An 1890s Victorian Blouse: In Sunshine and Lace

Can one sew a Victorian blouse from the 1890s, full of insertion lace, as a One Day Make? Yes (barely)! During the 1890s shirtwaists became fashionable casual wear for Victorian ladies and working women alike. Cut initially like menswear shirts, these blouses were part of a change in fashion and in history, as the New Woman of the Belle Epoque won greater access to education, professional achievement, and life on her own terms. They were practical but could be beautiful as well, and around the turn of the century were decorated with all manner of frills and lace.