In Victorian society, women’s attire was a key marker of class. Upper-class women wore elaborate gowns, expensive fabrics, and intricate jewelry. Middle-class women imitated these styles, balancing cost with the need to appear refined. Working-class women wore practical, durable clothing suited for labor, rarely adorned with luxury. Accessories, gloves, hats, and hairstyles communicated wealth, taste, and social expectations. Fashion dictated who could attend certain events or clubs, effectively policing social boundaries. Observers could often determine family status on sight. Clothing thus became a visual language of social hierarchy and aspiration.
Women’s fashion visually reinforced class distinctions daily.
It highlights how appearance functioned as both social signaling and cultural regulation.
Did you know even glove length and hat shape could indicate a Victorian woman’s social class?
[Victoria and Albert Museum, vam.ac.uk]