Women's Fashion In Canada From 1840 - 1890

1890's Fashion

1890 BCE

In the early part 1890's, women wore tight vests with high collars and narrow sleeves. From about 1893, sleeves started expanding, tight at the lower arm and wide at the upper arm. Wide shoulders were fashionable with horizontal decoration on the vest. Skirts were worn in a full-length. Masculine styles were becoming popular, and women sometimes wore a shirt collar and tie, usually during walks. Hair was worn high on top of the head, in tight curls. Hats were small or wide with lots of trimming.

1880's Fashion

1880 BCE

Women's dress featured tight fitted vests with very narrow sleeves and high necklines, with white ruffles at the wrist. At the beginning of the decade the emphasis was at the back of the skirt. The skirt featuring peplum, and adornment such as bows and thick fabrics.The middle of the decade saw a brief revival of the bustle, which was so exaggerated. By the end of the decade the bustle disappeared. Hair was worn in tight, close curls on the top of the head. Hats and caps were small and neat.

1870's Fashion

1870 BCE

Women's fashion placed emphasis on the back of the skirt, with long trains draped up into bustles.The waist was lower, with an elongated and tight vest and a flat fronted skirt. Low, square necklines were fashionable. Hair was dressed high at the back with complicated twists and rolls, falling to the shoulders, adorned with ribbons, bands and decorative combs. Hats were very small and tilted forward to the forehead. Later in the decade wider brimmed hats were also worn, still tilted forwards.

1860's Fashion

1860 BCE

Women's dresses featured tight vests with high necks and buttoned fronts. White lace was popular for collars and cuffs, as were low sloping shoulders.The skirt continued to be full and bell-shaped until around 1865 when it began to lose its volume at the front and add volume to the back. Hair was worn with a center parting tied into low knots at the end of the neck, with curls covering the ears. Accessories for evening wear included floral wreaths, ostrich feathers, and pomegranate flowers.

1850's Fashion

1850 BCE

Women's skirts were domed and bell-shaped, supported by petticoats.They often featured deep ruffles. Long bloomers and pantaloons trimmed with lace were popular. Cape-jackets were fashionable, as were paisley patterned shawls. Deep bonnets were worn and hair was swept into buns from a center parting.

1840's Fashion

1840 BCE

Women dresses were usually low and sloping shoulders, a low pointed waist, and bell-shaped skirts. Evening dresses were often off the shoulder. Hair was parted in the center with ringlets at the side of the head or styled with loops around the ears and pulled into a bun at the back of the head. Crochet shawls were fashionable accessories, as were linen caps with lace ruffles and large bonnets. Capes with large collars were also fashionable.