If you enjoy www.victorianlondon.org why not ...
LAYING THE DUST
LADIES can, we know, sometimes go to very great lengths in dress; but the gown has lately got to such a pitch, and so much latitude is taken m the way of longitude, that there is no knowing where it will end. We have found, occasionally, very great inconvenience in our walks, by following, as excursionists, such a train as that which female fashion seems to entail on all its votaries. It says as little for the ankles as it does for the understandings of the fair sex of the present day that they are compelled to hide their bad feet by at least one yard of superfluous drapery. In addition to the untidy and unsightly character of the proceeding, the dust raised is so great a nuisance, that every lady appearing in the costume of the period ought to be compelled to have a page in attendance, with a watering-pot, wherever she goes.
Punch, Jul.-Dec. 1850
As for the ladies of London, or rather of England, they are in personal appearance by no means as good looking as the ladies of America. This is admitted willingly by English writers and travellers. I believe I am able to judge, for I have seen large numbers of American ladies and as many as twenty thousand at one time of the English. The general characteristics of English beauty are dark complexion, dark hair, dark eyes and very rosy cheeks. This seems to contradict historians in their account of the earlier settlers of Great Britain. The Celts, Saxons, Angles and Danes all possessed light complexions, blue eyes, and red or very light hair. There is in England no strong southern sun that could in the course of centuries darken their natural complexion and I have met with no account that explains or attempts to explain the contradiction. As far as the appearance of health is concerned the preference must be given for the English. Of this they are trained from babyhood to take care. Girls there are not women when they arrive at twelve or thirteen. They think, dress, and act like girls. Stays, corsets, and other means of torture form no part of a girl's wardrobe. Out door exercises of all kinds are engaged in with spirit, and the advantages reaped from them are incalculable. The ladies do not dress for the street with one fourth part the elegance they do for home, theatre, opera or parties. In this respect they c ontrast strongly with the ladies of America who in general believe in great show on the public promenades. I know of nothing with which I was so much pleased as the promenade dresses of the English. After being for years accustomed to see long dragging skirts in all weathers, rainy or dusty, at home in the "States," the London ladies looked perfectly charming in their thick soled long boots, short and beautiful scarlet petticoats, neatly looped up dresses, comfortable looking little bonnets and rosy living linings in the same. And, (I say blushingly) such mistresses of skirts as are the English ladies, and with such grace as skirts are handled by them, I did not see an article of female, white apparel, during my whole stay in London, that betrayed a spot of mud however stormy it might have been.W. O'Daniel, Ins and Outs of London, 1859
THE PRESENT CHARMING FASHION OF LONG SKIRTS
Honesty, now - which of the Two ought to apologise to the other?
Punch, August 9, 1862
POSITIVELY THE LAST OF THE LONG SKIRTS THIS SEASON
Hostess."OH, HOW TIRESOME! SOMEBODY MUST BE STANDING ON MY DRESS! WOULD YOU JUST RUN DOWN-STAIRS, AND SEE WHO IT IS, MR. BROWN?"
Punch, August 10, 1867
LAST NEW THING IN SKIRTS.
Aunt (slightly shocked). "WHY, CHILD, ALL YOUR
CLOTHES ARE FALLING OFF!"
Laura."OH, DEAR, NO, AUNTY! IT'S THE FASHION!"
Punch, May 30, 1868
YOUNG LADIES
WHO AFFECT THE SHORT SKIRT NOW IN VOGUE, ARE RESPECTFULLY CAUTIONED AGAINST THE
WITCHING HOUR OF SUNSET.
Punch, 13th June, 1868
