Examining 1840s Bodice Styles
The 1840s is my favorite decade of Victorian fashion. Coming right after the absurdly voluminous silhouette of the 1830s, women’s fashion of the 1840s was characterized by details that emphasized a slim silhouette: straight, fitted sleeves; long, full skirts, and perhaps the most emblematic of the era: the “fan front,” so called because of the gathering at the center front of the bodice fans over the bust. But there is a stunning variety of bodice styles from the 1840s in addition to the "fan front"!
Please watch my video below (part of this weekend's Cocovid programming) to see how I examined daguerreotypes, portraits, and extant garments from the 1840s to identify common and unusual design elements of that period to better understand the beautiful variety of bodice styles that existed.
