19th century fashion — Queen Victoria trend setter

Reportedly Queen Victoria started this 19th century fashion trend.

“The lady promenaders on the avenue in Washington, last week, were somewhat horrified at the appearance of a dignified foreigner who held up her dress so as to display an undoubted scarlet under skirt. What a idea! Yet these same peasant petticoats are now all the rage across the waters.” — The Fort Edward Ledger, Jan. 15, 1858

In other 19th century fashion advice collected from northern New York historic newspapers:

• Repurposing a wedding dress is acceptable, so long as it is not too flashy, The Morning Star of Glens Falls recommended on May 15, 1889.

“It is a compliment for a bride to wear her wedding dress at the wedding of her friend, but she must leave off the orange blossoms and veil.”

• “A very stylish lady’s topcoat is of plain beaver with a rolling shell collar of fine mink or astrakhan.” — The Granville Sentinel, Nov. 17, 1889
• “The Business Woman’s Journal has discovered that the directoire gown (patterned after the style popular in France in the late 18th century) with the plain, scant drapery, is better adapted to the needs o business women than any other kind of dress.” — The Morning Star, April 1,1889
• “An exchange says that every member of a household now wears a ‘derby’ except the grandmother, but before we know it, the good old dame may be frisking around in one too.” — The Commercial Advertiser of Sandy Hill, now Hudson Falls, Nov. 3, 1880.
• Perhaps a fashion expert out there knows what a hammock hat is?

My Google search was inclusive.

“Hammock hats are all the rage. What’s next?” — The Commercial Advertiser, Sept.1, 1880.

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