Doll:French Fashion Doll

The Victorian Era, associated with the reign of Britain's Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901, represents a time of great changes in women's fashions. Wealthy women, of whom some expected little more than marriage and motherhood, donned lavish gowns made of yards and yards of fabric as a reflection of social status and femininity. Strict rules of etiquette required women to change clothes up to six times a day, depending on season, activity, and occasion. The French fashion dolls of the time, superbly coiffed and costumed, provide a glimpse in miniature into the fashions, social activities, and conventions of Victorian women. As playthings for young girls and as symbols of prosperity, these dolls and their extensive trousseaus served as models of femininity and social expectations for young girls. This doll's three piece dress, with a narrow hobble skirt and voluminous train, exemplifies the elaborate and restrictive nature of Victorian women's fashion.