The glorious Edwardian era saw the height and end of the opulence classically considered to belong to Victorian society. This period of beautiful fashions is grossly neglected, more often than not lumped together with the earlier Victorian Era. But new influences were effecting fashions—changes in the world and society. Now, perhaps more than ever, a superfluity of feathers, lace, furs, and silks was advocated in dress. The Victorian era—the classic age of elegance—ended in 1901 when Queen Victoria died. The coronation of King Edward ushered in the new Edwardian era, existing from 1901-1919—an age that was arguably even more extravagant than the golden Victorian years.
The hour-glass figure of the 1890’s soon died out in favor of the mature, sumptuous S-curve silhouette of the early Edwardian era. As it is described in the book, All of a Kind Family: “Here’s my front—the rest of me is coming behind!”
Like her sisters in the Victorian age, a fashionable Edwardian woman’s striking appearance began with her undergarments. The health-conscious Edwardians had designed new corset, intended to open up the bosom for easier breathing, and to follow the contours of the spine.
Dubbed a “monobosom” by fashion designers, this corset smoothed and dropped the bust to a low sweep, nearer the waist than the neck, unlike the previous era. Doubtless, women of the early 1900’s would have at last seen relief in this new design from the tortuous corsets of the last century, were it not for the fact that tiny waists—often no wider than the breadth of a hand—were still in vogue.
In addition to a corset and chemise [a loose light undergarment, like a full-length slip], up to six petticoats were worn, each of expensive taffetas and organdies, chosen so they would rustle and whisper with each move the wearer made. In order to further heighten the dramatic S-curve effect, dressmakers concocted the “Pouter Pigeon” blouse. These blouses, paired with a flaring, floor-length skirt constituted the classic “Gibson Girl” figure, so desired by the early Edwardian women. Seamstresses sewed pouches and cascades of lace and silk to fronts of blouses to further accentuate the low, sweeping bust of the S-curve figure.
Unlike previous Victorian styles, it was not fashionable for the Edwardian women to show much skin. Everyday dresses sported high, stiff collars, while in the evening the necklines fell dramatically, yet still without showing any undue skin, thanks to the mono-bosomed, or low-breasted styles that pushed everything downward.
In contrast to the pouter-pigeon blouse, the aforementioned flared skirt were streamlined and sleek, conforming to the figure of the Edwardian woman, and flaring out at the bottom in the well-known “mermaid” style. This flare was achieved by adding gores to the skirt; as many as fifteen in some cases! Dresses and skirts were designed to twirl and sway around the ankles and feet, adding to the regal glide of the Edwardian beauty.
The shawls of the mid to late 1800’s were no longer in vogue, being replaced by jackets, sporting coats, and shoulder-capes.
As if the gown of an Edwardian woman was not elegance enough, she was never complete without a showy fur or feather boa, a fine pair of gloves, and an elaborate hat. The high-fronted pompadour Victorian beauties advocated was still in fashion, flattened somewhat in the front, and enhanced by elegant puffs and draping at the side and back. These styles, of course, could not be achieved by the average Edwardian lady without the support of hair frames, rats, and switches of false, or collected, hair.
Once the beau font hairstyle was in place, the Edwardian woman finished her attire with a hat—the bigger the better in most cases. Milliners concocted enormous works of art to crown the heads of society women. A splendid array of feathers, ribbons, fruit and anything else in the reach of the mind found its way to the stately position on the head of the regal, fashion-conscious woman. Perhaps the largest, and most ridiculous of them all appeared as the Merry Widow hat: a huge picture hat secured to the head by a foot-long hat pin.
Several examples of this style...
By 1909, however, fashions became more calm, cool, and collected. Belts, starched collars, vests, and neckties came into vogue as the fashion solution for women entering professions hitherto open only to men. Hats downsized and become more practical, while hairstyles relaxed and conformed more to the natural shape of the head, finally softening to a Grecian knot by the late nineteen-teens.
The silhouette of the later Edwardian women, too, became less dramatic and more upright, advocating a tall, slender profile rather than the mature, curving S-figure formerly desired.
While still elegant and womanly, the styles of the late Edwardian era showed a practical sobriety, enhanced, perhaps ,by the pending first World War.
These years perfected a gown that had gradually grown into being; a gown belonging peculiarly and only to the Edwardian era. Namely, the tea-dress. The tea-dress, in contrast to the highly corseted Gibson-girl outfits, had hardly any boning or strict form to it. It was, in its nature a clinging, soft, feminine gown. Designed originally as a dress to relax in before dinner, the tea-dress soon became a blessed relief in the world of Edwardian fashions.
In all, I think it is safe to classify the Edwardian Era as the golden, dazzling close to a reign of elegance we have yet to rival. An Era where the fashionable woman dressed with intense feminine appeal amounting almost to ridiculousness, in some cases. An Era where a lady spared no cost to show the world that she was a woman, and she gloried in it.
Meet Rachel Heffington- devoted scribbler, second-oldest of 9 children, an old-fashioned girl with old-fashioned values, a Christian, a poet, and the author of several novels for children in various stages of completion. She writes because she finds she can't help it. Everything that happens to her, everything she sees seems to find its way into her stories, poetry, and letters with very little help from her own mind. ;) She counts herself blessed that Jesus has given her a passion and [we hope] talent for writing. When she has not a pen at hand, Rachel enjoys taking long country walks, swooning over historic clothing and costumes in period dramas, watercolor painting, reading the old classics, singing in harmony with her sisters, playing volleyball, drinking tea, speaking in a British accent, plotting her next cheesecake, and laughing fit to be killed. Rachel is 19 years old and has chosen to embark on a career as a stay-at-home daughter. Something that requires a ton more energy, wit, and wisdom than the average person realizes. You can get to know Rachel in one of three spots: [Yes, she likes to be organized.]
Her blog for stay-at-home daughters: A Butcher, a Baker, a Candlestick Maker
Her writing blog: The Inkpen Authoress
or the often-amusing all-purpose blog she shares with her sister, Sarah: Our Family View From Us Two
