The Dresses
Starting in 1837 with her coronation, Queen Victoria influenced fashion worldwide.
Oil on canvas by SIR GEORGE HAYTER (1792-1871)
The styles of the late 1830s, consisting of a close-fitting bodice, natural waist, and bell-shaped skirt, were particularly becoming to the 4'11" queen. Her lack of height and a tendency toward plumpness made her look best in simple well-tailored clothes such as riding habits. Victoria set the style for wearing a scarlet & gold tunic, navy riding skirt, and small plumed hat for reviewing the troops that is still worn to today by her great-great-granddaughter Elizabeth.
Oil on canvas by Sir Francis Grant (1819-1901)
She always wanted her clothes, and those of her court, to be of British manufacture. The gown she wore for her wedding to Albert in 1840 was no exception. Made of Spitalfields satin and trimmed with Honiton lace, this lovely dress set a new tradition, not only for future royals but all brides to come.
Oil on Painting Franz Xavier Winterhalter (1805-1873)
Victoria wore specific outfits for state occasions to impress and communicate with people — what is sometimes called ‘sartorial diplomacy’. In the PBS Masterpiece show, Victoria, one of Queen Victoria’s most noted episodes of fashion diplomacy was when she first visited Ireland in 1849 and wore outfits decorated with shamrocks, the traditional symbol of Ireland.
In season 3 of Victoria, Jenny Coleman wears a costume with Shamrock details and a bonnet with green silk ties.
For an evening ball in Ireland, she wore a gown of pink poplin decorated with gold shamrocks. And on trips to Balmoral in Scotland there were tartans and "victoria" checks.
Woven silk-velvet tartan dress worn by Queen Victoria in 1835-7.
Both Victoria and Albert shared a fondness for fancy dress (i.e. masquerade costumes) and often had costume parties and home theatricals, especially after the children arrived.
The royal couple dressed as Edward III and Philippa of Hainhault for their 1842 costume ball in Buckingham Palace.
1851 drawing of Victoria in her costume, with Albert in his costume made for the Stuart ball.
Queen Victoria's Costume for the Stuart Ball 1851, Designed by Lemi,Pearls, Silk, Gold Braid, Silver Fringe, Irish Lace
Crown Copyright, The Royal Collection
The Queen also showed a preference for pink or blue ball dresses made of layers of tulle over silk, with the flounces and lace trimmings that she loved.
Frequently, she had dresses embroidered with her favorite flower motifs, such as roses, lilacs, jasmine, orchids and occasionally even sewn in with diamonds.
Albert was fond of floral trimmings and Victoria would have huge swathes of blossoms and grasses, often real, on her gowns in addition to other decoration.
1855 Dress worn by Queen Victoria during her visit to Paris.
Dress for the Great Exhibition 1851, Crown Copyright, The Royal Collection
The year 1861 changed everything, but especially her wardrobe choices. The year began with the death of the King of Prussia sending the court into a period of mourning which included, “nothing but black silk, bombazine and crape; black gloves, black collars, black flowers, feathers, lappets and fans and festoons of jet mourning jewelry".
But just as the court was coming out of mourning, her mother died three months later.
By the time of Albert’s death on the 14th of December of that year, the queen and court had been in full mourning dress for an entire year. The death of her beloved Albert sent her into a period of unrelenting mourning. Gone were the pink and blue shades, the flower prints, flounces and delicate lace.
For the remainder of her forty years, the Queen remained in black mourning dress.
Print of Queen Victoria by Ghémar Frères, 1862.
Property of National Portrait Gallery.
The mourning outfit made for Queen Victoria immediately after the death of her grandson Prince ‘Eddy’ was on display at the Museum of London
