is the use of crinoline. It is a stiff frame worn under a woman’s skirt to create a full appearance. Sometimes it’s called as a cafe. It helps the gown stand out to outrageous widths. Crinolines were in vogue in that era. Now, they are no longer popular because many modern women find then not practical and not comfortable, either. But, they are still used by a few women.

Victorian dancing dresses are marked with bustle styles. This style replaced the crinoline styles in 1870. What are bustles? They are a frame worn under the dress to make it stick out at the back. Victorian dresses have a snug bodice. That’s why Victorian women wore tight fitting corsets beneath the dress. Usually the corset was embellished with lacey materials. In the early of Victorian time, daytime dresses often came in high necklines. Lower necklines were used for evening gowns. There were also many dresses designed in off-the-shoulder styles. Another difference between daytime and evening gowns was on their sleeve. While daytime dresses had narrow long sleeves, Victorian ball gowns had cap sleeves. There was also an idea of detachable fake sleeves, called engageantes. They were easy to place and remove. Usually they were made of linens or delicate lace.

In the earlier Victorian period, dresses were limited to dark and conservative colors. The design was simple and the fabrics were modest such as cotton for summer and wool for colder seasons. Over time, colorful silks started to become popular in 1870s. Since then, Victorian dancing dresses have been available in brighter colors. Due to the invention of sewing machine, the embellishments and materials were also varied. Lace and ribbons were often used. The real Victorian style dresses are difficult to find in department stores as the stores mainly sell modern gowns. You can buy such classic gowns at antique stores or second hand stores. In such stores, you will also find some Victorian accessories such as hats, rings, and so on.