Dive into the more surprising side of Victorian fashion history and see some of the crazes from the 1890s – from voluminous layered skirts and tiny corseted waists, to outrageously oversized sleeves (known as ‘gigot’ or ‘leg-of-mutton’), and novelty umbrellas shaped like pug dogs.
American heiress Cara Broughton was a style icon of her day, with some extremely bold and playful fashion choices. In this documentary, Fashion Historian Cassie explores two incredible surviving pieces from Cara’s eclectic wardrobe, and tells us about what is typical of women’s late Victorian fashion.
- 00:00 Who was Cara Broughton?
- 01:29 Bodice with leg of mutton or gigot sleeves
- 02:34 Victorian fabrics and trimmings
- 03:19 Victorian novelty accessories
- 03:42 Inside the orange bodice – baleen (whalebone)
- 05:24 Asymmetrical construction
- 05:53 Inside the giant sleeves
- 06:21 Victorian mourning dress?
- 08:35 Victorian bustle fashion and mystery stitch-marks
- 09:11 Inside the cream bodice
- 09:35 Victorian clothing label (designer branding)
- 10:15 Baleen under the microscope
- 10:33 Victorian skirt layers
- 11:04 Mystery pocket – what was it for?
