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Have you ever wanted to dress up like a character from Anne of Green Gables, or just someone from the Victorian era? Perhaps for a fancy dress ball, or an afternoon tea with kindred spirits, or just to get the essence of being back in those days? The Avonlea Traditions Chronicle has consulted with Victorian era clothing scholars to help you put together a costume reminiscent of late Victorian times, from the approximate time period (1885 - 1905) of the first few Anne books. Photos courtesy of Joy Small of Bozeman, Montana, who specializes in creating photographs depicting Victorian times.

Source: The Avonlea Traditions Chronicle, Issue No. 27, Spring 1999.

The first step is to look in books that feature Victorian clothing, or if you have any photo albums of your family which go back to the turn of the century, it's fun and informative to see what your ancestors were wearing.

Another good source would be to watch period movies and television shows.

Although they're not always 100% accurate, most have historical supervisors, and the shows will give you a feel for the particular time period they're depicting. It's very difficult to be totally accurate to any specific period, and there are very good reasons for this.

One of the main sources of information we have to go by are photographs, and since most photos were studio portraits, we only have photographs of Victorians in their "Sunday best." It's difficult to know exactly what they were wearing on a daily basis. So we'll try instead to assist in giving the look and feeling of being Victorian.

Puffed sleeves have been in and out of fashion throughout the last several hundred years. However, they had a big comeback (and we mean big!) around about 1895. The bigger the sleeves, the better! Some women couldn't even walk through a door without crushing their sleeves, and they certainly couldn't get a coat over them. However, at a moderate size, they were very attractive, so if you'd like to wear puffed sleeves, by all means do, but keep them small to medium, so as not to limit yourself to only a particular year or two.

Victorians loved lace, ruffles and ribbons. Whether you're making your costume yourself, or buying a second-hand dress and modifying it, you can always add some lace and ribbons to give it that extra Victorian touch.

Daytime clothing of course, differed from evening clothing. A high collared blouse with a floor length, full skirt was considered very smart, as the late Victorian era was one in which women were entering school as well as the work force. Add a big hat (straw boaters were popular and to dress it up, pile on mounds of flowers and perhaps a fake bird or two), a shawl and a reticule (a small purse), and you're set.

Hair

Women almost always wore their hair up, for several reasons. For one thing, they grew it so long that it became impractical to leave it long. L. M. Montgomery's was to her knees, for instance, and she wore it pinned up during the day, and in a braid at night when she went to bed. Also, with wood burning stoves and open fireplaces, it was just too dangerous to let it swing. Many women in Victorian times died after catching fire to either their hair or their many layers of clothing, so hair was neatly pinned up, out of the way.

Footwear

Queen Victoria popularized the Balmoral boot in the late 1860s, after a trip to Balmoral, Scotland. They remained in style for many, many years. Variations on the Balmoral boot were common, with smaller or larger heels, in styles for men and boys as well.

Balmoral boots came back into fashion in North America several years ago, and can still be found in many shoe stores (some people call them 'granny boots'). However, if you either can't find any or can't afford them, a sturdy oxford will give you the same look and feel. After all, your skirts will be floor length-most of the time, only the tips of your shoes will be visible.

For a fancy dress, check used clothing stores for second hand bridesmaid or prom dresses. Don't be discouraged if it's not exactly what you had in mind. You can always touch it up with some lace, gloves, jewellery and a shawl.

There are several stores (Laura Ashley, for instance) that specialize in creating clothing with a Victorian feel to them. You can check these types of stores for beautiful, ready-made dresses or look at consignment stores which specialize in used designer clothing (Ex-Toggery in Canada often has discontinued Laura Ashley dresses).

Zippers weren't invented until well into the twentieth century. If your dress has a zipper, make sure it's one that isn't evident, and/or wear your shawl to cover it up.

Blouses

Blouses decorated with lace, especially at the throat and sleeve cuffs, look very Victorian. High necks and long sleeves give a very elegant look. A blouse with tiny buttons that do up in back is a perfect find, and when decorated with a large oval brooch at the throat, will look very fashionable.

Undergarments

Victorians wore several layers of underclothing, to protect their clothing from perspiration. Washing was a weekly chore that took a full day, as water had to be heated on a wood-burning stove, poured into a bucket and scrubbed on a washboard. Many people only had two or three changes of clothing, so they wore them several times throughout the week.

Pantyhose and tights weren't invented yet, but long white or black socks, or 'thigh highs' will give the same feel as what the Victorians wore (they held their stockings up with garter belts, usually attached to their corsets). Women and girls wore pants called drawers (wide, loose pants held up with a drawstring), with an open crotch. Drawers were long, hanging well below the knee. A later version of drawers were knickers, pants with a closed crotch, held tightly below the knee by elastic or a drawstring. Anne would have worn these.

Women began wearing corsets by their mid-teens. These are pretty difficult to find, but give your figure very nice distinction, so if you want to be as authentic as possible, there are companies which have easy-to-follow patterns and kits to make corsets. Several petticoats were worn, especially earlier in the Victorian era. They should be almost floor length, of a natural material such as cotton, and can be dressed up with a lace trim. Very often women wore coloured petticoats (red was popular), because it was considered quite coquettish if a glimpse of petticoat was seen at an opportune moment.

Accessories

Parasols were a must. Feminine women preferred the pale delicate look, and were careful about letting their skin be exposed to the sun. Gloves were popular, although certain styles were in vogue at different times throughout the Victorian era. If you are depicting late Victorian times, lace gloves or leather gloves would be a nice touch, and the tighter, the better. Women wanted their hands to look tiny and delicate.

Places to shop

• Resale clothing shops
• Thrift shops
• Theatres clearing out their costumes
• Consignment clothing stores
• Garage sales
• Flea markets
• Victorian shows and sales

Shopping at vintage clothing stores isn't recommended. Although they may have exactly what you're looking for, not only will the dress be expensive (several hundred dollars), it will likely be fragile, and by wearing something which was made a hundred years ago, you'll put wear and tear on a historical artifact. For the same price, a dressmaker who specializes in period clothing can make a new dress for you.

And finally, if you like to sew, there are several patterns available through major sewing pattern companies such as Butterick or Simplicity. Whether you create a costume from second hand items, sew it yourself, or have it made, you'll be sure to enjoy feeling Victorian for a day!

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