In 1837 Victoria ascended to the throne. The fashion press looked to this new young queen to endorse new fashions and generally become an icon for her age. Contrary to popular belief Victoria was, until Prince Albert's death at least, interested in fashion. But she was not a frivolous royal leader and her belief in simplicity and demure elegance is echoed by the fashion plates of the day. Gone were the flamboyant fashions of the mid-1830s with the huge balloon-like sleeves, large bonnets and trailing ribbons. Dress of the late 1830s and 1840s was characterized by its drooping shoulders, long pointed angles and low pinched-in waist.
These low-waist dresses required long, heavily-boned corsets to give them their shape.
These low-waist dresses required long, heavily-boned corsets to give them their shape.
The corsets of the 1840s were cut from separate pieces stitched together to give roundness to the bust and shaping over the hips. A flat length of wood or steel was inserted up the centre front of the corset to give a smooth line to the bodice of the dress. Strips of whalebone were also inserted up the back and sometimes down the side and front, to give more structure. Corsets also had to be rigid to conceal the layers of underwear, including chemise, drawers and petticoat, which were worn underneath.
The birth date of crochet has been a controversial issue for years with the question, "When did crochet history begin?” I define true "crochet" as working series of stitches using a hook to create a doily, motif, or garments. Many try to attribute the use of a hook to make a single stitch as being "crochet". No one is quite sure when and where crochet got its start, probably sometime before 1880.
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