The Unique and Beautiful Style of the Victorian Women

I, myself would be pleased to see the styles of the Victorian era to return. There are many aspects of this era which appeal to me, beyond their appearance. They had certain ideals and morals which influenced their unique style. I feel these are important attributes and unfortunately, were lost as the years progressed. The Victorians were, indeed, ahead of their time.

Modesty

The Victorians believed in modesty. Many Victorian women sewed their own clothes and many of their outfits covered from their neck to their toes. Showing too much skin and advertising their bodies with sexual objectification, was frowned upon. Aside from being modest, their clothing was esthetically pleasing, The ornate dresses and hats showed some level of sophistication. They were never seen in pants, let alone jeans. This may seem uncomfortable, and maybe even unfair to women today. However, I feel it was not sexist nor forcing the women to do so in order to be considered a lady. In reality, the dresses and skirts brought them a sense of femininity and beauty.

Proper Etiquette

Proper etiquette in their time went beyond knowing how to behave at a dinner or at teatime. Proper etiquette also focused on proper treatment of their fellow man. It was considered improper to hurt another’s feelings. The book “The Ladies’ Book of Etiquette and Manual of Politeness” was written by Florence Hartley and published in the year 1860, at the heart of the Victorian Era. Hartley wrote “Do unto others as you would, others should do unto you”. This quote, or some variation of, is still repeated today. However, today it is merely used as advice as opposed to a way of life. The teachings then, were to be genuinely kind to others. This was said to enable one to be a better, happier, and more attractive person.

Makeup was meant to enhance natural beauty

They wore little makeup, if any, and most Victorian women made their own. The makeup they did wear was a white powder, eyebrow enhancement obtained with an eyebrow pencil, (much like what we have today), rouge, and lip color. Eyeshadow was extremely rare. The focus was on natural beauty. They believed a pale complexion, rather than being tan, was more appealing. Most likely due to the fact that having a tan face and body meant they were getting too much sun, and in turn damaging their skin. And as a higher class woman, a pale complexion proved she did not work in the sun. They also used parasols, which I find esthetically pleasing, to protect their skin from the sun. They did use lead in the face powder, however if they had been aware of its toxicity, I believe they would have changed the formula sooner. In fact, lead was used in hair dye until the year 2017. Some today, speculate they knew about the toxicity. I beg to differ as many others now say they did not know. They emphasized their eyebrows, which is a technique that has returned to practice today. The rouge and lip color they wore was fairly subtle. The desired effect was to show healthy color in their face and lips. They wanted to show their true, natural beauty rather than cover it up with an abundance of makeup. Wearing excessive makeup may have caused a woman to be suspected promiscuous or a prostitute. Today, although slowly changing, women wear an extreme amount of makeup and consider it beauty. This does not appeal to me, as I find it false, misleading, and a tell that many women today do not feel confident in their natural beauty. I believe this is due in part, by the changing times and beliefs in style. Women's natural beauty today is not considered adequate, therefore many use makeup to change their looks completely. Sometimes they label it “catfishing” which means “to deceive”.

They believed in proper health

They focused on keeping their hair and skin healthy by proper skincare, hair care, a healthy diet, and staying hydrated. Much to my delight, this is coming back today. They believed grey hair and wrinkles were caused by dehydration and poor nutrition. Therefore supporting their belief that keeping their bodies healthy, brought out their natural beauty. It is commendable that they kept their bodies healthy, rather than practicing poor habits and covering them up with product, as is common practice in current times.

The truth about corsets

We are led to believe today that the Victorians wore corsets to trim their waist, to look more appealing. This is simply not true. The common belief was a woman's uterus was not secured in their bodies, therefore they needed the support of a corset in order to protect their bodies and ensured the ability to carry a baby. There is also a misconception, namely in Hollywood today that corsets were extremely tight, uncomfortable, and that women could not breathe in them, causing them to pass out. The corsets of the Victorian era were very different from what we have today. They were not nearly as tight and uncomfortable as we have today, and they did not cause women to lose consciousness.

Exercise

Women did not believe in strenuous exercise, due to the belief that their bodies were extremely fragile. They did make sure to get at least one walk in every day, in order to get some exercise and help keep themselves healthy. Getting fresh air was thought to help them achieve naturally rosey cheeks.

In summary, I feel style is more than just the clothes or jewelry you wear, or how you wear your makeup and hair. It is the way you choose to live your life in order to obtain the ideal style. The Victorians were ahead of their time by focusing on health and the treatment of others. It is by taking care of themselves, that they achieved the ideal, natural beauty, and most appealing style.