Mourning Costume in the 19th Century

Mourning Costume in the 19th Century

The costume associated with mourning is vastly different in different cultures, but the meaning of mourning dress is relatively similar worldwide: to express respect for the dead, and to keep one's own appearance from distracting from the ceremonies surrounding death. In most of the western world, the color that dominates most mourners' wardrobes is black, while the style and cut of mourning clothes is relatively unaffected by their purpose. Especially in the 19th century, ceremonial dress retained its complexity and stylishness whether it was made of colorful prints or solids, for church wear, or the somber black of the grave-side. Women's mourning clothes in particular bore little dissimilarity to their other modest formalwear, apart from the required black hue and a predominance of veils.

Among the lower classes, who could not afford to make an entirely new dress for use at only one occasion, it was customary to dye one's best dress or waistcoat black, particularly if the deceased was a close relative (Masson and Reveley, 1988). In large, well-to-do families, it was often the case that the servants were given mourning clothes, hats, and veils, which were used throughout the lengthy period of "high mourning," lasting from one to twelve months. During that time, the widow was expected to adhere to a stringent set of rules governing what she could wear, and when she was permitted to gradually ease back into normal clothing. These rules were very specific concerning jewelry and cloth; the only things a widow in late 19th century Paris was supposed to wear for the first four and a half months after her husband's death were black wool dresses, a hood and veil, black linen gloves and a ...

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...prising. However, the subtle changes in the dress of mourners reflect moral and societal changes, and may indicate cultural themes like the ‘meaning’ of black garments.

Bibliography:

Bibliography

Boucher, Francois Leon Louis. 20,000 Years of Fashion: The History of Costume and Personal Adornment. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1987.

Chicago Historical Society. Just the Arti-Facts. http://www.chicagohs.org/AOTM/apr00/apr00fact3.html

CHS, 1998.

Harper’s Bazar: “Mourning and Funeral Usages.” April 17, 1886. (Author unlisted)

Masson, Ann, and Bryce Reveley: “When Life’s Brief Sun was Set: Portraits of Southern Women in Mourning, 1830-1860.” Southern Quarterly, v27 n1, pp32-56.

Perrot, Marie, ed. A History of Private Life, vol. 3: From the Age of Revolutions to the Great War. Cambridge, MA: Bellknap/Harvard University Press, 1990.