Edwardian Fashion 1890-1915: A Visual History

We often think of the Edwardian era as a gilded age of garden parties and summer afternoons before the upheavals of the First World War – in the words of cultural historian Samuel Hynes, a 'leisurely time, when women wore picture hats and did not vote, when the rich were not ashamed to live conspicuously, and the sun never really set on the British flag.'

After the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, wealthy society took its cue from the hedonistic lifestyle of Edward VII and looked forward to a new century of opulence, extravagance and luxury.

After the dark fabrics, heavy skirts and bustles of the Victorian era, Edwardian fashion turned to lighter, blousier styles that aimed to liberate women from the stiff conventions of the nineteenth century.

So what would an Edwardian woman most want to have in her wardrobe? I have selected a few of my favorite Edwardian fashions for each time of day and explain how they came to be staples of the early part of the 20th century.