Victorian Culture

It was Victorian culture that came to shape the way people had dressed. One must remember that Victorian culture emphasized pronounced gender roles, modesty and sexual repression. Because of this, almost all forms of skin had to be covered, especially for women. Laces, flounces, muslin, shawls and other forms of draperies for dresses was a symbol of the Victorian ideal of beauty and decency. Victorian women were to become living dolls in a sense, not as fantastical and pale as their female ancestors back in the 18th century, but more so as a philosophical sense. Women were to be escorted by men and all manner of sexual expression and breaking of moral codes were heavily frowned upon. Victorian culture dictated that women have several gowns and dresses throughout the day. There was evening wear, day wear, tea wear and leisure wear for riding, walking etc. Those who did break the rules mostly did so from indoors whether it came to not wearing corsets or crinoline. The shifting of clothing in women’s attire signified that it was the woman who had to bear most of the fashion burdens in Victorian society. Men were not required to wear so many layers and different types of clothing which reveals the heavy duty women faced when keeping up their end of fashion history. Cross-dressers and homosexuals were forced to go underground to avoid Victorian society’s wrath. Victorian gender was more pronounced with men sporting all types of facial hair. Facial hair at that time was not just a fashion statement, but an expression of male masculinity.