Women’s clothing changed dramatically right through the course of the Victorian era. Necklines rose, waistlines dropped, and Gothic severity gave approach to flounces, frills, and an abundance of trimmings. Sleeves ballooned up and skirts billowed out. The crinoline morphed into the bustle and steam-moulded corsets cinched women’s waists ever tighter. 

As fashion was once evolving, so too were trends in ladies’ hair care and cosmetics. An era which started by prizing natural, barefaced beauty ended with women purchasing lip and cheek rouge, false hairpieces and pomades, and fashionable perfumes made with expensive spice oils and animal essences. 

Using research from nineteenth century beauty books, fashion magazines, and lady’s journals, Mimi Matthews brings the intricacies of a Victorian lady’s toilette into up to date day center of attention. Within the process, she gives readers a glimpse of the social issues that influenced women’s clothing and the societal outrage that was once an all too frequent response to those bold females who used fashion and beauty as a means of asserting their individuality and independence.