Victorian Fashions 1880s to 1890s Nothing distinguished the early dress of this period more than the appearance of the bustle. Ladies everywhere climbed into this elaborate construction of wire and steel forms, stiffened gauze, horse hair, whalebone and canvas. One problem of how the bustle affected a woman's body was that its suit-of-armor-like form practically dislocated the spine. The bustle finally disappeared from female costume, together with the horizontal skirt draperies so characteristic of the 1880s. More attention was paid to the bodice and the area above the waist. Dress skirts were styled simply, the sleeves became bigger and bigger until they appeared ballonlike in shape. Dresses were smooth over the hips and made to fit more snugly by being cut on the cross. Skirts were long and bell-shaped and usually had a train even when worn in the street. Day dresses were high in the neck and finished with rucking or a large bow of tulle. A good deal of lace was worn, even day blouses being elaborately adorned. Some evening gowns were made entirely of lace. Alot of lace was also worn on petticoats. It was impossible to cross the street without holding up the long skirt with one hand, the gesture inevitably displayed the lace frilling of the petticoat, which seems to have had at this period on extraordinary amount of erotic appeal. The late 1890s was a period of changing fashions. It was perfectly plain that the Victorian Age was drawing to its close. 1886 Evening Gowns Example of the extreme form of the ballon sleeve. 1899 Walking Dress Did you sign my Guestbook? Visitors since 9/2/99 Judy Conaway~1999