English Fashions – 1861

Victorian Evening Gowns and Thomson Prize Medal Skirts

This authentic 1865 fashion plate from The Young Ladies’ Journal showcases the peak of mid-Victorian evening attire. The focal point features an exquisite blue crinoline skirt adorned with intricate castellated ruching, layered beneath a delicate white lace overskirt and anchored by a dramatic satin bow. This historical illustration serves as a commercial advertisement for the famous Thomson’s ‘Prize Medal’ cage crinolines, which revolutionized the voluminous silhouettes of nineteenth-century women’s fashion.

Nineteenth-Century Parlor Scene and Period Hairstyles

Set within an elegant domestic interior, the engraving captures a classic Victorian drawing-room scene with a lady playing the piano. The detailed artwork highlights the back and profile views of the subjects, displaying elaborate historical hairstyles with gold jewelry accents and off-the-shoulder necklines. This colorful lithograph reflects the high-society lifestyle, textile craftsmanship, and musical leisure activities shared by upper-class young women during the 1860s.