Victorian’s High Fashion
At the height of Victorian fashion one designer took the uptight proper style a bit higher…
Godey’s Lady’s Book, April 1864
The prim and proper Victorian style dominated women fashion for much of the 19th century. The elegant designs usually kept with the conservative beliefs of the culture creating the trend. Even in this stuffy women’s trend, one designer found a way to take his design to a higher audience.
For the first time in human history, printing advancements allowed a general ‘public’ i.e. ‘everyone’ to participate with the evolving world of fashion through magazines and catalogs. At the leading edge of this new growing industry was the women’s fashion magazine ‘Godey’s Lady’s Book’.
Proper women around the world would wait for new issues to come out only to pine over the magazine’s pages envying each design worn by its perfectly drawn models. By the April 1864 edition, the magazine aimed to take its fashion to the higher class.
Godey’s Lady’s Book, April 1864 mary jane dress close up
Stealing the show in the April 1864 edition of the magazine was an assortment of women’s evening dress’s. The typical conservative design’s culminate with a white evening gown decorated with an interesting choice… Cannabis leaves!
Throughout the evening dress’s design are cannabis leaves expertly placed accentuating every part of the woman’s form. The chest, sleeves and skirt body all share in the elevated leaf’s motif.
The description given by Godey’s Lady Book for the dress design doesn’t mention the designers higher intentions but leaves the leaf design to speak for itself.
“Evening dress of heavy white corded silk, made with a tunic skirt. Both skirts are edged with a narrow ruffle and puff, and trimmed with black lace leaves.”
– Godey’s Lady’s Book, April 1864 dress description
Godey’s Lady’s Book, April 1864 dress descriptions
When a woman walked into the room wearing Godey’s highly designed evening dress in 1864, there was little doubt from anyone present at just how high fashion had become!
‘Keeping Company’ woodcut from Godey’s Lady’s Book, April 1864