The Victorian Era Was a Very Influential Time in History of Clothing The Victorian Era was a very influential time in the history of clothing for people and also for dolls. Queen Victoria was the reigning Queen of England from 1837-1901. The trend in clothing took on a whole new look during that era. Ladies' fashions were greatly inspired by Queen Victoria having the Victorian look. The dresses were designed with low pointed waists, sleeves having sloping shoulders and the skirts were belled.

A chemise, a corset and layers of petticoat were what the fashionable ladies were wearing between the 1840's and 1850's. A poke bonnet was often worn during the 1800's. Before the 1830's the brim was large, then the brim got smaller and more round during the 1830's and up. During the early 1850's crinoline was more popular to wear than petticoats.

The skirts became wider. Dresses were worn during the daytime showing a solid bodice where the evening gown became much more provocative having a very low neckline and often adorning sleeves worn to the elbow. Long gloves were worn along with a thin shawl draped over the shoulders. By the 1860's daytime dresses became flatter at the front with decorated laced collars at the neckline and baring wide pagoda sleeves. The sewing machine had just been introduced enabling dresses to appear more high-classed usually having short sleeves and low neckline for evening wear. Short laced gloves were usually worn as well. The crinoline domed skirt designed by Charles Worth was flattened in the front and protruded out at the back of the garment. Charles soon created an overskirt which fastened by tabs and could be lifted up at the back of the dress. The Princess gown became the newest trend in 1866.

The Princess style of gown soon became slimmer to fit a woman's form. In 1875 soft polonaise bustles forming a tiered train in the back of a gown were adorned with ruffles, frills, fringes and pleats. By the mid 1870's some women were not wearing a corset. Tea gowns (without corsets) but having a bustle in the back were casually worn while entertaining at home. Women started wearing riding habits in the 1880's along with a high-collared shirt and a top-hat with a veil. When a lady was going out for a walk, she would probably wear a skirt with a long coat or jacket and a small bonnet on her head.

Dresses were worn just above the knee having puff sleeves, high neck-lines were very much in style in the 1890s. Dresses worn for bicycling and tennis became popular. Even swim wear was introduced during that decade. Small hats were usually worn and most ladies had curls and sometimes hair pieces to give a full haired look. The hobble skirt was a short-lived trend which came and went at the end of the Victorian Era. Children's fashions also changed during the Victorian Era. In the 1860's male toddlers wore frocks with pleated skirts until about age four. Knickers and suit jackets without collars and frilly white shirts worn by boys were first introduced in America in the 1860's. Young girls usually wore a pinafore which was a dress without a collar or sleeves worn over a blouse or jumper. While clothing on people changed with the newest trend so did clothing on dolls during the Victorian times. An expert named Adelaide Huret was well known in the 1850's for her exquisitely adorned fashionable French lady figures. Pierre Jumeau was also widely acclaimed for having designed his French fashion figures (starting in the 1840's until late 1870's) which were always dressed exquisitely.

These figures consistently wore the latest trend in accessories as well as shoes and the current style of hat. Pierre's son Emile Jumeau carried on the tradition in 1877. Emile's masterpieces resembling well dressed children and [http://www.ladylaurasnewborndolls.com]babies were greatly known for the high-classed fashionable clothes. Bru creations (also resembling babies) always donned the latest fashions. Victorian doll apparel always kept up with the current clothing fashion. By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Laura_Prier/1210406]Laura Prier