Fashion in the 1820s
Fashion in the 1820s is, in many ways, reminiscent of the 1910s: Empire waists, short sleeves, cleavage. After the 1820s, clothing became more constrictive and skirts more voluminous. The trends in this post applied only to the wealthy. Working-class women wore practical garments, and in Colonial Canada it was not uncommon for women of any social class to wear clothing several years, if not decades, out of fashion.
Women’s Fashion
The start of the decade varied little from Regency-era styles, but as the decade progressed skirts and sleeves increased in size and waistlines dropped to the natural waist. As styles changed, specialized underwear was required to maintain a dress’s shape. These undergarments were a corset/stays, petticoats, a small bustle, and sleeve supporters.
Bright colors such as Turkey red and yellow were popular as were calicoes.
Bonnets were the dominate headgear, although older women often wore mobcaps which were the height of fashion in their youth.
“Brims widened into large halos around the face, crowns grew ever taller, and trims were loaded onto the enormous structures,” Fashion History Timelines says of the era’s bonnets. “Wide ribbons fluttered, flowers and greenery were used above and under the brim, and feathers bobbed from the crown.”
Every fashionable woman wore a slipper shoe.
Men’s Fashion
Trousers were now more common than breeches, but girdles were used to achieve a slim silhouette at the waist. Men also padded their coats and calves to achieve a muscular look. The fly also appeared for the first time, although it would be two decades before it would become commonplace.
Top hats came into vogue, and men also wore a version of a slipper shoe.
Would you wear any of these fashion trends? Leave a comment below.
Where to Purchase Journey of Hope
This post is a companion piece to Melina Druga’s historical fiction novella, Journey of Hope.
Hardship defines Claire’s life. Her husband, Harold, dreams of greater opportunity. A treacherous journey lies ahead.