A Study on the Design and Composition of Victorian Women’s Mantle

Abstract

This study purposed to identify the design and composition characteristics of mantle through a historical review of its change and development focusing on women’s dress. This analysis was particularly focused on the Victorian age because the variety of mantle designs introduced and popularized was wider than ever since ancient times to the present. For this study, we collected historical literature on mantle from ancient times to the 19th century and made comparative analysis of design and composition, and for the Victorian age we investigated also actual items from the period. During the early Victorian age when the crinoline style was popular, mantle was of A‐line silhouette spreading downward from the shoulders and of around knee length. In the mid Victorian age from 1870 to 1889 when the bustle style was popular, the style of mantle was changed to be three‐dimensional, exaggerating the rear side of the bustle skirt. In addition, with increase in women’s suburban activities, walking costume became popular and mantle reached its climax. With the diversification of design and composition in this period, the name of mantle became more specific and as a result, mantle, mantelet, dolman, paletot, etc. were used. The styles popular were: it looked like half-jacket and half-cape. Ornaments such as tassels, fur, braids, rosettes, tufts and fringe were attached to create luxurious effects. In the late Victorian age when the hourglass style was in fashion, mantle returned again to plain design emphasizing the details of the shoulders. The results of this study are expected to present motives for the development of contemporary designs, to contribute to the new recognition of the value of mantles, and to open a new research area of clothing history.