You're So Fancy: How To Pull Together a Victorian Fancy Dress Outfit From Your Closet

by Catherine Scholar. Published as a Facebook note on September 26, 2017.

Do you want to attend our Halloween Tea, but are afraid you’ll have nothing to wear? Do you look at amazingly detailed pictures of 19th century couture costumes and lament that you have no time to sew right now? Does the idea of making not just a Victorian outfit, but a Victorian Halloween costume, fill you with dread? Not to worry! Our forebearers didn’t all have unlimited time, money, and resources either. So what did they do? They consulted fashion magazines and then went shopping in their closets. And you can too!

Take a look in your costume closet, and keep an open mind on how you can combine or augment what’s already in there. Accessories and extra pieces are easy to find and need not be too expensive; the seasonal Halloween stores are opening shortly, Target and Jo-Ann’s already have costumes in stock. Amazon is a fabulous resource for costume bits: they have tutus, petticoats, wings, jewelry, scarves… much of it cheap and available in a day or two with Prime. Accessories can also be homemade. Yes, you can buy lovely structured wings in a wide range of prices, but you can also attach a drape of fabric to your shoulders and wrists for the same effect.

Do you have a black Victorian gown? Great! Add a pointed hat from the Halloween store, carry a broomstick, and suddenly you’re a witch. Easy. Or add bat wings and ears, also available at the Halloween store. Now you’re a creature of the night. Alternatively, you can accessorize with pilgrim hat, buckled shoes, and a big white collar, to portray America’s first immigrants.

Devil horns, tail, and a pitchfork turn a red dress into garb fit for Old Nick himself. A white dress becomes an angel costume with wings and halo, or a cat costume with ears, tail, and collar.

Do you have a red cape or cloak? Layer it over any Victorian dress, add a covered basket and possibly a stuffed wolf. Voila! You’re Little Red Riding Hood, on her way to Granny’s house.

There are lots of Late Victorian images of couture “Elizabethan” fancy dress costumes. But really, all you need is a square-necked gown in a rich fabric… so pretty much any 1880s or 1890s evening gown. Add a wired ruff and a crown and you’re dressed as Good Queen Bess.

You can also take a basic dress and baste (or pin) decorations to it. One of the more hilarious Victorian fancy dress fashion plates is from 1896, depicting a wastepaper basket. It’s literally a checked dress (to evoke a woven basket), with crumpled pieces of paper pinned on. You could put a small metal mesh basket on your head. Take a note from Bjork’s swan dress! Or even Eve: add a couple strategically placed fig leaves and a big stuffed snake to any dress. A Rose Garden costume can be any Victorian dress with silk or paper flowers basted on. Put a few extra flowers on your head and you’re good to go! You can use this decoration technique to turn any dress in your closet into a costume. Just let the color and style of the gown guide your imagination.

Another fun fact to remember is that the Victorians used Fancy Dress as an excuse to show their (gasp!) ankles. Skirts were often worn short for costumes. This trend opens up more options for us. Say you have a bodice or a corset with potential but not a whole dress? Pair your top with a shorter skirt, petticoat or tutu. You can also wear the bodice and overskirt of a bustle gown without the underskirt, or mix the bodice of one gown with the skirt of another. You can even emulate theatrical and circus costumes of the day and use short bloomers instead of a skirt. Show off those lovely legs!

To be a ballerina, you can pair any ballgown bodice with a net skirt or tutu. Amazon has these cheap in a wide range of sizes, lengths and colors. Add flat shoes with ribbons tied around your ankles, dress your hair in the low 1840s style chignon (still worn by professional dancers), and you’re ready to pose for Degas. No ballgown bodice? Many period images of dancers show blousy tops, like a peasant blouse or Victorian chemise, worn with a tutu and a sash or swiss belt.

The same principle works for many other costumes. Do you have an attractive corset that’s always hiding under some pesky bodice? Be free in your confinement! Use a corset as a base for your costume; add skirts, wings, etc and you can be anything you can dream up. A black corset with red skirt and spotted wings is a ladybug. A green corset with pink skirt can be the start of a flower costume.

Gentlemen can follow the same advice. Look through your closet and see what your shirts, coats, and waistcoats want to be. A red union suit can be the start of a scandalous devil costume, or a black tailcoat can be accessorized with vampire cape and fangs. Historical dress was popular costume fodder during the Victorian era, so don’t discount your costumes from other eras. You can wear your Elizabethan doublet and ruff, or your 18th century shirt and waistcoat, with Victorian trousers. Prince Albert once attended a fancy dress ball in lederhosen and tailcoat. You can also wear regular Victorian menswear with a mask. And don’t forget that kilt!

The easiest possible costume? Toga. Really. Grab a bed sheet and meet us at Tea!