Bodice, possibly worn by Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria wore mourning clothes from the moment of her husband, Prince Albert's, death in 1861 until her own. This is a rare surviving early example of her mourning wardrobe, created in the late 1860s or early 1870s. Almost no clothing survives from this period of her life.

Although her mourning clothes were often entirely black they were beautifully made with contrasting black fabrics and trims. Here, black silk is contrasted with large panels of matte crepe, a fabric produced and marketed for mourning clothes. The bodice is trimmed with chenille tassels. All of the bodices from her mourning clothes have a small pocket or two at the waistline, with a cord across one. They may have been used to secure and store small items such as keys or spectacles. This arrangement may show the value Victoria placed on practicality in her clothes.

Her sombre wardrobe reflected her complete emotional devastation following her husband's death and was also reflected in the dress worn in her household. Observation of mourning was so frequent and strict that one Maid of Honour noted that it was better 'never, never to buy anything but black!'. Although it was a style borne out of grief, it made the Queen instantly recognisable. It gave her a consistent look that was reproduced in photographs, prints, paintings and sculptures all over the world.