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Edwardian
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Victorian Attitudes Towards SexualityThe Victorian era is named for the reign of Queen Victoria in England from 1839 to 1901. The period was beloved for its public attention to high morals, modesty and proper decorum, as inspired by the Queen and her husband, Prince Albert. Along with an outward concern for high morals, during the Victorian age sexuality became a focus of extraordinary public and private attention. Victorians believed that sex in mankind was unnatural and that it should be repressed. Women were expected to cover their bodies with layers of fashion. Passion was deviant, and thoughts of sexuality would cause insanity. Not coincidentally, there was unprecedented proliferation of prostituion, nudes as subjects for art, as well as an explosion in pornography. Thereafter in western societies, female breasts and sexuality became strongly connected. The female body and especially her breasts continued its onward march towards becoming a social icon and sexual object. Yet, during this same era, the female breast reached a zenith of sorts, as women's clothing was deliberately and provocatively designed to emphasize, enlarge, and expose as much of the female breast as possible without showing the nipples. In the 1850s, a woman would wear a number of layers of clothing, beginning with the Chemise, an unshaped undergarment which reaches just below the knees. It had a drawstring neckline and drawers with back button closure, open legged for convenience and calf length with scalloped, embroidered hems. The next item was the corset which, with its back lacing, had a front busk closure, introduced in the late l840's. Over the Corset and Corset cover was the under-petticoat, usually quite plain and worn as many as six at a time, depending on the season. Next was the hoop petticoat, hailed as a liberator from the need for the excessive layers of under petticoats. Only a single under-petticoat was required with the hoop. The final undergarments is the over petticoat, often with an elaborately embroidered hem. It was worn over the layered under petticoats or, in the late l850's, the hoop petticoat. Finally, the lady dons her dress, like that pictured below right, with a flounced skirt. In addition, the properly attired lady is never seen in public without bonnet and gloves. Women's figures remained most pleasing when plump. The famous actress Lillian Russell, top right, weighed more than 180 pounds. After the Vicotorian Era, Edwardian Fashion was an S-curve. |
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All photos and illustrations are believed to
be in the public domain except as noted. References and Sources | January 2004 | Comments |