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Clothes in 1850
Women's clothing and dresses were fairly simple and plain. Amelia Bloomer, publisher of the reformed paper called The Lily, printed sketches of an odd "Turkish costume" in 1852. It gained popularity in the early 1850s. Ironically, the outfit was abandoned shortly after its intro to American society, as was too unflattering. The most notable contribution was the hoop skirt. The common day dress before, had a short underarm seam, a shallow rounded dip at the waist front, and a soft and full bosom. -
Clothes in 1860
This decade was particularly marked by a change in the shape of women's skirts. Dress skirts started getting decorations on the surface and dresses made an appearance. Women slowly discarded their traditional, long, tightly corseted dresses and wore shorter, more naturally waisted dresses -
Clothes in 1865
A practical innovation in skirt turned fashionable around the mid-1860s. To keep long skirts from dragging on the ground when walking, cords were fastened at intervals in the inside of the skirt. The skirt could then be raised to the desired height, and the cords were tied around the waist. -
Clothes in 1870
The shape of the dress changed significantly during the 1870s. The high lump at the back carried on the 1860s trend toward flat fronts with extra material gathered behind. Skirts and bodices showed off ruffles, trims, flounces, laces, and other frills, a number of different materials, and a variety of deep colours. The sides of the skirt were later drawn further back creating a narrower front. -
Clothes in 1880
Women's clothing changed again with new arrangements of folds, drapes, and pleats. Bustles that were once popular in the 1870s disappeared, and then made a reappearance in the 1880s. The skirt was very narrow and only had slight padding the back of the dress. Later in 1882, the skirts became wider again. Around 1887, the bustle flattened and formed a drooping set of folds down the back. This new style caused the skirt to hang straight from the hips.
