History of Fashion

1. Chapter 13
The Bustle Period & The Nineties
c. 1870 - 1900
AIP 342 FASHION, HISTORY, & SOCIETY  DR. M-N MARYMOUNT MANHATTAN COLLEGE, NEW YORK, NY

2. Learning
Outcomes
After reading the chapter and reviewing this lecture, you
should be able to:
 Describe the beginnings of apparel manufacturing and its
effect on how clothing was acquired
 Detail changes in men’s dress during this period that have
persisted into the 21st century
 Relate changes in dress silhouettes to changes in
undergarments for women
 Identify the ways in which popular art influenced dress of
the period
 Analyze the effect of women’s increased participation in
sports on changes in how they dressed

3. Introduction
Two distinct periods:
Bustle Period (1870-80s)
Name derived from the women’s undergarment
Gay Nineties / La Belle Époque (1890s)
Meant to convey a sense of fun and humor

4. Historical Background
The Bustle Period (1870-80s)
 QueenVictoria continued her reign over the British Empire (30 years
already; will reign for 30 more)
 People shared a common ideal with emphasis on the importance of morality
and high standards of conduct. Signs of change due to the Prince ofWales
popularity. Some considered the Queen old-fashioned.
England
United States
 Continual industrialization, urbanization, and immigration
 First apartment building in NYC built in 1870
 Western society was family oriented; father head of the household

5. Historical Background
The Bustle Period (1870-80s)
 Dance halls (e.g., Moulin
Rouge) popular in Paris
 Houses of prostitution
flourished; striptease became
popular
 1895 - Charles Frederick
Worth (Father of Haute
Couture) died; House of
Worth continued under his
sons
France
The images above show Louise Weber, premier can-can dancer at the
Moulin Rouge in the late 1800s. Her stage name, “La Goulue” (The Glutton)
came from her habit of drinking from customers’ glasses. (Source)

6. Historical Background
The Gay 90s / La Belle Epoque (1890s)
 In France, the period was known as “La Belle Epoque”
 Social conventions of theVictorian Era continued, but there were
signs of changes in attitude
England
United States
 In the US, the period was known as “The Gay 90s”
 Women in the workforce → less cumbersome clothing for women
 By 1900, women were working in many fields (295 out of 303 listed
in U.S. Census), including teaching; domestic and personal services
(e.g., nurses, waitresses), accounting, dressmaking, physicians, etc.

7. Sports for Women
 After 1870 – women’s increased participation in sports including
tennis, golf, roller skating, and hiking,
 Participation in sports led to new types of costume, for
example:
Bathing
Bathing suit much more cumbersome than today’s bikini; women must be
modestly covered --- Bloomers (or trousers) with an overskirt and bodice
Cycling
Bicycle costume - full leg pants to give the appearance of a skirt (similar to
Bloomer costume)
Gymnastic (gym)
Worn for gym classes at women’s colleges
Influences of Sports on Dress

8. c. 1896–98
Culture: American
Medium: wool, leather,
silk, linen, cotton
Cycling suit
“A past time originally dominated by men, bicycling became more acceptable for women after QueenVictoria bought bicycles for her daughters. By the 1890s, clothing to be
worn while participating in the activity was being produced.The bifurcated clothing worn while astride a bicycle not only opened the door for women to engage in the sport
but also to gain their independence from strict societal rules.This particular ensemble features a bifurcated skirt that allowed the rider a more comfortable ride while also
giving the modest appearance of a skirt at front. Other more daring ensembles featured fully bifurcated Knickerbockers.This suit also includes a pair of gaiters, which would
provide protection for the legs” (The MET)

9. Gym suit
c. 1895–99

10. Riding habit
ca. 1897

11. Ready-to-Wear
 By 1860s – women could buy some undergarments and outdoor garments off the
rack
 1870 – entry of more women into workforce led to changes in clothing
production and consumption; emergence of department store
 1st undergarments and wrappers
 2nd ads for dresses, suits, and walking costumes
 By 1879, men could buy several dress items from stores

12. Technological Advances
 Innovations that led to changes in clothing production:
 Widespread use of sewing machines
 Development of paper patterns
• Helped standardize sizes
 New technologies emerged making it possible for multiple
garment pieces to be cut at the same time
• Cutting by hand was time consuming
• After 1980 – use of electricity for manufacturing allowed the
development of smaller, more efficient cutting machines: cut up to 100
thicknesses of fabric

13. Technological Advances
 Distribution through department stores and mail order catalogs
 MontgomeryWard (1872) and Sears (1893) catalogs came into existence during this time

14. Art Influences on Dress
 TheVictorian Era was characterized by an eclectic take
in the arts, featuring many styles that derived from
earlier historic periods
 Revivals of historic styles were evident in women's
dress particularly in the years between 1870 and 1890
(e.g., dresses with hanging sleeves similar to Middle
Ages or Renaissance dress).
 Influences from the 16th thru the 18th century were also
seen, with garments being named after royalty (e.g.,“Marie
Antoinette fichu”)

15. Aesthetic Dress
 Bloomer movement proposed byAmerican women’s rights advocates had been making an
impact --- need for comfortable and convenient apparel
 Later part of 19th century (1890s →) Aesthetic dress had different philosophical origin: pre-
Raphaelite movement
 Pre-Raphaelites: Group of English painters who opposed the direction of English art of the
1840s.
 Created costumes for their models; women supporters also adopted these styles
 Japanese andAsian influences became more pronounced, especially in textiles
Art Influences on Dress

16. Aesthetic Dress
 Major proponent of aestheticism: poet and playwright,
OscarWilde
 Used to wear his own version of aesthetic dress: velvet suit (knee
breeches and loosely fitted jacket) with flowing tie and soft, wide
collar
 Women’s costume
 Generally, no stay or petticoats
 Leg-of-mutton sleeves
 Preferred fabric:Asian silks, British Liberty’s prints
 Languid, drooping appearance (very different from bustle styles) Couple in
aesthetic
dress,
1880s
Art Influences on Dress

17. Aesthetic Dress
 Art Nouveau (1890s - 1910)
 Another European reform movement
 Attempt by artists and artisans to develop a style with no roots
in earlier artistic forms.
 Emphasis on: Curved lines, contorted and stylized forms from
nature, and constant sense of movement
 Impacted much of the costume of the time, especially women’s
accessories and evening dress.
 Represented a bridge between artistic styles of the 19th century
and those of the 20th century Coat, ca. 1895-1900
Origin: England
Art Influences on Dress

18. Sources of Information
 Extant garments (museums and
private collections)
 Works for art
 Magazines
 Additional information obtained
via advice columns on Ladies’
Home Journal and ads on Harper’s
Bazar (original spelling)
 Photographs

21. Bustle Period
Three Phases
(Based on bustle shape)
Phase I
1870 - 1878
Phase II
1878 - 1883
Phase III
1884 - 1890
Full bustle created by manipulating
drapery at the back of the skirt
Sheath or cuirass bodice. During this
period, fullness dropped to below to
hips, and a semicircular frame
supported the trailing skirt
Large, rigid, shelflike bustles

22. Women's Dress: Undergarments
 Women’s undergarments supported the silhouette and include
many of the same elements as in previous periods:
 Under drawers: No major changes
 Chemise: Short sleeve, round neck, knee length, more decoration
 Corset: Long and curved; Shaped to achieve a full, curved bustline, narrow
waist, and smooth, round hip curve
 Camisole (corset cover)
 Petticoats: Fullness increased and decreased with changes in skirts widths
 Combination: Garment combining the chemise and drawers
Bustle Period

23. Petticoat, ca. 1860s
Culture:American
Corset cover, ca. 1889
Culture:American or European
Chemise, ca. 1870
Culture:American
Corset, ca. 1872
Culture:American

24. Women's Dress: Undergarments
 New element: Bustle
 A structure to support a skirt with a full back.
 Variety:From padded, cushionlike devices to
half hoops of steel
Bustle Period
Bustle, ca. 1871
Culture:British

25. 1886
Women's Dress: Undergarments
1869 -1875 1873 1876
Bustle Period

26. Women's Dress
 Bodice: fitted-jacket type with basques (extensions of the bodice below the waist)
 Skirt style
 Generally matched bodices in color and fabric; made with plenty of fabric
 Created by manipulating the full skirt in a waterfall-like effect, often with a train
 Neckline: Open necklines filled in with decorative chemisette or lace frill
 Evening dress:
 Follow same lines as that of daytime dress
 Two bodices for each skirt
 Differences in terms of the fabric, decoration, cut of sleeves, and neckline (low, squared,
round, v-shaped)
PHASE 1 (ca.1870-1878)

27. Dinner dress
Date: Late 1870s
Culture:American
BustlePeriod
Phase 1 (ca. 1870 – 1873)
Afternoon dress
Date: ca. 1875
Culture: probably French

28. Women's Dress
 1870s – new form of dress introduced:
tea gown
 Also known as rational or reform garments
 Intended to provide some relief from tight
lacing of the corsets.
 Loosely fitted, long train, softer in line than
daytime or evening dresses
 Could adapt to different settings and levels
of formality
PHASE 1 (ca.1870-1878)
Tea gown, ca.1877
Material:American
Tea gown, ca.1875
Material:American

29. Women's Dress
 A sheath or cuirass bodice -- long jacket
ending in a point at the front and fitting
smoothly over the hips
 Less back fullness; bustle fullness
decreased gradually
 Now fullness dropped to below the hips and
semicircular frame supported the trailing skirt
 Very tight fit to the silhouette
Cuirass, ca. 1580
The Cleveland Museum of Art
PHASE 2 (ca. 1878-1883)

30. ca. 1880
BustlePeriod
Phase 2 (ca. 1878 – 1883)
ca. 1878

31.  Bustle change
 Becomes rigid and shelf-like; different from
the softer, draped construction of Phase 1.
 Bodices:Generally fitted, jacket style
 Rarely had a train (some evening dresses like
the one on the right)
Women's Dress
PHASE 3 (ca. 1883 - 1890)
Dinner dress
c. 1884–86

32. ca. 1886 ca. 1887
BustlePeriod
Phase 3 (ca. 1883 – 1890)

33. Ball Gown, ca. 1887-89
Sleeves of ball gowns were short covering
just the shoulders. Conservative ladies
wore elbow length sleeves.
BustlePeriod
Phase 3 (ca. 1883 – 1890)

34. Women's Dress: Outdoor Wear
 Cut to accommodate the fullness in the back
 Bustle silhouette more easily accommodated by coats or jackets
Bustle Period
Cape, ca. 1882
Culture:American
Evening cape, ca. 1885–89
Culture:French

35. Cape, ca. 1870s
Culture:French
Capelate, ca. 1880s
Culture:probably French
Evening shawl, ca. 1875-85
Culture:possibly French
Bustle Period

36. Dolman
ca. 1885–90
Culture:American
“The dolman was an essential form of outerwear in
1880s fashion.The style was shaped to fit over the
bustle silhouette prominent at the time without
concealing the elaborate decorations of the back of
the skirt.A unique feature on this dolman is the
chenille loops, which actually look like caterpillars, as
the French word would imply. (The MET)
Bustle Period

37. The Nineties
Women's Dress
Silhouette around 1890s: Bustle
loses prominence, only reminder
was a small group of pleats at the
back of the gored skirt

38. Women's Dress: Undergarments
 Little change, more
decoration (lace,
tucking, embroidery,
etc.)
The nineties
Drawers, ca. 1890s
Culture:American or European
Corset cover, ca. 1890s
Culture:American or European
Petticoat, ca. 1890s
Culture:American

39. Women's Dress
 Blouses called shirtwaists (→ waists) were worn
with gored skirts
 Styles varied:
 Full sleeve caps created the leg-of-mutton sleeve style
(full at the shoulder, gradually decreasing to the wrist
where they ended in a fitted cuff)
• Tailored to look like a man’s shirt
 Styles covered with lace, embroidery, and frills
The nineties

40. Women's Dress
 Gibson girl and Gibson men
 Charles Dana Gibson’s pen-and-ink sketches of
young men and women at the turn of the century
 Young people in the US imitated this look
 Tailor-mades: matching jackets and skirts,
worn with a blouse
The nineties

41. Women's Dress
 Silhouette
 Back fullness diminishes but
• Sleeves grew larger
• Waist was smaller
• Skirts more circular creating an hour-glass silhouette
The nineties

42. Dinner dress
Date: 1894–96
Designer: Jeanne Hallée
Culture: French
Medium: Cotton, silk, metal
Evening dress
Date: 1895–96
Design House: House of Worth
Culture: French
Medium: Silk
Evening dress
Date: 1893
Culture: American
Medium: Silk, wool,
rhinestones, metal
Afternoon dress
Date: 1890s
Culture: American
The nineties
Suit
Date: 1894–96
Designer: James McCreary & Co., N.Y.
Culture: American
Medium: Wool, silk, metallic thread

43. Wedding dress
Early 1990s
Wedding dress
ca.1896
House of Worth (French)
The nineties

44. Women's Dress: Outdoor Wear
 Designed to accommodated the large
sleeves and overall silhouette
(hourglass)
The nineties

45. Cape, ca.1899
Culture:French
Cape, ca. 1897
Culture:French
Evening coat, ca. 1895–99
Culture:Maybe French
Cape, ca. 1890s
Culture:American
The nineties

46. The Bustle Period & The Nineties
Hair & Headdress
c. 1880s c. 1890s c. 1880s c. 1870s
 Hair and hats:Small, usually pulled up with hat perched on the top of the head.

47. The Bustle Period & The Nineties
Hair & Headdress
GrayVelvetToque
c. 1890
Black Straw Bonnet
c. 1880s
Bonnet
ca. 1871
Morning cap
ca. 1870
Hat
ca. 1870

48. The Bustle Period & The Nineties
Footwear
 Shoes/boots with low heel
 Boots:
 less fashionable than shoes
 Usually cut to the lower calf, closed with
laces and shaped similarly to shoes
Balmorals ↓

49. Gloves Capelet
Mourning Brooch
Parasol Watch Glasses
The Bustle
Period &
The Nineties
Accessories
Fan

50. Men’s Dress

51. Men's Dress: Underwear
 Drawers: buttoned closed in front and
had a drawstring at the back for
adjustment
 Union suit (also called a combination):
Combine drawers and undervests into
one garment
 T-shirt issued by U.S. Navy during
Spanish-AmericanWar
TheBustlePeriod
& The Nineties

52. Men's Dress: Outerwear
 More choice in jacket
styles, style based on the
formality of the occasion.
 For example,
 Tailcoats – evening
 Sack jackets – business
TheBustlePeriod
& The Nineties

53. Men's Dress: Evening Wear
 Frock coats fashionable until late 1890s –
substituted by morning coats 
 Curved back from well above the wait displaying
lower part of waistcoat
 Lounge or sack coats continued to gain
popularity
 Norfolk jacket also popular (belted sport
jacket)
TheBustlePeriod
& The Nineties
Morning Suit
ca. 1894
Culture: British

54. Men's Dress: Evening Wear
 1880s - dress version of sack jacket
introduced: the tuxedo
 Named after its place of origin:Tuxedo, NY
 Called dinner jacket in England
 As a result, tailcoat becomes less popular
TheBustlePeriod
& The Nineties

55. TheBustlePeriod
& The Nineties
Evening Suit
ca. 1888
Culture: American
Wedding Suit
ca. 1886
Culture: American

56. TheBustlePeriod
& The Nineties
Suit
ca. 1890–95
Culture: probably American

57. Men's Dress: Sports
 For sports, knickers (short for knickerbockers)
become popular
 Baggy knee-length trousers
TheBustlePeriod
& The Nineties

58. Derby
ca. 1880
Top Hats
ca. 1875
Fedora
19th century
Straw Boater
ca. 1860-79
Men's Dress: Hat Styles
 Hats are the primary accessory worn by men
TheBustlePeriod
& The Nineties

59. Men's Dress: Accessories
Removable collars
Variety of styles
Ascots Gloves Walking Sticks
TheBustlePeriod
& The Nineties
c. 1890-99

60. Children’s Costume
Girls’ silhouette echoes women’s
(Bustle and 90s)
TheBustlePeriod
& The Nineties

61. Children’s Costume
Little boys still wore skirts, then
graduated to any of several types of
suits

62. Children's Costume
 The popularity of a children’s book led
mothers to dress their sons in costumes
similar to those of the book’s hero
 One popular version of the boys suit is
named after a famous character called
Little Lord Fauntleroy.
 Velvet tunic, ending slightly below the
waist, tight knickerbockers, wide lace collar

63. Textbook
Tortora, P. G., & Marcketti, S. B. (2021). Survey of historic costume (7th ed.).
Bloomsbury Publishing.