Searching for the newest fashion trends of the year? Well, 19th-century fashion is taking over 2021. I don’t think many of us expected a TV show set in the 19th-century to take over our dream closets, but it has! I already can picture fashion articles this Spring: Bridgerton & Ball Gowns: The Comeback of 19th-Century Fashion. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, then here’s a little explanation…
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About Bridgerton
Bridgerton, Netflix’s biggest series ever, is a romantic, period drama set in the 19th-century based on a series of novels by Julia Quinn. The series released on Christmas Day of 2020 and has been growing in popularity since. Four weeks after its release, the series was streamed in 63 million homes, making it the fifth-largest original series on Netflix. And now only a month later, it’s been watched in 82 million households. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the show is talked about everywhere. I can also attest to this hype and claim that it is truly amazing.
The Fashion of Bridgerton
(Disclaimer: for the purpose of this blog, since it is female-driven, we will only be discussing the women’s fashion in the show.) Viewers of the show not only love it for its characters and conflict but because of the fashion as well. As I mentioned previously, Bridgerton commences in the 19th-century, specifically in 1813. And the biggest sign of the era is the fun costume design. The most popular pieces you’ll see worn in the show are ball gowns, corsets, crowns, long gloves, and babydoll dresses – which are all historically accurate to the era.
These are pieces we tend to only see in movies and television paired together, and not often on the runway because of how “outdated” they are considered. However, because of the vast popularity of the show, and the existence of social media, viewers have been emulating those pieces and adding them to their wardrobes. Keywords like ball gowns, crowns, and Bridgerton have been trending on Pinterest for weeks. And Bridgerton-related content and memes have been going viral on TikTok this month. The show has created a desire for 19th-century fashion again, so expect to see it everywhere by Spring 2021.
The Obsession with 19th-Century Fashion
Because of shows like Bridgerton, 19th-century fashion is making a comeback. You may be thinking, why is this gaining so much popularity when other popular period dramas exist? A major reason 19th-century fashion is making a comeback right now is because of the isolated months we have spent in quarantine.
No one has left their house (for an event) in almost a year, therefore, no one is dressing up. Watching a glamorous show like Bridgerton makes us as a society envious of those times when we could dress up and go out. Therefore, for those who love fashion, being trapped in quarantine has us dressed in sweats every day. Even those who do not love fashion envy dressing up because it raises our self-esteem and confidence when we look good. So why not buy similar pieces from Bridgerton and live out our fashion dreams from home?
Corsets
If you’re interested in following the trend, the most popular and convenient way is with corsets. Corsets and corset tops are the most popular pieces because of how flattering they are; they cinch your waist to create an hourglass shape and are perfect to layer over an outfit. The first corset pictured is historically accurate to the 19th-century.
This style corset begins over the chest, covers the torso, and rests on the hip bone. While these corsets are most definitely coming back in style, corset tops are massively taking over fashion (the second image). A corset top is worn in order to be shown off, whereas, in the 19th-century, corsets were worn to be hidden underneath clothes to define the waist and bust. Corset tops are shorter, starting higher above the hip bone, often casting the chest. There are also corset tops where the chest is cropped out and outlined instead (the last image).
These are the corsets & corset tops I’ve seen everyone on social media buying:
(I learned about the white corset from this girl, and I’m dying to buy it!)
Ball Gowns
While ball gowns may not be the most convenient, or modern piece to dress in day-to-day, they sure are exciting to wear. And that’s exactly why people are buying them, even in quarantine. Watching the 40 million balls and galas that take place in Bridgerton will provoke you to purchase a ball gown, in order to live out a Cinderella-like dream. And with the existence of companies like Amazon, it’s incredibly easy to acquire one.
TikTok withholds living proof that people are perfectly content with purchasing ball gowns, even if they will have nowhere to wear them. Because wearing them at home is sufficient enough at the moment.
You can literally purchase this gorgeous ball gown on Amazon.
Have you watched Bridgerton, and if so, do you lust over the fashion and concept of attending balls? Let us know in the comments below if you enjoyed the show or will be participating in any of these trends!
Living life, and writing about it as I go.
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