Victorian Mourning Clothes

Victorians' fascination with death affected many aspects of everyday life, including dress. Fashion magazines advertised mourning versions of the latest styles while women in mourning followed very strict rules as to which types of dress were acceptable. Generally, mourning dress was the realm of women, for the expression of emotion was considered inappropriate in the male-dominated working world. The following items reveal the code of mourning dress, and how it was used to outwardly express one's inner grief at the loss of a loved one.

Mourning attire was a distinct way to show wealth and status. A household would often command the entire house hold to dress in mourning in black. "It is also said that wearing black for mourning comes from a Roman idea; the mourners could prevent being haunted from the ghost of the deceased by cloaking themselves in black" (Hell). "Middle and lower class women would go to great lengths to appear fashionable in times of mourning. Dying clothing black and then bleaching them out again was quite common. The industry of mourning became so vital to tailors that rumors were spread concerning the bad luck of recycling funeral attire (Hell).

Mourning attire for women included all of the attire including jewelry, hair accessories, stationary, purses, fans, and other objects. Men often added mere gloves or a hat to symbolize their mourning. "The material most associated with mourning was black silk crepe, which was almost exclusively manufactured by one company, Courtauld's. Crepe had a flat, lifeless quality - lustrous materials like furs, satin and velvet were forbidden" (Weston). If one were to wear color before the prescribed time, they were considered immoral and odious. If one maintained crepe after the prescribed time, they were considered unlucky.

Mourning was also very expensive for all Victorians. It had to be fashionable. Many times after a period of mourning, the normal wardrobe would be out of fashion and a great deal of new clothing had to be bought. If more than one death happened in a short period of time, the mourning clothing would have to be worn for a great deal of time. If they became too dingy, the mourning clothing would have to be replaced, which also could cause a great deal of spending.

Someone had to provide the clothes quickly to mourners. Many shops catered to the trade; the largest and best known of them in London was Jay's of Regent Street. Opened in 1841 as a kind of warehouse for mourners, Jay's provided every conceivable item of clothing you and your family could need. And you were bound to be repeat customers: it was considered bad luck to keep mourning clothes - particularly crape - in the house after mourning ended. That meant buying clothes all over again when the next loved one passed. Mourning was a lucrative business.